Saronic Island Ferries

The Saronic Gulf islands sit just south of Athens, making them the most accessible island group in Greece and ideal for anyone who wants a genuine island experience without a long journey or an overnight ferry. The main islands in the group are Aegina, Poros, Hydra, and Spetses, each with its own personality and none of them more than three hours from Piraeus by conventional ferry. Aegina is the closest and most visited, with fast ferries arriving in as little as 40 minutes and conventional ferries in about an hour.

The island is famous for its pistachios, the Temple of Aphaia, and the picturesque harbour at Aegina Town. Poros is a narrow channel island separated from the Peloponnese by barely 200 metres of water, and the crossing from the mainland town of Galatas by small boat takes minutes. Hydra is the standout for atmosphere: cars and motorbikes are banned, the donkeys and water taxis are the only transport, and the harbour at Hydra Town is one of the most beautiful in Greece.

It takes about 90 minutes on a Flying Dolphin hydrofoil from Piraeus. Spetses is the furthest of the four, roughly three hours by conventional ferry, and shares Hydra's car-free character in its old town area. Hellenic Seaways runs the main hydrofoil and catamaran services on Saronic routes, while Saronic Ferries and others cover conventional sailings.

Because these islands are within day-trip range of Athens, they can get very busy on summer weekends when Athenians head out in force. If possible, travel mid-week or in shoulder season from May to June and September to October, when the islands are quieter and the weather is still excellent. All four islands operate year-round ferry services, which makes them a solid option even for winter visits.