Saronic Islands tours take you from Athens by boat to the small islands of the Saronic Gulf. You sail, swim and eat on board in one day. This page covers the ports, the day plan, the islands, the food, the swim stops, the tours and the season. The homepage lists more Greece Tours like this one.
Each tour card below opens a live GetYourGuide booking. Dates, ports and boat types are shown there.
What are Saronic Islands tours?
Saronic Islands tours are full-day boat trips from Athens to the islands of the Saronic Gulf. The classic format stops at three islands, Hydra, Poros and Aegina. The ship returns to Athens the same day, so the trip needs no night away.
Sellers give Saronic Islands tours different titles. Listings say full-day tour, full-day cruise and day cruise for the same trip. One listing calls its trip a shared cruise and says much of the day is spent sailing between islands. A shared cruise means other travellers board the same ship with you. On each island you explore at your own pace.
If you plan to cross into Turkey as well, the homepage also lists Turkey tours.
The name comes from the water. An encyclopedia entry calls the Saronic Islands an archipelago in Greece, named after the Saronic Gulf. It gives Argo-Saronic Islands as a second name. The group lies just off the Greek mainland. One cruise page speaks of the Argosaronic Gulf, so expect both forms of the name on booking pages.
Hydra, Poros and Aegina are the three islands that the cruise listings name again and again. One listing promises a stop at three islands, with free time to explore each of them. That is the classic format of Saronic Islands tours. Each island gets its own stop, so the day is a sampler of three places, not one long stay.
Why do travellers book Saronic Islands tours? The first reason is distance. A Greek tourism website calls the Argo-Saronic Islands among the closest island destinations to Athens. It says the closeness makes them ideal for short trips. The same page says the islands are just a stone’s throw from the capital. A day return fits a short distance like that.
The second reason is time. A cruise page says the trip is made for travellers with limited time in Greece. In its words, the cruise packs multiple island experiences into a single day. The same page calls the trip an efficient and enjoyable way to experience Greek island life while based in Athens.
The third reason is that you plan no transport. One listing calls Saronic Islands tours ideal for travellers who want a day at sea. It adds that they visit multiple islands without planning transportation. The same listing counts cruise transport to all three islands as part of the trip. One ticket covers the whole route.
Who is the trip for? One listing calls it ideal for all ages, including families, couples and groups. A second page names families, groups and couples who like convenience and entertainment. The same page also names first-time visitors. A cruise page names the first-time visitor to Greece and the returning traveller who wants to explore beyond Athens.
The trip is not made for every taste. One listing advises travellers who want tranquility, a personalised experience or more time per stop to look elsewhere. Variety is the strength of the format, and time at each stop is its limit. Other tours change the stops, such as a listed cruise to Agistri, Moni and Aegina.
Entertainment is another draw. One listing includes onboard music with a live orchestra. Another lists light entertainment with Greek music and traditional dance during the crossings, including the return trip. A third promotes a traditional folk show of Greek song and dance.
The day on Saronic Islands tours has four parts. First the ship sails out across the Saronic Gulf. Next it calls at three islands, with free time ashore at each. Lunch is served on board while the ship sails between stops. Last, the ship sails back to Athens, where the trip ends.
How do Saronic Islands tours leave Athens?
Saronic Islands tours leave from marinas and ports on the Athens coast. The listings checked name Zea Marina, Marina Kalithea, Flisvos, Alimos and Piraeus harbour. Hotel pickup is an option. The boats range from cruise ships to wooden sailing boats.
Five listings name Zea Marina in Piraeus as the start of Saronic Islands tours to Agistri, Moni or Aegina. A reference page places the bay on the eastern coast of the Piraeus peninsula. It says the marina has 670 berths after a rebuild linked to the Summer Olympics.
The Hydra, Poros and Aegina trip starts from other marinas on the Athens coast. Three listings name Marina Kalithea, and one of them offers Flisvos as the other choice. A fourth listing leaves from the old port of Athens in Faliro. It warns that the meeting point can change and tells guests to check the ticket.
Flisvos Marina lies in Palaio Faliro, next to a public park. A reference page puts the town 6 km southwest of Athens city centre and says the tram serves it. Alimos lies 8 km south of the centre and has a large marina. For Saronic Islands tours from there, the instructor confirms the exact spot.
Three listings tell guests to reach the quay on their own. One names Trokadero port. The other two give a Piraeus waterfront address, Akti Miaouli or Akti Moutsopoulou. A ticket-only ferry to Aegina leaves from Piraeus harbour, gate E8, directly across from the Piraeus metro station. The metro ride from downtown Athens takes about 30 minutes.
Saronic Islands tours ask for an early arrival. Three listings set it at 30 minutes before departure, and one asks for at least 10 minutes. One listing asks guests to bring the voucher and a valid photo ID. The ticket-only ferry also asks for 30 minutes. Its confirmation email carries the port details and check-in instructions.
Hotel pickup on Saronic Islands tours is an option, not a given. One listing collects guests about 45 minutes before the start time. A second covers hotels in central Athens only. A third asks guests to call the supplier at least 24 hours ahead to confirm the pickup. It sells coastal hotels as a separate option.
Without a hotel pickup, fixed city points take over. One listing names Omonoia Square, Karaiskaki Square, the Old Parliament at Syntagma and the Plaka area. Another meets guests outside a hotel on Syntagma Square. Two listings leave transfers out. One lists hotel transfers as not included. The other excludes transport to the meeting point.
Saronic Islands tours by cruise ship appear in four of the pages checked. One ship has three levels. The lowest holds the dining room. The middle level is a wide deck with windows all round. The top level is open, with a sitting area and an all-day bar. A second listing names open decks and indoor lounges.
One cruise ticket assigns seats automatically and lets passengers pick on a seating chart. Smaller boats sail other days. Two listings use a traditional wooden boat, with up to 135 passengers in one and 20 in the other. Three more name a motor-sailing boat. A ticket-only crossing to Aegina is on a high-speed catamaran.
Access depends on the boat. One wooden-boat listing says the tour is not wheelchair accessible. Another lists people with mobility impairments as not suitable. None of the listings checked describes toilets. Saronic Islands tours name these languages on board:
- Greek and English, in three listings
- English, Greek and French, on the sailing day from Alimos
- Multilingual escorts or crew on board, in three listings
How does the day run on Saronic Islands tours?
A full day on Saronic Islands tours lasts 10 to 12 hours, depending on the listing. Check-in starts near 7:45 in the morning. Three islands follow, lunch is served on board, and the boat returns in the evening.
The length of Saronic Islands tours changes with the listing. The listings checked give four totals. Two say 10 hours and two say 11 hours. One says 11 hours 30 minutes, and two say 12 hours. All of them visit Hydra, Poros and Aegina.
The first hour is check-in. One timetable sets it between 7:45 and 8:15 and adds a safety briefing and bag storage. A 12-hour listing sets the meeting time at 7:45. A third listing asks guests to reach the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the cruise leaves.
Pickup on Saronic Islands tours runs on its own clock. One listing says a mini van or bus collects guests in the morning. The exact time comes with the reservation. A second listing asks guests to be ready at least 5 minutes before pickup. Guests without pickup make their own way to the boat at the end of the marina.
Saronic Islands tours visit the three islands in a set order, and the order differs by listing. Five of the listings checked run Hydra, Poros, Aegina. One runs Poros, Hydra, Aegina. Another says the order can switch to Aegina, Poros, Hydra. The stay on each island stays the same either way. One timetable for the Hydra order follows.
- Check-in: 7:45 to 8:15
- Hydra: 10:15 to 12:15, which is 2 hours
- Poros: 13:15 to 14:15, with 50 to 60 minutes ashore
- Aegina: 15:00 to 17:15, which is 2 hours 15 minutes
- Disembarkation: 17:15 to 19:15
A second itinerary counts hours and minutes instead of clock times. The ship pulls away from Athens around 8:00 in the morning. After about 1.5 hours of sailing, Hydra comes into view, and the stop there lasts 1.5 hours. About 30 minutes of sailing brings the ship to Poros for a 50-minute stop. Aegina follows with about two hours.
The stop lengths differ by listing. A third listing gives Hydra 105 minutes and Aegina 2 hours. A fourth says around 1 to 2 hours per island. The 12-hour listing gives no minutes, only time to explore on Poros and Hydra. Poros is the shortest stop on the two schedules above, at 50 to 60 minutes.
No listing checked gives a clock time for lunch on Saronic Islands tours. One listing serves lunch on board during the sail toward Hydra, after the Poros stop. Another listing places it on the return trip. The timetable above also leaves lunch out of its clock times.
The two schedules above show no scheduled swim stop. One itinerary lists a swim as an option at Hydra and Poros. A different listing says there is free time to swim at each stop. A third asks guests to bring swimwear and a towel if they plan to swim.
The day ends after Aegina. The timetable above lists disembarkation between 17:15 and 19:15. One itinerary has a one-hour sail back to the port. Another listing says the return to Athens is in the evening. A third offers 23 drop-off locations in Athens on return.
Cancellation windows vary on Saronic Islands tours. The listings checked set free cancellation at 24 hours, 48 hours or 72 hours before the start. One allows 30 days. The 48-hour listing counts a late arrival at pickup or departure as a no-show. It limits visitor numbers to reduce crowds, and another listing tags its cruise as a large group.
Where are the islands on Saronic Islands tours and how did they form?
The islands on Saronic Islands tours sit in the Saronic Gulf, between the Attica and Argolis peninsulas. Aegina, Poros and Hydra lie 16 to 37 nautical miles from Piraeus. Lava built two-thirds of Aegina and part of Poros, while Hydra’s rock includes thick, old limestone.
To read a map of Saronic Islands tours, start with the gulf. The Saronic Gulf is part of the Aegean Sea and lies between the peninsulas of Attica and Argolis. It forms the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. The gulf also holds the eastern end of the Corinth Canal.
The Corinth Canal cuts through that narrow isthmus and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland. It links the Saronic Gulf to the Gulf of Corinth. The single channel has no locks and is 6,343 metres long. It was excavated 8 metres deep, and the water surface is 24.6 metres across.
Salamis is the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf. It lies about two kilometres from the coast at Piraeus. It covers 93 square kilometres, and its highest point, Mavrovouni, stands 404 metres tall. The smaller islands of Patroklos and Fleves also lie in the gulf. The other islands line up by distance from the port of Piraeus:
- Aegina lies 16 nautical miles from Piraeus.
- Agistri lies about 21 nautical miles, or 38.7 kilometres, from Piraeus.
- Poros lies 31 nautical miles, or 58 kilometres, south of Piraeus.
- Hydra lies 37 nautical miles, or 69 kilometres, from Piraeus.
Among the islands that Saronic Islands tours visit, Aegina lies nearest to Piraeus. It is the second largest island of the Saronic Gulf. It covers 87.41 square kilometres and stretches about 15 kilometres from east to west. Its highest point is Mount Oros, a cone in the south that rises 531 metres.
An extinct volcano makes up two-thirds of Aegina. Its southern, volcanic part is rugged, mountainous and largely barren. The northern and western sides are stony but fertile plains. A rock study dates the volcanism to between four million and one million years ago. The lava centres are mainly dacite, with minor andesite.
The southern part of Poros, a stop on Saronic Islands tours, is volcanic in origin. The centre of the island is a limestone massif with sinkholes and limestone caves that hold stalactites. Its highest peak, Vigla, reaches 358 metres in the west-central part. A sea channel 200 metres wide separates Poros from the Peloponnese.
Hydra holds the highest point of all the islands on Saronic Islands tours. Mount Eros stands 588 metres above sea level. The island covers 49.6 square kilometres. It lies in the Aegean Sea, between the Myrtoan Sea and the Argolic Gulf. A narrow strip of water separates it from the Peloponnese.
Hydra’s hillsides are rocky and bare. Its rock includes the Eros Limestone, a thick limestone unit from the Triassic period. In the east, a thick limestone bank called the Pantokrator Limestone also dates to the Triassic. Certain later Permian limestone layers are rich in well-preserved fossils.
Methana, a peninsula attached to the Peloponnese, lies in the south-west of the gulf. Its volcano is a complex of lava domes made of basaltic andesite to rhyodacite rock. The Methana volcanoes form the north-western part of the active Aegean arc. Researchers study volcanic centres under the sea between Agistri and the Methana peninsula.
Saronic Islands tours cross a gulf whose volcanoes come from the subduction of the African plate. Subduction means one plate slides under another. The last eruption on the Methana peninsula came in the third century BC. That explosion changed the shape of Poros and the wider region. A submarine volcano north of Methana erupted in the seventeenth century.
What is Aegina like on Saronic Islands tours?
Aegina is the pistachio island. On Saronic Islands tours you see a working harbour town. Fishing boats, a fish market and neoclassical buildings line the water, and the shops sell the local nut.
Walk the quay on Saronic Islands tours and you see a working harbour. Coloured fishing boats, yachts and sailing boats float side by side along the water. Cafes, fish taverns and little shops line the waterfront of the long harbour. Colourful pistachio nuts are sold everywhere in town, and they add to its bright look.
A fish market stands on a road parallel to the waterfront, where taverns serve fresh seafood. The island’s fleet supports a fish market that has been in operation for more than 70 years. From far off, a boat sees two very high bell towers with a clock. They belong to the church of Saint Nikolaos.
The modern harbour sits on the site of the ancient naval harbour, and ancient moles still protect it. When the sea is calm, the old quays can still be seen under water. Look down during Saronic Islands tours. The neoclassical buildings come in different bright colours, and they still show something of their past glamour.
Saronic Islands tours reach a town that was the first capital of the Greek State. Ioannis Kapodistrias was the first administrator of free modern Greece. A statue of him stands in the principal square. The town held the capital title in eighteen twenty-eight. The Eynardeio building first housed his main school.
The cathedral is a three-aisled basilica with a dome, built in eighteen hundred and six. It has a marble altar screen and three altars. The reception of Kapodistrias took place here in eighteen twenty-eight. The Tower of Markellos also stands in town. While Aegina was the capital, the tower housed different ministries and the office of the Police Head.
The pistachio is the emblematic product of Aegina, so it is the crop to look for on Saronic Islands tours. It comes from the Egintiki variety. The first plantation was set up in eighteen ninety-six by Nikolaos Peroglou, who brought the nuts from Syria. Today the nut is the main agricultural product of the island.
The fields are placed mainly on the western side of the island. The trees lose their leaves in November and stay bare until spring. They blossom in April. The harvest runs from August through September. Nuts are collected with long sticks that beat the branches without damaging the tree.
If your day on Saronic Islands tours falls in August or September, the harvest is under way. The nuts go to hulling machines quickly, so the shells do not turn black. Black shells make them commercially useless. A news report says the Aegina pistachio took first place in a survey, averaging 4.8 out of 5.
The Aegina pistachio has a Protected Designation of Origin, registered by a Community decision in nineteen ninety-six. The agricultural cooperative of the island was founded in nineteen forty-seven and has 360 members. In recent years a Fistiki Fest has run each mid-September. It is a show at the port where visitors sample new recipes made with the nut.
The municipality of Aegina counted 12,911 people in the twenty twenty-one census. By community, Aegina had 6,976, Kypseli 2,166, Mesagros 1,473, Vathy 1,449 and Perdika 847. Portes is a fishing village on the east coast. Regular bus services run from Aegina town to places across the island, such as Agia Marina.
What are the Temple of Aphaia and Agios Nektarios on Saronic Islands tours?
Saronic Islands tours add three Aegina stops: the Temple of Aphaia, the Agios Nektarios monastery and ruined Paliachora. Road tours link all three, and listings give from thirty minutes to one hour at the temple.
The Temple of Aphaia stands on a hilltop of about 160 metres on the eastern side of Aegina. The surviving temple dates from around 500 BC and replaced an older one from about 570 BC. Fire destroyed that older temple around 510 BC. Saronic Islands tours reach the site by road, about 13 km from the main port.
The temple honours Aphaia, a goddess worshipped only at this sanctuary. It is Doric, with 12 columns on each long side and six on each end, making 32 outer columns. A heritage listing counts 24 still standing. The local limestone reflects sunlight brightly, so the temple looks like a miniature Acropolis.
The same listing joins it with Poseidon’s temple at Sounion and Hephaestus’s temple at Theseion. The three form an imaginary isosceles triangle. On a clear day the Acropolis of Athens is visible across the gulf, 29.5 km to the south-west. The marble gable figures are in Munich, so Saronic Islands tours show the building without them.
Nektarios was born on 1 October, eighteen forty-six, in Selymbria, now Silivri in Turkey. He became metropolitan of Pentapolis and died on Aegina on 8 November, nineteen twenty, aged 74. The Patriarch of Constantinople named him a saint on 20 April, nineteen sixty-one. Aegina listings add his monastery to Saronic Islands tours.
He founded the Holy Trinity convent on Aegina in nineteen oh four, at the request of nuns. He retired there in December, nineteen oh eight, and was buried there. The monastery stands 6 km from the centre of Aegina Town. By road it is about a quarter of an hour from the port.
The church has two high bell towers and four series of windows. One news report calls it one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkans. Two small chapels hold his tomb and relics, and his former cell behind them is open to the public. His feast day is 9 November, with services the night before.
Paliachora is an abandoned medieval town on a peak above the monastery. It sits beside the road from Aegina town to Mesagros and the Temple of Aphaia. The people of Aegina moved there in 896 to escape pirate raids. The castle on the peak stands at 355 metres. Saronic Islands tours pair it with the monastery.
Paliachora was Aegina’s main centre of habitation from the Middle Byzantine period until the start of the nineteenth century. In fifteen thirty-seven, Hayreddin Barbarossa took Aegina after a four-day siege and demolished the houses. People left as piracy declined and moved to the modern town on the west coast.
Hardly any house is left, even as a foundation. Yet 38 Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches survive. Small single-aisle basilicas make up the bulk, and the rest are cross-in-square or twin churches. The church of Agios Nikolaos Mavrikas has wall paintings from thirteen thirty. Visitors arrive by car, with free parking at the site.
The time allowed on Saronic Islands tours differs by listing, as these three Aegina listings show.
- A three-hour listing gives thirty minutes at each of four stops: the monastery, Paliachora, the temple and Aegina town.
- A three-hour listing gives one hour at the temple and one hour in Agia Marina.
- A three-hour listing gives two hours at the monastery and one hour at Paliachora.
What is Poros like on Saronic Islands tours?
Poros on Saronic Islands tours is two islands joined by a bridge. Sphairia holds Poros town on its hill, and Kalavria is the larger, pine-covered half. A narrow channel separates the pair from the Peloponnese, and the stop lasts about an hour.
Poros is two islands, not one. Sphairia is the southern part, the smaller, rocky half, and Poros town stands on it. Kalavria is the northern part, the larger half, covered in pine trees. A bridge connects the two over a narrow strait. On Saronic Islands tours the boat docks close to Poros town, so you land on Sphairia.
Poros town is built like an amphitheatre on the slopes of a hill. Neoclassical buildings with red roofs and blue shutters line its alleys. All its roads lead to the seafront. Its geography gives Poros the feel of a Little Venice. The same geography has earned the island the name Bosporus of the Saronic Gulf.
The clock tower is the landmark of Poros. It was built in nineteen twenty-seven and dominates the Kasteli district in the centre of town. On Saronic Islands tours the walk to the tower gives views. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for the round trip. Be back at the boat at least 10 minutes before it leaves.
A channel separates Poros from the Peloponnese, and a car ferry links the island with the mainland town of Galatas. The crossing takes five minutes. The Lemon Forest grows on the mainland coast, about 3 kilometres outside Galatas. It holds more than 30,000 lemon and orange trees and water mills. A boat from Poros reaches it in 10 minutes.
In the north, on Kalavria, lie the remains of the Sanctuary of Poseidon. The town that Saronic Islands tours visit stands on the southern part. The Doric temple measured 27.4 by 14.4 metres. It had six columns on each short side and twelve on each long side. It dates to the sixth century before the common era.
An account says Poseidon received the island from Apollo in exchange for his share of Delphi. The orator Demosthenes fled to the sanctuary. He died there after taking poison, in three hundred twenty-two before the common era. Only foundation trenches and roof tiles remained when modern work began. The Archaeological Museum at Korizis Square holds finds from the sanctuary.
The Russian Dockyard is a ruin. Russia needed a supply station for its fleet, and land was acquired at the edge of Poros town. The complex had buildings for making hardtack, and it stored materials, food and coal. The main building has three narrow rectangular compartments. Their domes have crumbled, but traces show on the walls.
After Greek independence, Governor Kapodistrias requisitioned the facilities for the Greek war navy. Poros was the site of the first naval base in modern Greece. Since nineteen eighty-nine the Ministry of Culture has listed the Russian buildings as historic and preserved monuments. The site was already half ruined when it was listed.
Poros had 3,261 residents in the census of twenty twenty-one, counting the whole municipality. Poros town itself had 2,806. Poros is a popular weekend destination for Athenian travellers. Saronic Islands tours show you a town that Athenians choose too. The Holy Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, founded in seventeen twenty, stands 4 kilometres east of the main town.
Tour schedules give Poros the shortest stop on the three-island day cruise. One listing allows 50 minutes, and another lists one hour. The boat docks close to Poros town, which leaves 50 to 60 minutes on shore. Saronic Islands tours fill it with a stroll, a coffee by the water or the walk to the clock tower.
What is Hydra like on Saronic Islands tours?
Hydra is the car-free stop on Saronic Islands tours. By law, cars and motorcycles are not allowed, so horses, mules, donkeys and water taxis provide public transport. You walk up steep stone streets from a crescent-shaped harbour ringed by old sea captains’ mansions.
Hydra has no cars. Wheeled vehicles are not permitted on the island, and the ban covers cars, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles. Rubbish trucks are the only motor vehicles on Hydra. One travel writer notes that Hydra has one real town and no real roads. So a walk through the town on Saronic Islands tours is a walk without traffic.
Goods still have to travel. A local tourism site says motor vehicles of all kinds are prohibited. Horses, mules and donkeys, and water taxis provide public transport on the island. Donkeys are the main way to transport things. Water taxis and boats take people to the farther beaches of Hydra.
One itinerary for Saronic Islands tours lists a stroll along Hydra’s car-free harbour. The harbour is crescent-shaped, and a strand of restaurants sits around it. Fishing boats and yachts line the water. Rusted cannons lie around the town, and black anchors stand in the squares. A second source describes the old harbour with loopholes and cannons.
The mansions of the sea captains ring the harbour. They show how much money shipping brought to the island. The mansions are made of stone. Steep stone streets lead up and outward from the harbour area. Anyone who walks the quay on Saronic Islands tours sees that ring of houses.
During the Greek revolution of eighteen twenty-one, Hydra, together with Spetses and Psara, played an important role. At the time of the revolution, the island had 16,000 inhabitants. Later, it gradually lost its maritime position in the Eastern Mediterranean. Saronic Islands tours visit the same island today. The latest census, from twenty twenty-one, counts 2,070 people there.
Admiral Andreas Miaoulis, himself a settler on Hydra, used Hydriot fire ships against the Ottoman fleet. The Historical Archives Museum keeps the silver urn that holds his embalmed heart. The collection includes figureheads, flags and weapons from the Greek Revolution. Among the exhibits are the map of Rigas and the personal belongings of Admiral Pavlos Koundouriotis.
Two mansions tie the island to the war. Iakovos Tombazis, a merchant, shipowner and admiral, was the original owner of the Tombazis mansion. It is now part of the Athens School of Fine Arts. Lazaros Koundouriotis offered his ships, crew and fortune to the Greek War of Independence. Significant meetings and consultations took place in his mansion.
Inside the Koundouriotis mansion, the ground floor shows the family’s belongings. The first floor holds Greek folk art from the National Historical Museum and landscapes of Hydra by Panayiotis Tetsis. The basement gallery shows works by Periklis Vyzantios and his son Konstantinos. The mansion dates from the late eighteenth century, the island’s era of naval prosperity.
Other small villages and hamlets on the island include Mandraki, Kamini, Vlychos, Palamidas, Episkopi and Molos. Kamini lies around 15 minutes’ walk, or 1 km, from Hydra town along the coast road. It has a small harbour. Vlychos lies around 35 minutes’ walk, or 2.4 km, from the harbour. It has a beach of pebbles and sand.
Saronic Islands tours give a set time here. One itinerary says you have about two hours to enjoy Hydra. Another listing says free time on each island is for independent exploring. It adds that stop lengths can change with local conditions. A local site says the points of interest, including hotels, restaurants and shops, are all within walking distance.
What are Agistri and Moni on Saronic Islands tours?
Agistri is a pine-covered island with 1,131 residents, and Moni is a pine-covered islet where no people live. Saronic Islands tours on this route give free time ashore at Agistri, then a swim stop at Moni or Metopi.
Two cruises among the Saronic Islands tours are built around the small islands. One title reads Agistri, Moni or Metopi, and Aegina, with lunch and drinks. The other reads Agistri, Metopi and Aegina, with lunch. In both titles Aegina comes last. Boats link Agistri with Aegina in just ten minutes.
Agistri lies in the Saronic Gulf and is covered in pine trees. The common pine, Pinus halepensis, is a notable plant there. Pine trees reach down to the blue-green water along the coast. The island covers about 13 square kilometres and has a perimeter of 21.2 kilometres. Its highest point stands at 275 metres.
Agistri is also a protected place. A wildlife refuge of 1,143 hectares covers the island and a marine zone around it. A small wetland of 54 hectares is part of the old salt marshes. The Greek census of the year twenty twenty-one counted 1,131 residents, and the summer figure approaches 5,000.
On Saronic Islands tours that stop here, the two villages to know are Skala and Megalochori. Megalochori is the capital of the island. Skala is a twenty-minute walk from Megalochori along the coastal road. Limenaria is a very small village on the other side of the island. About 100 people live there, and it sees very little tourism.
Skala has a golden, shallow beach just 100 metres from the harbour. The island has two natural ports, at Skala and at Megalochori. The church of Agioi Anargyroi stands in the background of Skala. Megalochori, the capital, has pebble and sand beaches that suit a refreshing dip.
The western coast holds two popular beaches, Aponissos and Dragonera. At Dragonera the pine trees almost touch the sea. Aponissos has an organised beach with sunbeds, umbrellas and water sports. Dorousa, an islet half a nautical mile south-west of Agistri, has rocky shores and deep water that suit snorkellers. Saronic Islands tours give free time on Agistri itself.
Moni lies south-west of Aegina, opposite the village of Perdika, in the northern part of the Saronic Gulf. A boat from Perdika takes about 10 minutes. Moni is one of the two swim stops named on the Saronic Islands tours that follow the Agistri route. The islet is the property of the Holy Monastery of Chrysoleontissa of Aegina.
Pine trees cover Moni, and animals live among them. Deer, peacocks, squirrels and wild goats find refuge there. A wild goat called kri-kri lives on the islet as well. The deer and peacocks are used to people. Staying overnight on the islet is not allowed. There is no organised trail, and the peaks need caution when climbing and descending.
The west side of Moni has a sandy, organised beach with sunbeds. A beach bar there also works as a restaurant. The east side has rocky spots for visitors who want peace and quiet. The water is crystal clear on both sides of the islet. Moni is a small area, yet the sea around it is good for swimming.
Metopi, the other swim stop, lies north-east of Agistri, about 1 nautical mile from the port of Skala. A small beach with white sand and shallow, blue-green water lies on its south-east side. On these Saronic Islands tours the boat anchors off the islet. Guests swim with the snorkelling gear that the boat provides.
What do you eat and drink on Saronic Islands tours?
Saronic Islands tours serve a buffet lunch on board, with Greek and Mediterranean dishes. Drinks depend on the cruise: one listing includes wine, beer and soft drinks, another sells drinks at the bar. The islands add their own sweets, fish and coffee.
Lunch on Saronic Islands tours is a buffet served on board. The listing for the Hydra, Poros and Aegina cruise calls it a buffet of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Another listing for the same three islands calls it a traditional Greek buffet. A buffet means you walk along the table and serve yourself.
Drinks change by cruise, so read the inclusions of your Saronic Islands tours before booking. One Hydra, Poros and Aegina listing says snacks and drinks from the bar are at your own expense. An Agistri, Moni and Aegina cruise lists wine, beer and soft drinks. An Aegina, Agistri and Metopi cruise lists unlimited soft drinks, wine, water and coffee.
Vegetarian food is on offer. The Hydra, Poros and Aegina listing says vegetarian meal options are available on board. It asks you to tell the crew about your dietary needs in advance. A second Saronic Gulf day cruise describes a Greek buffet with vegetarian options. It asks you to list any dietary restrictions when you book.
The Aegina, Agistri and Metopi cruise goes further. Its listing offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. It adds that a customised menu can be requested for specific dietary needs. The Agistri, Moni and Aegina listing asks you to advise of any dietary requirement when you book.
Pistachio dominates the sweets of Aegina, an island that Saronic Islands tours visit. A Greek travel site lists spoon sweet, meringues, macarons, pasteli and ice cream. Pasteli is a honey and sesame bar. The Attica tourism site adds syrup sweets filled with pistachio and pistachio-stuffed cigars.
Fish is the savoury side of the Aegina table. The island’s food article names the katsoula, a razorfish that is fried in butter and then cooked in tomato sauce. It also names tiganosoupa, a fish dish cooked in a pan with vegetables and a little water. The same article names three cheeses:
- Geremezi, a soft, sour cheese.
- Giaourtotiri, which combines yogurt and feta.
- Tsigara, which is made with butter.
The sweet to look for on Hydra during Saronic Islands tours is amygdalota. The national tourism site lists peeled almonds, sugar, fine semolina, rose water and butter. The dough is moulded into pears and baked for 20 minutes. The pear shape symbolises fertility, so weddings commonly offer them. The Attica tourism site adds lalangites, the locals’ take on pancakes.
Poros brings citrus to Saronic Islands tours. The Attica tourism site lists Poros spoon sweets of lemon, orange, bergamot and bitter orange. A spoon sweet is a preserve of fruits, nuts or even vegetables in sugar syrup. Greece’s trade agency says it was traditionally served on a spoon. The spoon sat on a saucer beside a cold glass of water.
Each harbour has places to sit. Aegina town’s waterfront is lined with cafes, and Perdika, at the southwest tip, has a whole row of tavernas. Outside the town, a travel wiki says to head for a waterfront taverna for a drink. The same wiki lists Hydra harbour cafes that serve ouzo, coffee and other drinks.
Poros town has cafeterias and tavernas all along the pier, says the travel wiki. It lists fresh octopus as the specialty of one Poros taverna. A second taverna, on the Pounta harbour, lists fresh calamari and feta with honey.
Where can you swim on Saronic Islands tours?
On Saronic Islands tours the boat stops for a swim at Agistri, at Moni or Metopi, and on Aegina. Weather and sea conditions decide each stop. A travel site puts the sea at 26 degrees Celsius in August and advises against swimming from January to April.
One Saronic Islands tours cruise from Athens makes Agistri its first stop. The listing says you relax on the beach and swim in the water there. Lunch comes next on Moni. After lunch, the listing says you can jump off the boat and take a swim around.
Aponissos on Agistri offers a swim spot with its own ramp into the sea. Per the Greek tourism site, the land strip between Agistri and the islet forms a sheltered bay for anchoring. The site describes crystal-clear, blue-green water that feels like a natural swimming pool. It also lists rocks ideal for diving for the more adventurous.
Saronic Islands tours name Moni or Metopi as the swim stop on one full-day listing. The Greek tourism site describes the water at Moni as crystal clear along both shores. Metopi has a small beach on its southeastern side. The sand is white and the water is shallow and blue-green.
Metopi is uninhabited and comes with a warning. On the eastern side of that beach, the water is still shallow but very dangerous, says a Greek travel portal. Small ferryboats connect Aegina with Metopi and nearby islets. Boats leave for Moni from Perdika and from Aegina’s main town, says the same portal.
On Aegina, Saronic Islands tours swim at Agia Marina or Perdika. Agia Marina has a sandy beach with sunbeds, umbrellas and watersports, and its seabed is shallow and sandy. Perdika is a partly organised swimming spot next to the village, with limited tourist facilities. A travel site tags both beaches family friendly.
A half-day cruise from Perdika offers two swim areas: Moni Island and the Agistri coastline. The listing says this depends on weather and sea conditions. A four-hour cruise from Aegina to Moni swims at the main beach and at a secluded cove. The Perdika listing says the tour suits travellers who want more swimming time.
Saronic Islands tours swim in a sea that shifts with the month. A travel site gives Aegina 22 degrees Celsius in June. July reaches 25, August 26, September 25 and October 23. It calls June and October warm and July to September very warm.
The same page advises against swimming from January to April, when the sea sits between 14 and 15 degrees. It calls November a little bit cool at 19.4 degrees. December falls to 16.6 degrees, and swimming is not quite recommended.
Gear differs between Saronic Islands tours. One cruise includes snorkelling equipment and water noodles. Another includes snorkelling equipment, life jackets and flotation aids. Towels are not included on the Moni cruises from Perdika and Aegina. Two full-day listings ask guests to bring a swimsuit, towels and sunscreen.
One listing says all children must be accompanied by adults, with a minimum age for sailing of five years. Another asks guests to bring life jackets for children and infants. Aponissos has relatively shallow spots for young swimmers, says the Greek tourism site.
- Stop time: one listing says each stop lasts approximately 1 to 1.5 hours, with 90-minute stops at Agistri and Aegina.
- Another listing gives two hours of free time at Agistri and two hours on Aegina.
- Footwear: Aegina has sandy and pebbly beaches, and Aponissos has flat rocks. One listing asks guests to bring sandals or flip-flops, goggles and flippers.
Which Saronic Islands tours are there and how do they differ?
Saronic Islands tours come in eight formats, from full-day cruises to a plain ferry ticket. Three are full-day cruises and one is a half-day swim cruise. They differ in length, meals, guide and group size.
The classic among Saronic Islands tours is the three-island cruise. It stops at three islands, with free time on each. A buffet lunch and multilingual escorts on board are included. Hotel or port pick-up and drop-off come with one option. Entrance fees and extra island excursions are not included. The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds.
The VIP cruise adds comforts to the same three-island plan of Saronic Islands tours. Fast-track embarkation, a bridge visit with the captain and a welcome drink are listed. Lunch is a buffet. Unlimited water, filter coffee and soft drinks are included. So are hotel pick-up and either a Hydra walking tour or an Aegina panoramic tour.
The Agistri, Moni and Aegina cruise follows a different route among Saronic Islands tours. The boat calls first at Agistri, then stops at a small island for swimming. Lunch is served on board while the boat sails on to Aegina. The boat returns to port at sunset. Hotel pick-up from selected central hotels is an option.
That cruise includes a Greek buffet lunch with white wine and beer. Coffee, tea, water and soft drinks are unlimited. The page lists a crew of five with multilingual support. Towels are not included, and the costs of activities on the islands are extra.
Half-day Saronic Islands tours can start on Aegina, not in Athens. One page lists an Agistri and Metopi cruise that leaves from Perdika. It has two swim stops, one at each island. Snacks, bottled water and a skipper are included. The group is small, and a private boat is offered as an upgrade. The page does not list a guide.
Land tours of Aegina are Saronic Islands tours without a cruise boat. One small-group page lists an air-conditioned coach, an English-speaking guide and round-trip ferry tickets, depending on the option picked. Entrance fees, food, drinks and hotel pick-up are not included. Another page adds a pistachio tasting and a minibus. It leaves ferry tickets and site admission out.
Hydra has two day formats. One page calls its day a private full-day tour. It lists round-trip ferry tickets, transfers to and from Piraeus port, bottled water and snacks. It lists no guide, lunch or drinks. A second page lists high-speed ferry tickets and a guided walking tour of Hydra Town. Lunch and drinks are left out there too.
The combo ticket pairs a full-day cruise with a two-day hop-on hop-off bus pass in Athens. The pass covers four lines: Athens, Piraeus, Glyfada and Vouliagmeni. Lunch and drinks are included for the cruise. Bus commentary comes in 16 languages. Round-trip transport runs by air-conditioned minivan or bus, and the cruise has shore stops at Agistri and Aegina.
The ticket-only format has no tour at all. The Aegina page lists a one-way ferry ticket sent by email. It does not include a guided tour, a transfer to Piraeus, food and drinks or entrance fees. A bar on board sells food and drinks. Another listing sells a same-day return ticket to Aegina.
Compare three things before booking these Saronic Islands tours: the inclusions, the length and the group size. Lunch comes with the full-day cruises and is left out of the land, Hydra and ticket-only days. Free cancellation windows come in two lengths: 24 hours and 48 hours. The lengths on the pages checked are:
- Classic three-island cruise: 12 hours
- VIP cruise: 12 hours
- Agistri, Moni and Aegina cruise: 10 hours
- Cruise with a bus pass: 11 hours
- Aegina land tours: 10 and 11 hours
- Hydra days: 9 and 10 hours
When is the right time for Saronic Islands tours and what do you pack?
Saronic Islands tours run from April to October on one listing. The meltemi wind blows hardest in July and August, so check the sea before you pick a date. Pack sun cream, a hat, a towel, swimwear, a light jacket and comfortable shoes.
One listing for Saronic Islands tours shows the season as April to October. A second listing carries a schedule note for the end of October and November. The heat starts in the city. A reference table gives downtown Athens a mean daily high of 34.3 degrees Celsius in July and August. January’s mean daily high is 13.3 degrees.
The meltemi is the wind to know before you book Saronic Islands tours. A travel site says it blows between June and September and is strongest in July and August. An encyclopedia says it can blow at 7 to 8 on the Beaufort wind scale. That means winds of 50 to 74 kilometres an hour.
The wind has a daily rhythm. The travel site says it blows strongest from mid-morning to around sunset. A spell can last up to a week, then pause and restart. It also calls ferry delays of hours not unusual on meltemi days. The encyclopedia adds that the wind can rise in clear weather without warning.
Rough water can cancel one of the Saronic Islands tours. An Agistri cruise listing says its tours are subject to favourable weather conditions. If it cancels for poor weather, it offers an alternative date or a full refund. A second listing offers a new date or a refund. A third offers a new date only.
The British health service advises sun cream of SPF 30 or higher, with at least four stars for UVA cover. It names a hat with a wide brim, which keeps the face, neck and ears in shade. A travel wiki tells Aegina visitors to keep hydrated. The sea breeze cools you, so you miss how much sun you take.
Pack light for Saronic Islands tours. One listing recommends a light jacket, towel, hat, swimsuit and comfortable shoes. Another adds sunglasses and sunscreen. Flat shoes with a grip suit the paths ashore. The health service says to put sun cream on again every 2 hours and straight after you swim.
Seasickness is a risk on rough days. The British health service says to sit in the middle of a boat. Keep your eyes on a fixed point ahead, such as the horizon, and away from rolling waves. A second health page adds fresh air and no heavy meals, spicy foods or alcohol shortly before or during travel.
Children and mobility need a check before you book Saronic Islands tours. Four cruise listings say the boat is not wheelchair accessible. Three allow prams and strollers. Minimum age is 3 years on one listing and 5 years on another. Two listings say children must travel with an adult.
Crowds are a planning point for Saronic Islands tours. A travel wiki says Hydra’s main port boulevard is packed with tourists in season. It says Aegina can get busy. Pick your date early for the busy summer weeks.