Attractions

Culture Calls -- If you visit the islands of the Saronic Gulf in July and August, keep an eye out for posters announcing exhibitions at local museums and galleries. There are often exhibits at the Citronne Gallery (tel. 22980-22-401) on Poros and at the Koundouriotis Mansion (tel. 22980/52-210) on Hydra. In addition, many Athenian galleries close for parts of July and August, and some have shows on the islands. The Athens Center, 48 Archimidous (tel. 210/701-2268; www.athenscentre.gr), sometimes stages plays on Spetses and Hydra. The center offers a Modern Greek Language Summer Program on Spetses in June and July.

A Swim and a Snack -- There's a small beach in the seaside, still charming, village of Perdika (served by bus from Aegina town). This is also a good place to have a meal by the sea; Antonis (tel. 22970/61-443) is the best-known and priciest place, but there are lots of other appealing (and much cheaper) places, including Saronis. If you visit Aegina with children, you may want to head to Faros (also served by bus from Aegina town) to the Aegina Water Park (tel. 22970/22-540). There are several pools, waterslides, snack bars, and lots of over-excited children; on hot days, this is a very popular destination for Athenian families.

Exploring Aegina Town

Aegina town's neoclassical buildings date from its brief stint as the first capital of newly independent Greece (1826-28). Most people's first impression of this harbor town, though, is that of fishing boats and the small cargo vessels that ply back and forth to the mainland. Have a snack at one of the little restaurants in the fish market (follow your nose!) just off the harbor. This is where the men who catch your snacks of octopus and fried sprats come to eat their catches. The food is usually much better here than the food at the harborfront places catering to tourists.

If you take a horse-drawn carriage (15€-25€/$20-$33) or wander the streets back from the port, you'll easily spot neoclassical buildings, including the Markelos Tower, near the Cathedral of Ayios Demetrios, with its square bell towers. In 1827, the first government of independent Greece held sessions both in the tower and at the cathedral. Fans of Nikos Kazantzakis may want to take a cab to Livadi, just north of town, to see the house where he lived when he wrote Zorba the Greek. North of the harbor, behind the town beach, and sometimes visible from boats entering the harbor, is the lone worn Doric column that marks the site of the Temple of Apollo, open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30am to 3pm; admission is 2€ ($2.60). The view here is nice, the ruins very ruined. The small museum (tel. 22970/22-637) has finds from the site, notably pottery; open Tuesday through Sunday 8:30am to 3pm; admission is 3€ ($3.90).

About 4.8km (3 miles) out of Aegina town, the ruins of Paleohora, capital of the island from the 9th to the 19th centuries, sprawl over a steep hillside. During the centuries when pirate raids threatened seaside towns, the people of Aegina chose to live inland. This is a wonderful spot to explore (be sure to wear sturdy shoes and a sun hat). You'll see ruined houses and a number of carefully preserved churches and have fine views over the island. The bus to Ayia Marina makes a stop in Paleohora. If you come here, allow several hours for the excursion.

Seeing the Temple of Aphaia

The 5th-century-B.C. Temple of Aphaia, set on a pine-covered hill 12km (7 1/2 miles) east of Aegina town (tel. 22970/32-398), is one of the best-preserved and most handsome Greek temples. No one really knows who Aphaia was, although it seems that she was a very old, even prehistoric, goddess who eventually became associated both with the huntress goddess Artemis and with Athena, the goddess of wisdom. According to some legends, Aphaia lived on Crete, where King Minos, usually preoccupied with his labyrinth and Minotaur, fell in love with her. When she fled Crete, he pursued her, and she finally threw herself into the sea off Aegina to escape him. At some point in the late 6th or early 5th century B.C., this temple was built, on the site of earlier shrines, to honor Aphaia.

Thanks to the work of restorers, 25 of the original 32 Doric columns still stand. The pedimental sculpture, showing scenes from the Trojan War, was carted off in 1812 by King Ludwig of Bavaria. Whatever you think about the removal of art treasures from their original homes, Ludwig probably did us a favor by taking the sculptures to the Glyptothek in Munich: While he was doing this, locals were busily burning much of the temple to make lime and hacking up other bits to use in building their homes. Admission to the site is 4€ ($5.20); it's open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am to 3pm. Allow at least 4 hours for your visit if you come here by the hourly bus from Aegina town; by taxi, you might spend only 2 hours.