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Greece: The Saronic Gulf Islands

Overview

Nearest Airport – Athens (international).

The Saronic Gulf Islands form a rocky, volcanic chain, known as the ‘Athenian Riviera’, running south of the mainland and east of the Peloponnese peninsula. They’re the closest islands to the capital and popular with wealthy Greeks, particularly Athenians, many of whom own second homes there. The Saronic Gulf Islands have good communications with the mainland and with each other through frequent ferry and hydrofoil services. The climate is temperate with hot summers and mild winters. The five main islands in the group are:

Aegina (pop. 11,000) is the largest island in the Saronic Gulf group and lies close enough to the mainland to be a popular commuter base and to be packed with Athenians at weekends. Due to its ideal strategic position, the island has a glorious past and was briefly the capital of Greece – Aegina is the site of the Temple of Aphaia, one of the most complete ancient buildings in Greece. It’s a verdant and beautiful island blessed with magnificent mountain scenery and many secluded rocky coves. Property here tends to consist mainly of luxury villas.

Hydra (pop. 3,000), a popular venue with artists and writers during the ’60s, is a national monument and one of the most popular and expensive resorts in Greece. Hydra Town has an attractive waterfront and gracious stone mansions, a legacy of its wealthy shipbuilding past, and has a sizeable expatriate population. Motorised vehicles are banned on the island, where the only means of transport is the donkey. Property here is expensive, but has the advantage of holding its value.

Poros (pop. 4,000) is a forested island close to the Peloponnese peninsula, separated from the mainland at Galatas by a narrow channel of water. Most inhabitants live in Poros Town, the only settlement apart from the many tourist hotels around the island. It’s a popular holiday destination, particularly with the British and its population swells to over 15,000 in the summer months. Around 300 expatriates live here.

Salamis (pop. 23,000), birthplace of one of the great Greek playwrights, Euripedes, is barely 1km from Piraeus and consequently is almost an extension of Athens. As a result the island is heavily developed and industrialised.

Spétses (pop. 3,750) is a pine covered island with small coves and the best beaches in the Saronic Gulf islands, and is popular with foreign holidaymakers and Athenians. It’s less spoilt than its neighbours and, like Hydra, is car-free. Only certain vehicles are allowed on the island (buses, motorbikes and horse-drawn carriages), so there’s little traffic. Spétses is one of the more expensive islands in Greece, with prices starting at around €150,000 for a three-bedroom property.

Property in the Saronic Gulf islands is generally more expensive than in other parts of Greece but rental potential is good, particularly if you cater for the Greek market.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Greece” 3rd Edition, Joanna Styles.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on buying a home in Greece can be found in “Buying a Home in Greece” 3rd edition, by Joanna Styles.

For extensive information about buying a property in Greece, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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