Spetses Island (Greece, Saronic Islands)

Spetses Island (Greece, Saronic Islands)is a historic island located 1.5 miles from the mainland (Peloponnese) near the Argolic peninsula.   The capital is the homonymous city of the island.

Spetses island is a popular tourist destination with well-preserved mansions and traditional architecture that coexist with the liveliness of tourists and lush nightlife.

 

 

History of Spetses island

Spetses was governed by the Venetians (1220-1460) and the Turks in the Frankish period. The original medieval settlement was to the northwest of the present-day city, today’s “Kastelli,” where there was a citadel on a hill (today’s church of St. Basil). The inhabitants of Spetses participated in the Russo-Turkish War (1770) and suffered great destruction by the Turks.  

In the Greek revolution against the Ottoman Empire 1821-1832, Spetses played a leading role with its naval force.

 

The main port of Spetses island (Dapia)

One of the most interesting spots in Spetses is the port Dapia lined up with cannons that were used in the Greek revolution of 1821. The visitor will take a rest at the port of Dapia, with its famous square.  Sea taxis are stationed here that take you anywhere you wish to go, including the nearby beaches for swimming, across to the Peloponesse mainland, or even to a nearby island (Hydra).

 

 SIGHTSEEING in Spetses Island (Greece, Saronic Islands)

 

Museum of Laskarina Bouboulina

It is worth visiting the mansion of which has been a museum since 1992.  Laskarina “Bouboulina” was a Greek heroine of the Greek Revolution of 1821. The visitor participates in a lively tour, about 40 minutes long, listens to the life of Bouboulina, and at the same time sees the personal objects of the heroine.

 

Also, sees the porcelain collections, mainly of English and Chinese origin, letters, and other records, old books. Furthermore, the visitor sees portraits of Bouboulina, personal belongings, furniture, distinctions bestowed on her mainly by foreign governments, and many other remarkable exhibits. You will be impressed by the unique carved ceiling and the collection of weapons of the 1821 era, and between them, it’s the pistol of Bouboulinas.

In the Great Hall with the beautiful wood-carved Florentine-style ceiling and the Italian-French furnishings of the 18th and 19th century. This is also the most impressive room of the mansion where the various war boards were made, between Bouboulina and the other island captains.

Poseidonion Grand Hotel

Poseidonion Grand Hotel opened for the first time in 1914. It became a landmark of the island hosting in its premises members of the high society, the royal family, and wealthy Athenians.

The building was first renovated in 1960, after the war, and reopened its doors in the summer of 2009 to welcome new visitors.

 

Mansion of Chatzigiannis Mexi

Chatzigiannis Mexi was built between 1795-1798, which is housed the Spetses Museum and the historical archives of the island. You will see Early Helladic and Classical pots, Roman and Byzantine sculptures, ecclesiastical objects, local costumes, and much more.

Hatzigiannis-Mexis was the first governor of Spetses in the years of the Greek Revolution of 1821.

 

Mansion of the local benefactor Sotirios Anargyros

Sotirios Anargyros was a Greek businessman and a national benefactor. He was born in Spetses in 1849. He was the most important personality of the Spetses of the last century.  Spetses was the centerpiece of the activities of Sotiriou Anargyrous. In 1904 the erection of a luxurious mansion, neoclassical style, ends in the city center. Also, in 1907 he built at his own expense the first aqueduct on the island. Similarly in 1913-14, the great benefactor’s offer to the island was great. First, he purchases a large area that is reforested, again creating the pine forest of Spetses, secondly opening regional roads on the island, and thirdly building the hotel Posidonio. The latter project gave him a great tourist boost in Spetses and made the island a holiday center of the upper social classes.

In 1927 the School of Anargyrios – Korgialenios was launched, which was the largest offer of the national benefactor and actually raised the cultural level of the island. The School has been one of the best colleges in the Balkans and has been the inspiration of Eleftherios Venizelos.  It operated until 1983 with Greek and international students.

 

The church of Panagia Armata 

Τhe Orthodox Church of Our Lady of Armata is located at the site of the Old Port, at the site of the most powerful governorate of Spetses, “Promachonas.” It was built in the period 1826-1830 by the historical family of Spetses Ioannis Koutsis in remembrance of the naval battle of Spetses against the Turks. 

 

Beaches of Spetses

The green-pine beach of Agia Paraskevi with pebbles and crystal clear waters is considered by many to be the most beautiful of Spetses. This beach is located to the southwest of the island. You can take the bus, or you can take a day trip by boat. At the northern end of the beach of Agioi Anargyroi, there is the famous sea Cave of Bekiris, or “Lovers Cave. ”

Another beautiful beach is Agia Marina which has evolved into a cosmopolitan beach.   Similarly,  behind the village of Pitioussa is the Bay of Garyfalos, where you will find a small pebbled beach with bays. Another beach is  Zogeria, with the only deep green color of the sea. Access to this beach is with the caique.

 

Gastronomy

Spetses is famous for a specialty traditional seafood plate, “fish a la spetsiota.” The fish is cooked with tomato juice, garlic, and olive oil in a clay pot in the oven.

Also, you should certainly try one of the most famous local products of Spetses made with almonds, sugar, and rose water (amygdaloto), which you can find at all Spetses pastry shops.

 

 

Walk at Poseidonion Square of Spetses

 

 

You can take your walk in the large Poseidonion square next to the harbor where Bouboulina’s statue is (heroine of the Greek War of Independence of 1821).

 

 

How to get to the Spetses island (Greece, Saronic Islands)

• Every day from Piraeus port, there are ferries to Spetses. The duration of the trip is approximately two (2) hours (depending on the stops at other ports).  Trips to Spetses are daily from Porto Heli harbor. The journey time is about 15 minutes.
•  You can drive to Costa, near Porto Heli in the Peloponnese, for about 2.5 hours by car. You will park your car in Costa since no vehicles are allowed in Spetses, and you will be crossed by boat or sea taxi in 15 minutes.

         

 

• By sea taxi ….Sea taxis are scheduled 24 hours a day, anywhere on the island, by telephone, or at the port of Dapia, which is their permanent anchorage.
• The easy way to go to Spetses is to travel from Costa to Spetses with shared boats (traditional caiques) or water taxis.  Traditional caiques during the tourist season run from the morning and stop at night. Costa is a small port seaside settlement in Argolis that lies opposite the port of Spetses, which is only 1.5 miles away.