Poros: the clock tower, the strait and the pines

About Poros: the clock tower, the strait and the pines

By the ULTIMATE Greek Islands Editorial Team

Poros is a relaxed, family-friendly island an hour or so from Piraeus, its pastel town tumbling down a hill to a narrow strait just a few hundred metres from the mainland, with pine-fringed coves and easy day trips.

Arriving at Poros feels like sailing into a river. The ferry slips through a narrow channel with the island on one side and the Peloponnesian town of Galatas on the other, close enough to watch people at the cafés across the water. Above the quay, the white and pastel houses of Poros Town climb a rocky hill to the clock tower, the island’s landmark and its best viewpoint.

Poros is really two islands joined by a short isthmus. The town sits on little volcanic Sferia, while the larger, greener Kalavria is covered in pine woods, with quiet coves along its shores. On a hill in the middle of Kalavria are the scattered remains of the ancient Sanctuary of Poseidon, where, according to tradition, the orator Demosthenes took his own life in 322 BC.

From the Poros waterfront, the Peloponnese is close enough to hear.

Days here are easy-going. Swim at Askeli or Kanali, walk or drive through the pines to Love Bay, or visit the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, set in a green ravine near the coast. At Russian Bay you can see the ruins of an 18th-century Russian naval depot, a reminder of the strategic value of these sheltered waters.

The mainland is part of the fun. Small boats cross the strait to Galatas in a few minutes, from early until late, and from there you can explore the lemon groves of the Lemonodasos, or drive on to the ancient theatre of Epidaurus and Nafplio for a day.

Poros is popular with Greek families and sailors, and its atmosphere is unpretentious: tavernas along the waterfront, sunset drinks below the clock tower, and a gentle evening volta along the quay. It is not about glamour or nightlife, and that is its charm.

Fast boats from Piraeus take around an hour or a little more, and slower ferries a little over two hours, so Poros pairs naturally with Hydra or Aegina on a short island-hopping trip. Times are approximate and seasonal.

Our advice: climb to the clock tower at sunset on your first evening, take a scooter or car round Kalavria for the coves and the Temple of Poseidon, cross to Galatas for a day on the mainland, and combine Poros with Hydra for a relaxed few days close to Athens.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Poros: the clock tower, the strait and the pines before you go.