Spetses in Greece

Spetses belongs to the Saronic Islands that lie between Athens and the eastern Peloponnese. The nearest neighboring islands are Hydra and Poros. Spetses has approximately 4,030 inhabitants and the surface of the island is 27 km2. Basically everyone lives in the town of Spetses, and it's not so strange because it's the only village on the island. The highest mountain is called Profitis Elias and measures a paltry 245 meters above sea level.

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One of the beaches in Spetses town

Spetses is the furthest from Athens of the islands that are part of the Saronic islands. Maybe that's why so few foreign tourists travel here. Meeting Swedes is unusual, if not rare. On the other hand, Spetses is the favorite of many Athenians, which is not least noticeable during the weekends and in August.

When I was on Spetses, I was surprised that the islanders did not advertise the famous book The Magus written by John Fowles. He lived for a time in Spetses where he taught English.

The school where teacher Nicholas Urfe taught English.

The book is about Nicholas Urfe, a teacher on a small fictional Greek island called Phraxos. That island is Spetses. John Fowles (1926-2005) never received a Nobel Prize, but many believed he should have. The school he taught at still exists, but is today a conference center.

There are many restaurants serving good food in Spetses town.

Another Spetses celebrity is Laskarina Bouboulina (1771-1825). She fought against the Turks during the Greek War of Independence. Among other things, she was known for her temperament and her love affairs. After the war, she was posthumously appointed admiral. Which must have been extremely unusual for a woman even at that time. The house where she lived has today been turned into a museum, and her statue is everywhere in Greece, not just in Spetses.

Laskarina Bouboulina in Spetses town.

TRAVEL TO SPETSES

Fly to Athens and onward by boat from Piraeus. There are many boats every day to Spetses, and the boat trip takes about 2½ hours if you go with the fast catamarans. Spetses also has very good boat connections with Hydra and Poros, as well as with Ermioni and Porto Helio in the Peloponnese.

Ferry timetable for Spetses »

Book ferry tickets online here »

Horse-drawn carriages in the harbor in Spetses town.

GETTING AROUND ON SPETSES

Bus and taxi boat to various beaches depart from Spetses town. Mopeds and bicycles are available for rent, but not cars. Expect high prices, especially on weekends. If you like horses, you can ride a horse-drawn carriage in and around Spetses town

The island is so small that you have time to drive around the island in one day, including swimming and lunch. You can also go on a boat trip around the island.

The fact that it is not possible to rent a car is because Spetses is a car-free island, but it is a truth with a modification. Private cars are prohibited, while commercial vehicles and buses are permitted. Instead of a car, everyone, and it seems like everyone, owns a moped or motorcycle.

Mopeds and motorcycles are the most common means of transport on Spetses.

The alleys in Spetses town are narrow, but that doesn't stop the trucks.

Read about our meeting with the truck above, and our first trip to Spetses here »

VILLAGES ON SPETSES

The town of Spetses is the island's only village. It is almost completely dominated by the area around the port of Dapia, and the long harbor promenade that stretches all the way to the old port, called Palio Limani.

The port promenade in Spetses town.

View of Spetses town. Peloponnese the background.

Along the water there are a lot of nice houses, and lots of taverns (Taverna Bouboulina is very good!), bars and cafes, just like in the alleys above the port promenade. I can recommend a visit to the neighborhood of Palio Limani, and the small bay of Baltiza which is located just beyond. In Baltiza there are many boat building workshops.

Palio Limani is the old part of Spetses town and is very beautiful.

BEACHES ON SPETSES

Spetses offers many beaches of varying quality. Most are small and consist mainly of cobblestone and coarse-grained sand. In Spetses town there are a couple of beaches (see picture at the top of the page) that are not much to text home about. But good for a dip or two. To the west of the town is Ligoneri beach, which attracts a lot of people.

Another beach in Spetses town.

Agia Marina, a few kilometers east of Spetses town, is the island's most popular beach. In my opinion, the best beaches are on the south coast, because the fact that they are not as well visited as the beaches near Spetses town. The best beaches in southern Spetses are Xilokeritza, Agioi Anargiri and Agia Paraskevi.

Agia Marina is the most popular beach on Spetses.

SIGHTS ON SPETSES

If you are interested in historical monuments in the form of ancient temples and archaeological excavations, you will find nothing on Spetses. If, on the other hand, you like artistic sculptures, you've come to the right place. On the peninsula opposite the old port of Spetses there is a sculpture park. (Aim for the lighthouse and you're guaranteed to get there.) Here are eleven cool sculptures created by the Greek visual artist Natalia Mela.

The most famous sculpture is a metal mermaid. She holds a candle in one hand and it makes you think of the Greek sea god Poseidon. Some of the other sculptures depict goats and bulls. There is also a statue of a man who looks like he has pooped himself.

The mermaid seen from the front.

The mermaid is bigger than me.

Sculptor Natalia Mela was born in Athens in 1923 and moved to Spetses in 1963, she died aged 96 on April 14, 2019. The sculpture park was inaugurated in 1993, and is well worth a visit. If you are not interested in art, you can instead enjoy beautiful views of Spetses town.

Goat with a goat bell that is placed in a different place.

Bull sculpture.

ACCOMMODATION ON SPETSES

The selection is not very large, and it is also not easy to go around and look for yourself. The easiest way is to book in advance. If you come to Spetses during the high season, or at the weekend, you must book a room in advance, otherwise there is a high risk that you will be left without one. Below are suggestions for good hotels in Spetses.

Book Klimis Hotel here »

Book Hotel Roumani here »

Book Villa Kriezi here »

Book other hotels on Spetses here »