Spetses

Spetses are located at the entrance to the Bay of Argos. Its old name was "Pityoussa" owing to its great amount of pine trees, which even today you can enjoy giving to the island a particular character. Also it has some old mansions that create a distinctive architecture and for the beaches' lovers there are some sandy and rocky nice beaches.

The first settlement in Spetses was in the Early Helladic era (2500 - 2000 B.C.); from there there are some foundations, statues and clay vessels in Agia Marina. In more recent days, it is famous for being the first island that took part in the Independence War. In Dapia Square there are even now some cannons that were used in those times.

From another point of view, Spetses is the famous scenery of John Fowles' novel The Magus. One good idea is taking with you this book in your travel.

ADVICES
Lucky are the lovers of peace, because cars are infrequent on the island. So, here you can enjoy others ways of transport as bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, which give a special charm to the place. If you want to travel through the whole island the best idea is to take one water taxi or rent a bicycle, although there are buses to the most part of beaches of the island. Using the Flying Dolphin you can reach Naphlion and from Spetses you can plan excursions to others sites of the Peloponisos.

COMMUNICATIONS
If you use the Ferry from Piraeus to go to the Spetses, at least it is going to take you five hours, unless you take the Flying Dolphin arriving in half time.

Using some ships you can arrive in the Agios George beach in 20 minutes.

SIGHTS
The center of the life is located around the old harbour, in this old wooden harbour the nightlife has its peak and there you can take the Water-taxis.

Sights worth seeing on Spetses are the house of the Revolutionary heroine Bouboulina; the Mexis house, now a museum; and the church of Agia Triada (18th century) with its carved iconostasis.

BEACHES
he lack of natural water in this island makes that the houses are around the port, where the ships with water arrives. So, in this island the beaches are almost as desert as the countryside. For the sun lovers the most popular beaches are Agii Anargyri and Agia Paraskevi.