Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
and brought to ancient Aegina; her cult, virtually unknown anywhere else, was established
on the island as early as 1300 BC. Two hundred years ago the temple's pediments were
intact and essentially in perfect condition. However, like the Elgin marbles, they were
“purchased” from the Turks - this time by Ludwig I of Bavaria - and they currently reside
in Munich's Glyptothek museum. A small
museum
offers a great deal of information
about the history and architecture of the temple. A well-signed path leads from the temple
to Ayía Marína; an easy walk down, slightly tougher coming up.
Ayía Marína and around
The island's major beach resort,
AYÍA MARÍNA
, lies steeply below the Temple of Aphaea on
the east coast. There's a good, clean, sandy beach that shelves very gently, pedaloes to rent
and plenty of places to eat, many of them catering to day-trippers - direct boats arrive
from Pireás daily. The place has clearly seen better days, as the number of empty premises
and the ugly, half-built hotel overshadowing the beach attest, but package tourism seems
to be on the up, and it can be lively and enjoyable in a bucket-and-spade sort of way, with
plenty of hotels and rooms, and a main street lined with shops, bars and pubs; the
occasional summer beach party sees an overnight invasion of young Athenians.
Pórtes
PÓRTES
, 8km south of Ayía Marína, is a hamlet with a distinctly end-of-the-road feel, a
partly sandy beach with decent snorkelling and a couple of good tavernas. From here, the
road climbs steeply inland, beneath the island's highest peak, heading back towards Égina
Town via the villages of
Anitséou
and
Pahiá Ráhi
. The latter, with fine views eastwards,
has been almost entirely rebuilt in traditional style by foreign and Athenian owners.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
AYÍA MARÍNA AND
ARO
UND
all rooms have sea views as well as a/c and TV.
€40
Neromilos
T
22970 32198.
Just above the tiny fishing
harbour, Neromilos (the “Watermill”) is a big, popular place
with a terrace above the water serving inexpensive
no-nonsense Greek food - starters €3-5, mains €5-9.
Daily lunch & dinner.
AYÍA MARÍNA
Argo Spa Hotel
T
22970 32266,
W
argohotel.com.
With a great position directly above the bay as you come
into town, the
Argo
has a pool and small “spa” (sauna, hot
tub) and often offers good, all-in
dea
ls; refurbished,
modern rooms mostly have sea views.
€65
Barracuda Beach Bar
T
694 55 33 693.
With a
precarious wooden terrace hanging over the beach, the
Barracuda
also offers service on the beach itself.
Milkshakes, coffee and sandwiches by day; cocktails and a
DJ at night.
Daily 11am-3am.
Hotel Liberty 2
T
22970 32105,
W
hotelliberty2.gr.
An ochre-coloured building overlooking the end of the
beach; simple and old-fashioned, with marble floors, but
PÓRTES
Akroyiali
T
22970
31335.
A fine
psarotavérna
with a
terrace above the sea, close to the beach. Good fish and
mezédhes attract visitors from around the island at
weekends. Nearby
Thanasis
offers a slightly more meaty
menu.
May-Sept
lunch & dinner daily, plus winter
weekends.
The west coast
The road south of Égina Town, along the
west coast
of the island, is flat and easy.
Sprawling
Marathónas
, 5km from Égina, has the biggest if not the prettiest of the west
coast's sandy beaches, offering fine views and loungers, along with a scattering of
rooms, tavernas and cafés. The next settlement,
Eyinítissa
, has a popular, sheltered cove
backed by eucalypts and a beach bar.
Pérdhika
PÉRDHIKA
, scenically set on a little bay packed with yachts at the end of the coastal
road, is the most picturesque village on the island. The pedestrianized waterfront
esplanade at the southern edge of the village, overlooking Moní islet and the
