Ela Nostos

GETTING THERE:
We booked a ferry online as we were driving to Piraeus port in Athens – the last minute ticket was under €10pp and the trip itself was around 45min. Because we only went for the day, our return ferry was at 21:00 – for a summer trip, taking the ferry back while the sun was setting – it’s just unbelievable and I would highly recommend. The ferry deck also had no seating, so we sat on our beach towels and had a picnic under the boat’s ferry lights with all the snacks we had bought. I don’t know how to articulate this better – just do it!

GETTING AROUND:
We didn’t take a car on the ferry so we relied on taxis (📞: 2297022200) and became quite friendly with the gent from No. 14 – which was really helpful because he’d give us recommendations for each town and if he wasn’t able to fetch us, he would ask another taxi to come through. Tourist trap? Maybe. But really friendly and helpful. Note: some of the spots we visited don’t have a location pin on IG, so I’ve used the town instead.

WHERE TO STAY:
Considering Aegina has been a day-trip destination (so far), there are no recommendations I can share from experience, but from what I understood, it’s nicer to stay outside of the harbor to enjoy the serenity of the smaller cleaner beaches.

Gelato Follia, gelateria

As always, the first question posed to some of the locals was where to find the best gelato. Every person recommended this artisan gelateria in the Perdika harbour – with emphasis on the pistachio flavour.

O Antonis, seafood restaurant

For those with a love for seafood, O Antonis in the Perdika harbour is a great place to enjoy fresh food with beautiful views of the water. Over the last 4 decades, the institution has built a reputation for their grilled octopus and comes highly recommended. Despite this, we ordered a fresh white fish, greek salad, chips, tzatziki and xorta (cooked leafy greens) and loved it! (Note: there was no location pin for the psarotaverna so I’ve used the harbour) Raph’s recc: if you have time, this part of the island has beautiful beaches – head out for the day and enjoy a late lunch by the harbour.

Mama’s Shop, pistachio store

There are MANY stores to find amazing pistachio products, but this shop in Perdika had goods I brought back with me to South Africa and continue to use (well whatever hadn’t been eaten on the ferry back to Athens). Raph’s recc: if you love baking, I would suggest looking at the pistachio liqueur – a small bottle can go a long way for cakes and is easily transported. For a more decadent option, look at the pistachio paste.

Aiakeion, patisserie

In the main town, you’ll find a host of bars and stores – all seemed amazing. Aiakeion, a pastry shop that has been there since 1958 and scooped up many culinary awards, continues to serve some of the family’s well known treats and well worth the visit for anyone with a sweet tooth.

EXPLORE

Agios Nektarios, church

Known as one of the largest Monasteries in Greece, and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkans, Agios Nektarios has become a place many believers venture to pray and to heal. Being the patron saint of the island, the saint’s tomb lives on the property; many kneel down in prayer and place their ear to the tomb, to hear him knock. Even if you are not of the orthodox faith, the church and its bougainvillea gardens are beautiful to see.

Temple of Aphaea, monument

For those that would love to see the ancient ruins, the Temple of Aphaia (500-490 BC) is a beautiful sight. In terms of who the temple was dedicated to, is somewhat unclear. I read that the sanctuary was dedicated to the goddess Aphaia (a Cretan goddess?) who kept on running away from men who fell in love with her (bless) – while searching for a hiding place, she swam to Aegina and eventually ended up on the remote hill of Artemis, where the goddess made her vanish (Aphaia = vanished). Fun fact: the temple forms two isosceles triangles: one with the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio and the Acropolis’ Parthenon. Apparently, when the air was clear, there was direct visibility between these three temples and was used as a way of communicating in case of attack by enemies (how? I don’t know).

Marathonas, beach

We were told this was the best beach in Aegina, and is conveniently between the main port and the Perdika fishing village (food reccs below). For those with more time: there is a smaller island just off its coast called Moni Island which has unspoiled waters and beautiful bays too. For those with minimal time: Perdika has a small bay opposite the restaurants.

The port, floating grocery shops

It seems arb to include but walking through the main port is quite beautiful- there are ‘floating grocery stores’ between the docked boats, and the street is normally buzzing with locals.

Cine Marina, outdoor cinema

This is NOT something we did, we only visited for the day, but if you are staying for a few nights, the outdoor cinema is a great alternative for a usual evening outing – grab some takeaway souvlakia and enjoy a movie under the Saronic stars.