NEARBY SIGHTSEEING AND THE ISLANDS

Poseidon Studios in Porto Heli are an ideal base from which to visit numerous sites of historical importance in the history of Greece & Europe; accessible by a variety of means from walking, biking, hire car and ferry.

THE VILLAGES OF KRANIDI, ERMIONI, DIDYMA & KOILADA

KRANIDI (ΚΡΑΝΙΔΙ) is the commercial centre for our area and so is a bustling town with many amenities. The medical centre, police and mayor are based here as is the KTEL (ΚΤΕΛ) Kranidi bus station where you may change busses to go to Athens, Epidavros or Nafplion.

One of the Kranidi windmills.

ERMIONI (ΕΡΜΙΟΝΗ) is a small but beautiful town about 10km to the north east of Porto Heli. You can reach it by car or bicycle or ferry from Athens. The town saddles a narrow penninsula so you are never far from the sea. Because of this there are lots of lovely bars and tavernas lining the quayside. On Thursdays there is a fabulous local market selling fresh local produce, clothing and homeware. At the end of the penninsula is the pine covered area called 'Bisti'. From here you can see stunning views across the Saronic gulf to the island of Dokos and beyond to Hydra. In this forested area you can also see the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. For more information about Ermioni have a look at the Ermioni website.

Market day in Ermioni.

DIDYMA (ΔΙΔΥΜΑ) is the farming community located in the shadow of the Didyma Mountain. It is a modest town with little of interest in the actual town. However just off the road are the caves or 'craters' of Didyma which are pretty impressive to walk around. For keen climbers there is a number of climbs in this region, mainly in the Didyma area. You can get details of the routes at the Climb Argolis website.

The Chapel of the Metamorphosis in the Didyma crater.

KOILADA (ΚOIΛΑΔΑ) is a small town on the coast to the north west of Porto Heli. It's main industry is still fishing and so this is the town to come to for a fish supper! It also has the biggest boat lift in the area and a construction yard where the traditional Greek fishing boats, Caiques, are still produced by hand. Across the bay from Kiolada is the ancient Frachiti Cave which can be reached by boat or a scramble over the rocks!

Fishing boats along the Koilada quay.

THE ISLANDS OF HYDRA, POROS, SPETSES & AEGINA

HYDRA (ΥΔΡΑ) is a preserved island only accessible by boat. You can take the ferry from Porto Heli or Ermioni or take a day tripper boat (Kelly Cruise) from Porto Heli. Hydra town is made up of beautifully conserved Venetian mansions it has become synonymous as a bolt home for artisans from around the world. To reflect this, the town is bustling with interesting and beautiful shops and boutiques full of locally crafted items. It also has no motor vehicles on it so take your walking boots or hire a donkey!! For more information on what there is to do on Hydra check out www.hydra.com.gr.

Evidence of pirates on Hydra?

POROS (ΠΟΡΟΣ) is an island easily accessible by ferry or car from Porto Heli. It is a beautiful island with beaches and woodland to explore and also home to the charming town of Poros which has many shops and tavernas to explore by day and funky cosmopolitan bars to chill out in by night. For more information about Poros Island go to www.poros.com.gr.

Poros town.

SPETSES (ΣΠΕΤΣΕΣ) is just a short hop from Porto Heli. You can reach it by ferry from Kosta, just 5km from Porto Heli, on which you can take a scooter, mountain bike, or travel as a foot passenger.You can also travel by ferry from Porto Heli direct or we can organise a water taxi for more convenient times enabling you to enjoy Spetses into the evening. Once in Spetses you can stay in the beautiful town and check out its museum dedicated to the Saviour of the Argolic, Bouboulina. As well as some great boutiques in the town there are some fabulous beaches within walking distance. Or you can get the bus around the island to Anagyri bay with a lovely taverna, long often deserted beach & massive caves to explore. It is an exhilarating but not too difficult to circumnavigate on a bike. To find out about more things to do on Spetses Island go to www.spetses.gr.

The view from the top of Spetses, in front is St Amilianos and to the right is Hydra.

AEGINA (ΑΙΥΙΝΑ) is a short hop from Athens into the Saronic Gulf on your way to Porto Heli. It is a pretty island with a number of towns and villages on it, including it's historically important capital, Aegina. There are a number of busy beaches on the island and good walking as it is predominantley an extict volcano. If you are a lover of pistacho nuts then this is the island to visit as this nut is one of their main exports. You can find more Aegina information here.

MONEMVASIA (ΜΟΝΕΜΒΑΣΙΑ) is labelled as the Gibraltar of the east and is a monolith with a preserved town on its southern side. Accessible by weekly tourist boat from Porto Heli it is one of the most amazing sites in the area. Accessed from the mainland by a narrow causeway you enter the town through thick wooden gates, designed to keep intruders out! You can get here from Porto Heli on the day tripper boat, Kelly Cruise. We've got more about Monemvasia here.

Monemvasia, north and south perspectives.

For a map of Argolis, showing the locations mentioned above, please click here.

TOURING ARGOLIS AND BEYOND

TOURING ATHENS, CORINTH, NAFPLION, MYCENAE AND EPIDAVROS

ATHENS (ΑΘΗΝΑ) is a good starting place for most holidays to Greece with its rail, ferry and air transport links to the rest of Europe and the world. It is also full of interesting places to visit! You can see the main areas of interest in one day if you only have a short amount of time in Greece. However it's probably best to spend at least a few days in the city, exploring, getting lost and discovering things for yourself. The most interesting area has to be Plaka with neighbouring Agora and of course the Acropolis. A lovely part of town to explore in the day and relax in in the evening. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while you can visit the National Gardens just across from Syntagma Square. For the chic side of town take a trip around Kolounaki where you will find international boutiques alongside funky coffee bars and exclusive eateries. For more information about the historical capital check out The Athens Guide.

The Parthenon at the Acropolis of Athens.

CORINTH CANAL (ΚΟΡΙΝΘΟΣ) is a sight worth seeing if you’ve not already driven over it to reach Porto Heli! Despite being considered by the Ancients and many attempts to construct this trade link between the east & west Mediterranean, it was not until the end of the 19th century that it actually opened for business. Now considered one of the most expensive pieces of water to cross in the World, the canal is quite an impressive sight. You can take a cruise up the canal, walk across the gap or jump into it attached to a bungee! If you’re taking a bus from Porto Heli to anywhere else off the Peloponesse you will almost certainly have to change buses here. Whilst Corinth town is nothing to write home about it does boast a fairly impressive castle with amazing views down the Gulf of Corinth and across the Saronic towards Athens. Learn more about the Corinth Canal here.

A view through the Corinth Canal.

NAFPLION (ΝΑΥΠΛΙΟ) the once capital of Greece and a city of great importance during the war of independence from the Ottoman invasion, is only 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Porto Heli and can be reached by bus from Kranidi. It has a plethora of important monuments and sites in and around its boundaries including the formidable fort perched on the top of the hill overlooking the city offering amazing views down the Argolic Gulf back towards Porto Heli & Spetses. It is also a great place to go shopping! With shops crowded into the Venetian lanes you will find a mixture of shops selling local artists wares, designer labels and hidden tavernas and ouzeries specialising in a mixture of local and European dishes.For more information on what there is to do in the area check out the virtual tour of Nafplion.

The Palamidis Fortress at Nafplion.

MYCENAE (ΜΥΚΗΝΑΙ) is just a short drive from Nafplion and is the archeological site of the centre of Mycenaean Civilization. What would have been a thriving city is now open to the public to see and wonder at. Most famously located here is the Lion Gate. Now a UNESCO World Heratage Site it is open to the public along with the nearby site of Tiryns. You can learn more about Mycenae here.

EPIDAVROS (ΕΠΙΔΑΥΡΟΣ) is close to Nafplion so it is easy to combine your trip with one to the best preserved amphitheatres of the ancient world. Truly an amazing feat of ancient design, you must check out the acoustics with a rendition of your favourite ditty or passage from Shakespeare! If you’d rather check out the acoustics tested by professionals then visit in July and August when performances of Ancient Greek texts take place on Friday & Saturday evenings. Here is the programme for the festival, including performances in Epidavros and Athens.

The ancient theatre of Epidavros.

For a map of Argolis, showing the locations mentioned above, please click here.