©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Saronic Gulf Islands Includes ¨ Why Go? Aegina .............130 The Saronic Gulf Islands (Νησιά του Σαρωνικού) dot the wa- Aegina Town ........131 ters nearest Athens and offer a fast track to Greek island life. Perdika & Around ....133 As with all Greek islands, each of the Saronics has a unique feel and culture, so you can hop between classical heritage, Angistri ............134 resort beaches, exquisite architecture and remote escapism. Poros ..............135 Aegina is home to a spectacular Doric temple and ruined Poros Town .........136 Byzantine village, while nearby pine-clad Angistri feels pro- Hydra ..............137 tected and peaceful outside of the booming midsummer Hydra Town .........138 months. Further south, Poros, with its forested hinterland, curves only a few hundred metres from the Peloponnese. Spetses ............143 The Saronic showpiece, Hydra, is a gorgeous car-free is- Spetses Town .......145 land with a port of carefully preserved stone houses rising from a chic, history-charged harbour. Deepest south of all, pine-scented Spetses also has a vibrant nautical history and pretty town architecture, plus myriad aqua coves only min- Best Places utes from the Peloponnese. to Eat ¨ Sunset (p142) ¨ Akrogialia (p146) When to Go ¨ Aspros Gatos (p136) Hydra ¨ Tarsanas (p146) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 0.79/20 30/86 Best Places 0.39/15 20/68 to Stay 0.2/5 ¨ Poseidonion Grand Hotel 10/50 (p146) 0/32 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Hydra Hotel (p141) ¨ Rosy’s Little Village (p134) Apr & May The Jun Celebrate Sep The best-kept ¨ Orloff Resort (p145) islands awaken Miaoulia in Hydra secret: clear skies, after winter; come with sparkling thinning crowds ¨ Cotommatae (p139) for flower-filled waters and warm and Spetses’ Ar- ¨ Hotel Miranda (p139) Easter. weather. mata celebration. 129 Perama ATTICA Salamina Paloukia Saronic Gulf of Piraeus Gulf Islands Megara Straits of Salamina Salamina Highlights 1 Bouncing between the Corinth (20km) gorgeous port on Diaporioi Hydra (p137), with its Saronic excellent museums Gulf and chic scene, and Ypsili the island’s deserted Aegina Souvala trails and ubiquitous Town Agia Marina swimming rocks. GULF SARONIC Aegina 2 Delving into the Mylos ancient history of Kira Skala Perdika Aegina (p130) at the beautiful Temple of Angistri Moni Nafplio Aphaia and Byzantine (25km) Paleohora. Gulf of 3 Taste testing Is Epidavros your way through LAND Epidavros AEGEAN Methana SEA top restaurants on Spetses (p143), S tracing the region’s S Poros A history in Spetses RONI Town’s museums, or Poros Town cycling the island’s Galatas C ring road to dip into GULF sparkling bays. PELOPONNESE Argolic 4 Getting away Gulf Metohi Cape Spathi from it all in sleepy Is L Gulf of Angistri (p134) in A ND Kranidi Ermioni Hydra the low season, when Kapari Cape the beaches are mostS Island Zourvas tranquil. HI Porto Hydra Town 5 GH Heli Dokos Hydra Exploring the peaceful interior of LI Kosta Poros (p135). ghts Spetses Trikeri Spetses Town Spetsopoula MYRTOÖN SEA M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A 0 20 km 0 12 miles.