Agistri: 5 experiences on island hopping from Athens with the locals is written by The editorial staff, RejsRejsRejsThe editorial team was invited to Agistri by Greece Private Transfer. All positions are, as always, the editorial staff's own.
Agistri, Greece
Agistri is a little green Greek island with direct ferry to Athens port city of Piraeus. You won't find any big hotels or mass tourism here – just Greek charm, cozy hotels and wild views. It's no wonder the island is a popular weekend getaway for locals in Athens.
Agistri consists primarily of pine forests, cliffs and small towns and is said to be one of the greenest islands in Greece. Many Greek islands are otherwise quite barren and rocky, but Agistri is green.
Here are the editors' tips for 5 experiences on Agistri in Greece.
Skala - a relaxed holiday village on Agistri
You can sail to both the main town of Megalochori and the neighboring town of Skala, which are connected to each other by a coastal road of just over 2 kilometers.
Skala is where most of the hotels and restaurants are located, and where the island's small sandy beaches are located, and it was also there that we stayed in cozy and well-functioning Oasis Beach Hotel right on the beach. In fact, the hotel is so close to the water that you can hear the sound of the ocean at night when you go to sleep, and there is probably no better sleeping pill.
Breakfast is often included in the hotel, and ours was too, with a huge buffet and one of the nicest inventions when you're traveling: an 'egg station' where a chef makes omelets and other goodies. You don't see that in many places in smaller hotels, so we took full advantage of it.
The small cozy town has a number of eateries with a clear focus on local cuisine and everything good from the sea. It's just about exploring, and if you want a little tip in advance, we recommend it Toxotis restaurants up in the city to the classical Greek, or Restaurant Oasis for more modern and international dishes.
Remember that dining times in Greece are a little later than we are used to back home, so many restaurants only open for dinner after 19 pm.
In Skala, life must be enjoyed. No one is in a hurry, and it's liberating to notice how big city people slow down when they get off the ferry.
Chalikiada - the deserted beach
Do you dream of the perfect, isolated beach in Greece? Then go to Chalikiada.
When you walk out of Skala around the ferry port, you come up the small roads towards the cliffs. Up here, there are cozy hotels and taverns scattered decoratively. The road ends after a 10-15 minute walk, and then a nature trail towards Chalikiada begins.
We met free campers in small tents and a single hippie who showed us the way down to the beach. It takes good balance to get down there – so you have been warned.
The beach itself is a pebble beach with an impressive cliff behind, a small cave and of course completely azure sea, as is the case all the way around Agistri.
There were 4-5 tents spread out on the beach, with absolutely no facilities, but that's exactly the attraction of it. Robinson Crusoe would feel at home here.
Dragonera - where the dragons come from
At the other end of Agistri, 8 kilometers from Skala, lies Dragonera – 'The Dragon's Place'. The small beach is still a bit of a secret, and you just need to know where to turn when you get there. There is both a local shortcut and a proper road with signs.
The island's bus stops on the main road, but it can not get off the small and rather steep road, which leads all the way down to the beach. The bus also connects all the important places on the island, and it runs all day when it is tourist season.
Dragonera is beautifully situated and the beach itself is a pebble beach with parasols and a small kiosk with refreshments. The big attraction is of course the water and there is really nice sandy bottom right next to the beach. Once you are there, there is nothing to worry about - then the kites can just come.
Aponisos - beach fun for full swing
It doesn't take many seconds to walk from Agistri to the tiny neighboring island of Aponisos via a low bridge. Aponisos is privately owned, and the owner family has created a cozy holiday atmosphere here with sun loungers, cold drinks and even peacocks. There is a small path around the island, and otherwise it's just about relaxing, swimming in the shallow calm water and beautiful views of the archipelago and the volcanoes.
The water here is like most places on the island completely crystal clear. It almost seems as if the boats are flying over the water, and it is easy to see small fish, jellyfish and not least sea urchins in the water.
It costs 5 euros to enter the island of Aponisos, and it is very popular at the weekend when Athenians come over from the mainland.
No matter where you settle down at Aponisos, they have a smart calling system so you can order snacks and cold drinks without getting up. It's a service you'll quickly appreciate.
Dorousa and Ægina - Agistri's small and large neighboring island
The two closest islands for day trips from Agistri are Dorousa and Ægina.
The rocky island of Dorousa is located just opposite Aponisos, and to visit it you need to join a round-the-island boat trip, which can be booked at all hotels for around 40 euros including lunch for a full-day trip on a beautiful old ship. Alternatively, you can rent a boat yourself.
There is a bette chapel at the top, which you can reach after a demanding ascent of the cliff, and here is the best view of the year. Apart from the view and a lot of rabbits, there is nothing on the island, so no one stands in the way of the perfect picture from the top.
Aegina, also spelled Aegina, is Agistri's big brother. You pass it by ferry on the way to Agistri, and here you can experience even more Greek island atmosphere. The island is better known than Agistri, and if you are into ruins and ancient Greek history, then there is a lot to get started on the great of the Saronic Islands.
Both Aegina and Agistri have good hiking trails, and you can also rent bicycles to get your heart pumping.
Whether you are on a short trip from Athens, or you spend the whole holiday on an island, the recommendation from here is that you slow down the pace and up the joy of life and enjoy the special Greek island life. And Agistri is a really good place to start.
See much more about traveling in Greece here
Good trip to Agistri, good trip to Greece.
This is what you should see and do on Agistri
- Skala - jump into the Mediterranean straight from the beach
- Megalochori - take a stroll around the winding streets and feel the local life
- Dragonera - the small beach with the lovely water
- Aponisos - 100% enjoyment of life with 'room service' under your parasol
- Sail a trip around Agistri and dive, snorkel and swim in the clear Mediterranean waters
- Go hiking or biking around the small green island
- Chalikiada - the isolated beach that turns on your inner Robinson
- Dorousa - climb the rocky island and enjoy the most beautiful view up by the chapel. Remember shoes and camera
- Aegina - take a trip to the large neighboring island and see beautiful ancient temple ruins; it belongs on a trip to Greece
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7: Nice in France – 342 hours/month
6: Valencia in Spain – 343 hours/month
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