Pictures: www.clickatlife.gr
The spring offers us a wonderful opportunity to escape from everyday life, travelling to a nearby location. We offer 5 destinations for a long weekend.
1. Picturesque Aegina
Just a breath away from Athens, Aegina is an island with history, a cosmopolitan atmosphere and lately - many celebrities. This is an ideal place to spend a weekend.
How to get there:
Aegina is only 1 hour away from the port of Piraeus by ferry and only 35 minutes by fast boat. In ancient times, Aegina participated in the naval battle of Salamis against the Persians. Today, it is the second island in terms of area, population and development in the Argo-Saronic Gulf.
What is worth seeing?
Visit the hill of Paleochora with its small churches and enjoy the view over the Argo-Saronic Gulf.
Stroll along the harbour and the coastal area of Aegina and hop on one of the traditional horse and carriages which are waiting to show you around the island.
Enjoy a glass of ouzo under the sun, at the fish market or stroll through the narrow streets of the city. This is a good opportunity to look at the 19th century buildings which are representative of the neoclassical architecture with highlighted traditional elements.
The fishing village of Perdika is located in the southern part of the island. It is very picturesque and here you can enjoy delicious fish and wonderful views.
2. Angistri
This is a small paradise, near Athens. Even if you are not attracted by its size, you can be sure that you will forget all your problems in a few days here.
How to get there:
It is located not more than 50 minutes away from Piraeus if you travel by fast ship or about 1.5 hours by ferry.
At the beach
You can walk around the small bays of Skliri or soak up the sun on the beautiful beach of Dragonera with its small pebbles.
The ancient texts of Pliny, Thucydides, Diodorus and others call Angistri Kekrifalia, or "the decorated head."
3. Andros
The village of Chora on the island of Andros is built on a long and narrow peninsula, which ends at a small island with a magnificent Venetian Fortress. It stands out for its architecture and is considered to be the island of large ship owners.
The most famous beaches include Nimporio in Chora, Chrisi Ammos in Kipri, and Achla which can only be accessed by boat from Chora or along an inaccessible path.
Famous TV presenter Eleni Menegaki also prefers to spend her vacations here, trying to escape from paparazzi. If you have time, go to "The Old Lady's Leap" beach, which is accessible by car or by boat to Bouro.
4. Loutraki
This is an ideal choice for a short vacation, since you can get here in 50 minutes by car from Athens. Be sure to visit the artificial waterfalls.
The lighthouse
The most beautiful sunset! Take the road to Vouliagmeni, turn right to Ireon and enjoy the view!
Vouliagmeni Lake
The grandeur of nature is revealed to you only a few kilometres north of the city – it is located just after Perachora. If the weather is good, have a swim in the blue waters or have some fish in one of the taverns near the sea.
5. Evia
Did you know that this is the second largest island in Greece and the sixth largest in the Mediterranean? This is one of the favourite destinations for a long weekend. It combines the sea and the mountains in its northern part, and its beaches provide trees for you to rest under the shade. The beaches of Pefki, Agia Anna, Gouves, Istieia and Limni are a good choice.
Absolute relaxation
If you like solitude, visit southern Evia - people who are not looking for tourist spots will love it. Be sure to visit Karistos, Almiropotamos, Marmari and the villages of Kavo Doro. Take a walk at Stira in order to see the mysterious "dragon" houses which were built with huge stones.