General Information
Spetses is an enchanting island of diverse natural beauty, a rich historic past and cosmopolitan Greek island lifestyle.
Despite its modest size, the hospitable locals and its proximity to Athens have always made it a favorite holiday spot.
Lush pine forest landscapes and hidden coves with sparkling clear waters, quality restaurants and tavernas offering local flavours, car-free roads and the picturesque sea-front promenade all combine to create a unique Greek island identity. Throughout the year, whether during the busy summer months or the mild winter and blossoming and scented spring time, Spetses attracts high quality visitors.
Arriving by sea, the first images are of the proud island homes with their red-tiled roofs, set against a back-drop of pine forests. Wise building regulations impose strict architectural norms throughout the island. This has resulted in maintaining the unique and characteristic Spetsiot architecture which owes much to the finesse of the island's onetime Venetian overlords and the great tradition of local merchant captains who brought wealth and pride to the island. Above Dapia, rises the neighborhood of Kastelli, home to the first major settlement of the island and the Spezzie villas.
Spetses, Greece. 2008
Access to Spetses
Easy access and proximity to Athens is one of the reasons for the island's popularity.
Spetses is part of the Saronic islands, located in the Saronic Gulf, just 51 nautical miles from Piraeus or some 200 km from Athens by road. Access to the island is easy, with fast catamarans or hydrofoils making the two-hour trip from Piraeus on a daily basis throughout the year and up to six times a day during the peak summer months.
By road, the three hour trip is a combination of some 100 km of super-highway from Athens airport to Corinth and another 100 km of scenic highway through the Peloponnese, passing the famous sea-side village of Epidavros and reaching Kosta, from where the 15 minute crossing is made by water taxi, caique or ferry boat.
Transportation on the island is limited to bicycles, motorbikes or horse-drawn carriages as the use of private cars is generally forbidden.
Discovering Spetses
The island offers a variety of sandy and pebbled beaches.
Choices range from popular and organized beaches like Agia Marina, Agia Paraskevi, Agioi Anargyri or Vrellos, to the very quiet and exclusive little bays reachable only by sea with private means. Within easily negotiated distances lay a multitude of beaches on the coast of the Peloponnese.
Spetses is renowned for its historic past marked by the influence of the Venetians as well as the merchant captains of Spetses who transformed the island into a prosperous sea force economy and substantial naval force. The museums on Spetses present the important role the island and its people played during the Greek revolution in the early 19th century.
The authentic warm hospitality of the locals, excellent quality products and a demanding clientele have resulted in a broad choice of eateries and entertainment options. Top class restaurants, traditional tavernas, waterfront cafes and popular bars, compete to satisfy all tastes, from early in the day to the next morning after a long night out.
Spetses, Greece. 2008