Aegina

1280px Aegina_general_map-en.svg|thumb Aegina (Greek: Αίγινα, Aígina) is the nearest of the Saronic Gulf Islands to Athens, Greece. }}

Cities

GPS 37.732|23.488

• Aegina Town GPS 37.7458,23.4300
• Agia Marina GPS 37.7451,23.5367 (Αγία Μαρίνα)
• Perdika GPS 37.6925,23.4550 (Πέρδικα)
• Souvala GPS 37.7722,23.4873 (Σουβάλα)

Introduction

Aegina is a destination for upper-middle-class Athenians longing to get out of the urban hustle of the city and is a wonderful island for swimming, shopping and recreation. The local residents are extremely friendly and helpful and almost every merchant speaks excellent English. Aegina is worth at least a day of your itinerary and you may find yourself staying overnight.

Travel to Aegina

Travel by boat to Aegina

• Hellenic Seaways from Piraeus
• Nova Ferries (phone +302104126181) from Piraeus
• Aegean From the port at Piraeus, take a ferry or a hydrofoil to the island. Ferries run to Aegina Town frequently. The trip can take from 45 minutes if you choose a hydrofoil to an hour if you choose the ferry. Hellenic Seaways sails hourly to Aegina Town for 9,5 euro. But a couple of other minor ferry companies have better prices mainly to cars or motorbikes. Unless you have already purchased a round-trip hydrofoil or boat ticket, be careful to avoid missing the late boat or you may find yourself involuntarily spending a night on the island. Most ticket agents speak English (mainly if you smile and attempt Greek first) and accept credit cards for the transaction.

Getting around

Take the bus from the port to several towns on the island. You can hire a vehicle for the day for 20-30 Euros, but be warned—you might be better off hiring a taxi. If the rental office manager starts pouring water into the radiator prior to your departure, you are better off renting a motorbike (affordable) or merely asking him to drive you around (more expensive, but infinitely more entertaining.) You can also find motorbikes for rent within easy walking distance of the ferry. If you do, be sure to check to see how much petrol is in it.

Halal Tours and Excursions in Aegina

Aegina is a triangle about 11 km on a side (83 km²). The north and west coasts are fairly flat, well-populated and easily accessible; the southeast is more rugged and wild, with smaller mountain and port villages. One of the best ruins and the Temple of Apollo, overlooking the bay, is a five-minutes walk from the port at Aegina. Turn to the left and start walking; admission to the museum at the entry point to the ruins is less than five Euros and will yield a fantastic experience. You can wear a swimsuit and bring lunch with you into the area and actually sit on top of the crumbling marble and look out over the island and the water—almost all the way to Piraeus. Also, ask about the temple of Aphaia—it's gorgeous and huge and can be visited by taxi or motorbike. It's neighbored by pines on a hilltop overlooking Aghia Marina on the east side of the island. The admission there is only three or four Euros and on a clear day you can see for miles from its vantage point. There is a nice little cafe and shop across the street from the temple with a nice bathroom, as well. Perdika ("Partridge") is a fishing village at the south end of the island's west coast, a half-hour bus or fifteen-minutes taxi ride. Strolling around the town's peninsula gives you lovely views of sea, adjacent islands (including the stunning, uninhabited Moni) and the volcanic Methana peninsula. A second long point of land, south across the narrow harbor from Perdhika, is deserted except for goats and donkeys (and officially off-limits according to Hellenic Navy signs), but out at the end of it is the world's only seaside, 360-degree camera obscura: wait five minutes for your eyes to adjust and the whole landscape slowly appears on the round wall, upside down. Agios Nektarios, a large, elaborate, modern Orthodox church and monastery, lies about halfway between Aegina Town and Agia Marina. Across the road and uphill is the entrance path to Paleochora (Old Town). Thit is where the island's population retreated from pirates for several hundred years; though it has been deserted since the early 19th century, many of the dozens of churches still standing are maintained by island families. A walk up to the double church on the peak makes a quiet and beautiful hour. The tallest peak on Aegina, called Oros ("mountain"), is 532m. A motorbike will take you about halfway up and the footpath, fairly well marked by cairns, takes another 30 or 45 minutes. At the top is (of course) a church and from there you can see 360 degrees of the Saronic Gulf: Sounio, Athens and the Corinth Canal (almost), Methana, Poros.

What to do as a Muslim in Aegina

Many tourists come to Aegina for sailing.

• Aegean Sailing School The Sailing Centre, Neoptolemou 8 ☎ +30 22970 32265 A sailing school offering RYA sailing courses in English.

Halal Restaurants Please be informed that on some destination such as Aegina we had no local Muslim that has researched some of the area. If you are a Muslim/Muslima and have been to Aegina or would like to maintain the eHalal Guide to Aegina, please contact us at guides@ehalal.io and email us your updates.

In Aegina Town, as in all island ports and the waterfront is lined with cafes. The best waterfront taverna may be the one at the north end (from the pier, turn left), called Flisvos. Somewhat hidden in the middle of town is Patitiri, with simple but excellent traditional food. During the summer, Ippocampos (Seahorse) at the south end of town is a one-man gourmet operation, with probably the most extraordinary food on the island. In Aghia Marina, go to Pita Toms, where soulvakis and gyros are fresh and affordable (1,60 euro). Perdhika, at the southwest tip of the island, has a whole row of good tavernas.

• Aerides Vagia beach just west from the marina ☎ +30 22970 71122 Very good Greek food, not the very touristic dishes. Restaurant is on the seaside with a beautiful sea view. Example dishes are shown on a plate. Friendly people.

Where to stay

• Blue Dolphin - studio's & apartment Vagia on the north coast ☎ +30 22970 71 382, +30 69440 31 527 Very well maintained site with nice swimmingpool in quiet village. Very friendly, helpful and hospitable Swedish owners.

Stay Safe

• Take care to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen while touring Aegina and its beaches. The weather feels mild and can fool you into thinking you're not as dehydrated as you are.

Aegina Halal Travel Guide

GPS of this Halal Travel Guide 37.74|23.44 Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
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