Spetses is a small pine-covered island at the entrance to the Argolic Gulf, the southernmost of the Saronic-Argolic group. Like Hydra, it grew rich on maritime trade and joined the War of Independence with its fleet. Its heroine is Laskarina Bouboulina, a shipowner who personally commanded her ships against the Ottomans: her house is now a museum, and a statue honours her in the harbour.
Every September the Armata festival re-enacts the 1822 naval battle in the Spetses strait, with the burning of a symbolic Ottoman ship and fireworks.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Dapia | The new harbour, with cannons and the café square |
| Old harbour | Bay with boatyards where wooden caiques are still built |
| Bouboulina's house | Museum in the family mansion |
| Spetses Museum | In the house of Hatzigiannis Mexis, with the flag of the revolution |
| Anargyrios and Korgialenios School | Large early 20th-century school where the English writer John Fowles taught |
Private cars are very limited: people get around by scooter, bicycle, bus, water taxi and traditional horse-drawn carriages. A coastal road circles the island among pine woods and beaches: Agia Paraskevi, Agioi Anargyroi with Bekiris cave, Zogeria, Kaiki.
Getting there
Hydrofoils from Piraeus take about 2-2.5 hours; alternatively drive to Kosta in the Peloponnese and cross in a few minutes.
See also Hydra.