Download Greeka guide to Aegina

Aegina
in Saronic
Information about villages, beaches, sightseeing, restaurants, activities and more...
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About Aegina
Due to its proximity to Athens, Aegina attracts many Athenians in the weekends, especially in summer.
Aegina is a beautiful and verdant island, full of pine trees and olive trees, picturesque villages, fine beaches
and interesting archaeological monuments, such as the beautiful Temple of Aphaia, built in the 5th century
BC, and considered as the finest archaeological monument of the Saronic islands.
Aegina is also the land of pistachios. The island produces them since antiquity and offers a wide range of
excellent nuts, which in fact have been patented as exclusive products of the island.
During the Classical times, the island was a major naval power and would frequently come in competition
with Athens. This competition led to a great battle in 459 BC, when the Athenian fleet attacked Aegina and
destroyed the whole island.
Since then, Aegina completely lost its power. The next glorious moment in its history was when it became
the capital of the first Greek state, from 1827 to 1829. During that time, Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first
governor of Greece, reconstructed the town with Neoclassical buildings, new streets and social services.
Aegina is also well-known thanks to the famous Greek writer, Nikos Kanzantzakis, who loved the island
and was living there when he wrote his world-known book, Zorba the Greek.
The beauty of the landscape, the hospitality of the inhabitants, the interesting archaeological sites and the
modern touristy facilities will charm visitors who set foot on the bright, colourful little island of Aegina.
Most popular tourist resorts are Souvala and Agia Marina, however there are also many peaceful beaches,
such as Perdika and Marathon. A nice daily excursion from Aegina is to Agistri, a tiny green island with
crystal beaches to swim.
Best Villages in Aegina
Town
Location: On the western side of the island
Description: Aegina Town is the capital of the island and the first capital of the Greek State. Its long history, the
lovely port and the picturesque nature attract many summer visitors to the island.
Sightseeing: Agios Nikolaos, Archaeological Museum, Christos Kapralos Museum, Folklore Museum, Monastery
of Agios Nektarios, Temple of Apollo
Perdika
Location: 10 km south east of Aegina Town
Description: Perdika is a picturesque, seaside villahe on the southern side of the island. Excursion boats connect
Perdika to the opposite island of Moni in summer.
Sightseeing: Moni Islet
Agia Marina
Location: 12 km east of Aegina Town
Description: Agia Marina is a tourist resort on the eastern side of the island with many facilities. It gets very popular
in summer.
Sightseeing: Aphaia Museum, Temple of Athena Aphaia
Best Beaches in Aegina
Souvala
Location: 9 km north east of Aegina Town
Description: Souvala is a popular beach resort on the northern side of the island. The picturesque beaches and the
crystal water of the region attract many visitors in summer.
Marathon
Location: 5 km south east of Aegina Town
Description: Marathon (or Marathonas) is a nice secluded beach in close distance to Aegina Town. This is a
picturesque place that doesn't usually get crowded.
Sightseeing: Wildlife Hospital
Best Sightseeing in Aegina
Temple of Athena Aphaia
Location: Agia Marina
The Doric temple of Athena Aphaia was built around 420 B.C. on the site of a former temple. It is situated on top of
a rock and it was dedicated to goddess Athena. The amazing thing is the this temple of Aegina, the temple of
Poseidon in Sounion and the Acropolis of Athens geographically form an isosceles triangle.
Monastery of Agios Nektarios
Location: Town
The monastery was established by the saint himself, who was an Orthodox bishop, in 1904. Agios Nektarios lived in
this monastery from 1908 to 1920. Today, this monastery is considered an important religious centre in Greece.
Credits
Greeka.com would like to thank the following members for their valuable contribution, as some of the photos
included in this guide belong to them.
atle, dannyb, evangelos, ger, janice18, lesbrothwood, lisapost, margaret, marie, milos58, pontikos,
webgirl, yassou, zwitserw
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