Poros

Poros is two islands joined by a causeway, volcanic Sferia where the town sits and larger, wooded Kalavria behind it, and it lies so close to the Peloponnese that the channel to Galatas is crossed in a five-minute boat ride. The town rises in tiers of pale houses to a blue and white clock tower of 1927, the island's emblem, and the waterfront curves for a kilometre with the mainland lemon groves in sight across the water. Kalavria carries dense Aleppo pine forest, the eighteenth-century monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, quiet coves at Askeli and Love Bay, and the sparse remains of the sanctuary of Poseidon where the orator Demosthenes took refuge in 322 BC. The Lemon Forest opposite, thousands of trees on the mainland slope, is reached by the little ferry and best in February when in blossom.

History

Poros is made of two islands, volcanic Sphaeria in the south, where the town stands, and the larger Kalaureia, "gentle breeze", in the north. At Kavos Vasili in the north-east archaeologists have found an Early Bronze Age settlement, the oldest in the wider area of Troezenia, thought to be linked with the wreck found off the nearby island of Dokos (Wikipedia, Poros).

Highlights

• The clock tower - the 1927 landmark above the tiered town.
• The narrow channel - the strait to Galatas, crossed by small boats all day.
• The pine forest of Kalavria - shaded roads and coves on the larger island.
• The Lemon Forest - a mainland grove of thousands of citrus trees.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn for swimming with fewer crowds; February for the lemon blossom across the water. Summer weekends are busy with Athenian sailors, as Poros is a major yachting stop.

Before you go

Beaches are small and mostly pebble; the island suits walkers, cyclists and boat-watchers more than beach seekers. The town's waterfront is heavily geared to visitors, and the ancient sanctuary is little more than foundations.

Nearby

Hydra and Spetses continue south; the Peloponnese and the road to Epidaurus are minutes away by ferry.

Key facts