To visit Aegina seeking out hip hotels and Mykonos-style nightlife is to miss the mark completely. This hospitable island’s strongest suit is its casual charisma. The biggest Saronic Gulf island, at 85 sq km, Aegina’s two most trumpeted assets are its pistachios, grown in orchards all over the lush interior, and the remarkably intact Temple of Aphaia, a Doric marvel atop a pine-crested hill.
Worlds away from the heated whirl of Athens, yet close enough to be a daily commute, Aegina’s picturesque harbour offers a welcome change of gear with its cruisy café scene and crumbling neoclassical mansions. Since most day-trippers and long-weekenders are Greeks, Aegina is still pleasantly old school in its covered fish market and backstreet ouzeri, where seafood meze are often accompanied with live music.
Friday: Embrace the East Coast
You’ve come to Aegina to chill. But before you hit the sunlounger, we really must insist that you see the magnificent Temple of Aphaia—if only for the knockout views. Built in 480 BC, twenty-four of the original thirty-four Doric pillars are still standing. On a clear day, you can see both the Temple of Poseidon in Sounion and the Acropolis (the three ancient temples are said to form a Sacred Triangle). What makes this site so special is that you can get up close and personal with the ruins. Do stop in at the café too; the outdoor furniture is hewn from ancient stone and marble from the temple.
The ancient ruins of Aphaia in Aegina.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Yes, there are lovely sandy beaches you could stay on (Agia Marina, just down the road, for starters). But for Aegina purists, the true magic lies in being a rock lizard: sunning yourself on salt-crusted rocks moulded by nature into decks, then leaping into brilliant blue waters with colourful fish colonies.
Unplug at Sotos - one of our favourite Aegina beach bars.
Photo: Amanda Dardanis
High on a rocky perch, Hotel Apollo is an Aegina classic. The rooms are adequate, the plumbing unreliable, and you’d be well advised to bring your own pillow. But priceless? The views, the location, the swimming (there’s also a saltwater pool at lobby level for those who tire of climbing down the steps to the sea)—and the faded retro glamour of the place that’s just on the cusp of being hip again. The seafront restaurant serves some of the best traditional Greek cuisine on the island, especially the stuffed tomatoes, seafood risotto, and shrimp saganaki.
Intrinsic to the Apollo Hotel scene is swimming over to Sotos Beach Bar next door. Sotos is one of those great little bars you come across only a few times in life. It sits on a slender rock jetty equipped with a couple of ladders and a diving plank, a hotly-contested cluster of straw umbrellas and loungers, some deck chairs and tables for playing backgammon or snacking. The mood is cool but democratic with an all-day playlist to match. Tanned young locals sip caipirinhas and eat nectarines out of paper bags, while older chill seekers snooze on bright lilos within easy reach of the ladder. But for most, it’s dive, dry off… repeat.
Saturday: Seaspray and Sunsets
Aegina has long been a retreat for some of Greece’s most prodigious writers and artists—Zorba the Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis, Nobel prize-winning poet Odysseus Elytis, and expressionist master Dimitris Mytaras to name a few. Tap Aegina’s arty side with a visit to the former studio of sculptor Christos Kapralos, about 3 km north of Aegina Town. Admire the fluid pieces that made his name (Kapralos represented Greece in the 1963 Venice Biennale). The gallery hosts an impressive collection of his fierce paintings, friezes and ceramics, spanning his most potent themes: the tragedy of war and the maternal bond. But it’s the Picasso-esque sculptures scattered around the garden that make the best photo ops. Especially his most famous bronze, Mother, who peers out over the expanse of blue sea.
A fruit stand in Aegina Town.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Sunset at the port in Aegina.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
You’ve had a hard day’s graft at the beach (try sandy Marathonas on the west side of the island, with comfy loungers and shady eucalyptus trees). Now, get your cocktail on at Inn on the Beach, a perky seafront favourite near Aegina Town. Feel the sea spray around your bare ankles while you watch the sun setting over Panagitsa basilica across the water.
On an island with no shortage of “by the book” tavernas, Kappos Etsi, is your best bet for a contemporary gourmet experience. Just behind Aegina port, in a listed stone building with a wine-coloured courtyard, chef Dimitris Kappos spins Greek classics into out-of-the-ordinary dishes like baked octopus with orange-cumin olive oil, and his signature “kappos etsi pie” stacked with feta, mince and parsley. Feeling fishy? Head for no-frills Geladakis or Skotadis near the fish market. Top picks are the fried sardines and whole grilled calamari.
Sunday: The Living is Easy
Haven’t hit optimum chill yet? Take a 10-minute water taxi ride from Perdika to the tranquil islet of Moni (uninhabited barring a few sociable peacocks, wild goats and deer). You’ll find a green paradise of sandy coves, hiking trails and loads of great picnic spots. There’s also a terrific taverna on the opposite side of the island (boats to Moni also leave from Aegina Town—it’s a 20-minute ride.)
Join the Athenian shipping set who escape the capital on their yachts for Sunday lunch at Perdika, a quaint stretch of fish tavernas, gelaterias and Victorian lamp posts overlooking the Peloponnese coast. Everyone has their favourite, but we like Nondas with its cheery ribbons hanging from the ceiling. It’s been there since 1936, and word is that the late Nondas taught Greek celebrity chef Lefteris Lazarou (of Varoulko fame) the perfect technique for grilling angler fish. It’s a house specialty here, along with octopus orzo and home-made leek pie.
Sample Aegina’s most famous edible export while you wait for your ferry back to Athens. There are roomier cafés on the strip but Gelato Follia is the veteran’s choice, thanks to their utterly delicious homemade pistachio gelato. Otherwise, head to Eakion, a harbourside pastry shop famed for its decadent pistachio-based desserts. If you’re here in mid-September, you’ll catch the annual Fistiki Fest. Dozens of kiosks selling all manner of pistachio products line the quay, along with exhibitions, concerts and gastronomy evenings.
Tables and a view at Nondas taverna.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
All along the harbour, you’ll find pistachio emporia tempting you to go nuts (sorry) with delicious souvenirs such as pistachio butter and pistachio pesto. On Panayioti Irioti Street, which runs parallel to the harbour, Mourtzis Traditional Sweets is a whimsical trove of local teas, sweets and traditional desserts. The pistachio baklava is the star of the show. Perhaps most irresistible of all is the fresh produce for sale in the fishing boats moored on the waterfront.
Factbox
A number of ferry companies (Hellenic Seaways, Saronic Ferries, Aegean Flying Dolphins and A.N.E.S.) service Aegina from Piraeus several times a day. The smaller fast ferries take 40 minutes; the larger vessels (on which you can take a car) take about 75 minutes. You can compare prices and schedules and book on Viva, Ferryhopper or Ferryscanner.
You don’t need a car to explore Aegina. The island’s lush and varied landscape makes it a popular choice for cyclists and there are several bike rental outlets. For Aegina’s best routes for cycling, visit here.
To find out more about Aegina, visit here.