One of the many advantages of having loads of islands is that, invariably, one of them is bound to be real close to home. And in the case of Spetses, that couldn’t be any truer, as it sits across the coast on the Argosaronic Gulf, one hour away on the boat. Holidays in Greece have never been so close, and so affordable! Current developments have made that possible without dragging down any of the quality, and so, the marinas are all bursting at the seams with luxury yachts again, and the promenade is full of people.
It can be argued that Spetses is the quintessential Greek island. There is only one town. Cars are not allowed. And life on the island flows at the pace that its people want to. That’s not to say that Spetses is a sleepy backwater island, far from it. Spetses attracts the well off, the multitude of yachts are testament to that, and so are the various neo classical buildings that line the port and its streets. But like most islands, pure bliss can be attained in one of its many beaches and pine forest mountain trails, of which there are many. The island caters for the hikers and trekkers, as much as for the history buffs. And in Spetses, one can find history dating back thousands of years in the Agia Marina archaeological site, as well as recent Greek history dating back a couple of hundred years to the Greek War of Independence, in the form of the legendary female captain Laskarina Bouboulina, and specifically the homonymous museum that houses her bones amongst many other interesting artefacts of the time.
Spetses also boasts of the world class Spetses Mini Marathon every October, ideal for anyone who couldn’t make the Athens marathon, or anyone simply suffering from withdrawal symptoms. The Armata festival is also a sight to behold! A wooden ship is burned in the harbor to commemorate a naval battle that took place, and handed the victory to the Greeks over the Turks in the 1821 war of Independence. The festivities continue for a week during the second week of September and as is traditional, locals will make you feel part of the island, inviting you to local feasts and wine induced parties that go on till the early morning.
The experience is rounded off in style. Spetses has spectacular deluxe accommodation, and Athens Express can provide the necessary arrangements for anyone who wants to lord it. For those in love, Spetses provides an idyllic destination for an island honeymoon in Greece. Why stop there, though? A memorable holiday can never not include a boat trip. Yacht rental is the way to enjoy your holidays in Greece like a God! Whether you’re single and ready to mingle, or in a love-in with your other half, Spetses delivers!
