One-day excursion outside Athens

Salamina Island is suitable for a one-day trip from Athens, because it is very close and small, which means that it can be seen fairly quickly. The most fun part of it is that there are no signs and you can get lost while walking on the small streets. But the good thing is that Salamina is a small island and sooner rather than later you will get on a street that is marked on the map. The bad news is that very often the locals will not allow you to take pictures because of the navy base that is there. If it is of any consolation to the fact that you cannot take pictures, in every village there many good taverns, ouzo places and coffee shops.

During summer, the citizens of the island triple, because people can get there very fast from Athens. To most people, Salamina is known for its navy base but its beautiful beaches, archeological sights and the many entertainment places make it perfect for all of you who want to run away from the city chaos.

The Salamina battle and the revenge of the 300

Salamina is a famous island ever since ancient times. It is the island where the mythical battle between Greeks and Persians took place and the Greek prevailed. This way, they save not only their Athens but also the whole Greece, so it wouldn’t be conquered by the army of Xerxes.

Salamina Island is separated from the continental part of Greece by narrow sea passages. 25 centuries ago, when the Greeks lost the Battle of the Thermopylae – remember the movie “300,” and Xerxes’ army was free to go to Athens, Themistocles advised all Athenians to leave the city and move to Salamina.

After long arguments between the Greek commanders, Themistocles’ plan for a sea battle was approved and the Greeks decided to attack the Persian ships, right at those small sea passages near to Salamina. Despite the fact that the Persians had numerical superiority, they were not good navigators and their ships were big and clumsy. In this battle, they lost 200 ships and a big part of their crew, who couldn’t swim. During the clash, only 40 Greek ships were destroyed. Easily with its fast maneuvering fleet, the Greeks got the upper hand over the Persians.

Xerxes got scared that he would be isolated in Europe if they conquered long narrow strait at Hellespont and this is why he withdrew his army back to Persia. Since then, the name of Salamina is wrapped with the glorious halo of the mythical victory. It is not by accident that today, the biggest naval base in Greece is in Salamina and many of its citizens work there.

It is worth to see it!

In the island’s capital, which is also called Salamina, live 23 000 people and it has transformed into a small modern city.

Around Salamina you can see the two windmills, which are on top of the Windmill Hill and were built during the 18^th century. They were two out of ten windmills, which were working until the 19^th century – then the mayor of the city built the steam flour-mills on the Salamina shore and with time the traditional mills were destroyed.

Salamina is also the home of the Greek poet Angelos Sikelianos’ house, which was restored in 2006. While living there Sikelianos had written some of his most important works and a frequent guest of his was King Pavlos, who had visited him every time he had to go and check the naval base on the island. An interesting fact about Sikelianos is that in 1946 he was chosen for a chairman of the Association of Greek Literature Scholars and three years later he was a nominee for the Nobel Prize.

The island is also the home of some sculptures by the famous Yanoulis Halepas – one of the best Greek sculptors, and they can be seen in the temples Saint Mina and Saint Dimitar.

Did you know that the ancient Greek tragedy author Euripides was born and had worked on the island? The cave that they say that he used to live in, is in Peristeria and can be visited and the open amphitheatre, which holds his name, was built 15 years ago, it has 3000 seats and a great view of the sea.

Find the strange house!

One of Salamina’s landmarks, which is not mentioned in any tourist guide is the house made out of wooden branches, which were taken out of the sea. It looks like a forest palace taken out of an Andersen’s story.

In the area around the house, you can find benches made in the same style, which are for the fans of the local soccer team and also a platform for pool diving, which during summer is put to sail in the sea.

What do the citizens of Salamina do?

The biggest naval base in Greece is in Salamina and 10 000 people work in it, 2 000 of whom are local citizens. For the Salamina people it is prestigious to work in the base and there was even a wish to work there, which older people were saying to younger ones regarding their professional careers. Also a big part of the food and provision needs of the base are covered by the local market and this way the local employment is flourishing. During the last century, some of the most popular jobs on the island were cashier at a minimarket and an employer of the base. The old citizens of the island used to call the naval base “Saint Spas,” because it gave them the opportunity to work during the hard years in the country. After the end of World War Two and the Civil War in Greece, many people leave the country but the citizens of Salamina are of the few ones, who did not need to leave.

How do I get there?

In order to get to Salamina you need to go with a car to Perea or to Pieria and from there to take a ferry. Every 15 minutes there is a ferry from Perama and for 15 minutes you can get to Paloukya – the price for a ticket is ?1 and for a car ?5. The ferry also travels at night. There is also a ship from Nea Perama every 30 minutes and for 3 minutes you can get to Salamina. When you are on the island, you can move around either with a bus or with a taxi.

From the center of Athens you can get a bus to Perea, where you can find the closest port to Salamina.

The island is the biggest one in the Saronic Gulf and the closest one to the coasts of Attika. At its narrowest part, the Pahi strait, which separates the island from the continental part, is 500 meters wide and in its widest part, which passes next to Pieria is 1200 meters. According to geographical data, the coasts of the island have a total length of 100km and its total area is not more than 93.5sq.km.

Hotels:

1.     “Gabriel” in Eandio, tel.: 210 – 4665478, 694 – 5677353

2.     “Votsalakya” in Selinia, tel.: 210 – 4671334

3.     “Melina Resort” in Eandio, tel.: 210 - 4640562