If you find yourself in Athens and the temperature is soaring, why not skip the cost of a sun bed at a hotel pool or at the Athenian Rivera (yes that is a thing!) and do what the locals do. Visit one of the many islands close to the Athenian coast.
Agistri is one such island. It is a tiny island that sits within the Saronic Islands. Its a 55 minute hydrofoil from Piraeus and its a great little getaway for a day trip or even a short stay for a night or two.
The island is very slowed paced and feels like its your own. Parts of the island is like stepping back in time, with the bellowing of goats the only sound being heard in the distance. These poor goats will no doubt end up on the locals dinner table at some point. But hey, thats island life.
Skala, and Megalochori are the main towns and contain most of the islands hotels and restaurants, but if you manage to hire a car, exploring the island is a must. Nothing beats stumbling across a tiny villages taverna and eating a meal with the locals.
GETTING THERE
To get there you will need to book your ferry via one of two companies:
- Hellenic Seaways – https://hellenicseaways.gr/en/
- Hydrafiol service 55 minutes to the port of Megalochori
- Saronic Ferries – https://www.saronicferries.gr/eng/
- Normal ferry service, 1 hours and 35 minutes to the port of Skala
- Skala is 1km away from Megalochori
Both ferries leave from the port of Piraeus via the E8 gate.
ISLAND TRANSPORT
There are a few ways around the island:
- Bus
- Comes every hour until 8pm (if a bus is too full and you cannot get on, the island operators send another straight away without waiting another hour for the next bus)
- Cost €2
- Taxi – Ph: +30 22970 91455
- There is only 1 taxi on the island which you have to call to make a booking.
- Wait time can be up to 30 minutes depending on how busy the service is.
- Fare – from Skala to Aponissos beach was €15 which is one of the longer routes you can take
- Car / moped hire
- Best option is to talk to your hotel to book the best price for a car or a moped.
BEACHES
Aponissos
For me the best beach on the island is Aponissos. For €5 you receive a sun bed, a voucher for a free drink (coffee, water or beer) and a crystal clear beach to swim in. The beach is surrounded by rocks, so getting in to the sea you will have to walk over the rocks and enter via a ramp. But once in, the sea floor is very soft sand and the water is clean and crystal clear.
There is one shop on the beach which serves basic food such as club sandwiches (for some reason this is a greek beach standard meal option!), greek salads and an open gryo plate. Across from the beach is a taverna that serves all the usual greek meals and some nice seafood options, depending on what the catch of the day has been.
The beach is 8km from Megalochori and is accessible by bus and taxi
Dragonera
Another great beach worth the visit. This is a little quieter than Aponissos and has a more relaxed atmosphere which reflects the whole feeling of the island.
Again, this beach is €5 for a a sun bed and has a taverna offering snacks and drinks, but with each year that passes their menu expands which is a lot more on offer!
The beach also has music playing which is always an added bonus!
Dragonera is 3km from Megalochori and is accessible by bus and taxi
There are plenty of more beaches on the island, but for a day trip the above two are your best options.
ACCOMODATION
Accommodation for a room for 2 people will start at around €55 per night. Best options for book is via https://www.booking.com/ or via https://www.airbnb.com/
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