The destination
Very near Athens, in Saronic gulf, lies Poros waiting to be discovered and enchant you with the beautiful architecture and picturesqueness of the island.
You can reach Poros either by car, boat or public transport. By car, you can take the National Road Athens - Corinth towards Epidaurus and then follow the road signs to Galata. It takes 2,5 hours to arrive.
By boat from the port of Piraeus, there is daily transport to the island by ferry boats and flying dolphins/ flying catamarans. From there, it takes 2 hours to reach the island by ferry and approximately 1 hour by flying dolphins/flying catamarans.
If you choose to go by public transport, there are departures from the central bus station in Athens to Galatas or you can take the public train - proastiakos from Athens to Corinth and then by public bus or taxi to Galatas, Karapoliti Poros.
Poros island
Photo by Cristos Papadopoulos
Wandering in the narrow streets of Poros you can admire the large mansions and whitewashed houses with the bougainvillea backyards which will surely take you back in time and deliver you something of the island's cultural heritage.
At the Archaeological Museum in Korizi Square you can see exhibits from the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Troizina and ancient wrecks. The Hadzopouleios Library hosts the Permanent Exhibition "Shells and the Sea", the main theme being the shell, and the greatest part of the exhibits comes from the seabed of the wider marine area around Troizinia.
The view from the historic clock built on 1927, a trademark of the island, at the top of the hill is breathtaking and if you wait for the sunset you will be rewarded with the magnificent sunset.
In the northern part of the island, a few kilometers outside the port, you will find the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, which dates back to the 6th century BC and served as an asylum in antiquity. There, the well-known orator Demosthenes took refuge and committed suicide in 322 BC.
To the west of the harbor, stands the Russian Navy, built amphitheatrically, an interesting preserved monument worth visiting. The first buildings were built by the Russians in the early 19th century to support and refuel their fleet in the Aegean.
On the Poros island at the area Monastiri there is the 18th century Zoodochos Pigi Monastery, where at the entrance you can find a source well-known for its healing properties and worth visiting. It is a representative sample of island monastery architecture and the scenery is gorgeous as it stands on a lush slope of pine and plane trees. Below the hill where the monastery is built, lies the beautiful organized Monastiri beach with crystal clear waters.
Near to "My Poros" villa, is the well-known Lemonodasos (lemon-tree forest) a vast orchard of lemon and other citrus trees which is characterized as protected area by the European Union. Do not miss a visit to Diabologefyro (Devil’s bridge), a rugged area of wild vegetation and centuries-old plane trees. It is a wonderful place to walk, with waterfalls and small lakes.
Worth Seeing
From Poros, there are direct routes by flying dolphins/ flying catamarans to the islands of Hydra and Spestes and to the small seaside towns Ermioni and Porto Cheli on the eastern side of Peloponnese.
Spectaculare spots are the ancient theater of Epidavros and Nafplio city with the unique castle of Palamidi and the castle of Bourtzi located on a rocky islet, in front of the port of Nafplio.
Zoodochos Pigi Monastry
Epidavros
Nafplio
Hydra
