Aegina Island Guide

Aegina Island Overview

Located just 16 nautical miles from the port of Piraeus, Aegina is one of the most popular islands for visitors from the mainland seeking a convenient dose of Greek island life. Boasting an impressive number of natural beauty spots and historic sights, it’s well worth a visit, particularly if you’re passing through Athens during a longer stay in Greece.

Aegina Blog

Getting to Aegina

By Ferry

Being so close to the mainland, you can access Aegina easily by ferry from the main port of Piraeus, with multiple daily crossings taking as little as 40 minutes. Use the search box below to find ferry options for your preferred travel date:

By Plane

Although you can’t fly directly to Aegina, its proximity to mainland Greece means you can fly direct into Athens International Airport, then take a short bus, metro or taxi ride to Piraeus and then use the regular ferry service to reach the island.

Where to Stay on Aegina

Most accommodation is in the capital, Aegina Town, where you’ll find the main port and most shops and restaurants. However, several other villages on the island cater for tourism, particularly Agia Marina on the east coast, Vagia and Vathy to the north and Perdika on the southwestern tip.

We chose to stay in Aegina Town for its proximity to the port and good range of hotels and tavernas.

Things to See and Do on Aegina

Aegina offers several sightseeing opportunities, the most famous being the Temple of Aphaia on the island’s eastern side, just north of Agia Marina. The impressive historical sight looks like the Parthenon on a smaller scale and is well worth visiting. Parking is available on-site, and it’s only a 20-minute drive from the capital.

On the way to Aphaia, you’ll pass the impressive Church of Saint Nectarios of Aegina, a vast Orthodox Church that is free to enter and worth exploring for a few minutes.

Further south, the Ancient Olive Grove is, as the name suggests, an impressive collection of Olive trees, some of which are believed to be over 1,500 years old. We found it difficult to access, finding our way via a steep track from the main road south of Marathonas, with the last kilometre or two being on foo. It is an impressive and peaceful place, but perhaps best seen outside of the peak summer when temperatures are less formidable.

Aegina Video

Check out our YouTube video from for Aegina:

Aegina Dining Options

We found plenty of excellent restaurants along the harbour area in Aegina Town, offering good quality food and drinks. Prices are somewhat higher than you’d find on other islands, reflecting its popularity and proximity to the mainland and capital.

Getting Around Aegina

A local bus service covers most resorts on the island. However, given our limited time, we hired a moped to explore Aegina more quickly. Rental prices are reasonable, much like the food, but they are a little more than you might pay elsewhere.

The island’s compact size means you can explore most of the key attractions in a single day: it takes about 30 minutes to ride or drive across from Aegina Town to Agia Marina and 45 minutes to get from Agia Marina all the way to Perdika, even travelling via the northern coastal road. The central and southeastern parts of the island are less accessible but also don’t have much to offer by way of tourist attractions.

Aegina FAQ

Is Aegina worth seeing?

We enjoyed our three-night stay on Aegina and found it a good amount of time to explore the island.

What islands can you combine with Aegina?

The most logical island to combine with Aegina is its smaller neighbour, Agistri. Most ferries cover both islands as part of their regular route, so getting from one to the other is easy. Agistri is much smaller and quieter, but it is also worth seeing if you like a more traditional island.

Can you fly into Aegina?

No, Aegina does not have an airport, so you must arrive by ferry. The nearest airport is Athens International Airport, and from there, it’s just a 45-60-minute journey to Piraeus, followed by a 40-minute ferry crossing.

Are there sandy beaches in Aegina?

We found the best beach on the eastern coastline at Agia Marina. However, several of the seaside villages along the northern coastline have beaches, many of which are sandy.

Are there buses on Aegina?

Yes, Aegina has an excellent bus network that serves all villages and beach resorts multiple times daily in the summer.

Which is better, Aegina or Agistri?

Although we liked Agistri for its quiet and relaxed atmosphere, we preferred Aegina as it offers slightly more as a tourist destination.

Aegina: Conclusions and Alternatives

Our visit to Aegina was somewhat of a last-minute arrangement after finding ourselves with a few days to spare during an extended visit to Greece in 2022. Not knowing what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised at its mix of traditional Greek island life and more modern and affluent tourist appeal, influenced by its close proximity to Athens.

Aegina isn’t a destination I would choose for an extended stay. I think there are nicer islands in Greece that can offer a similar or better experience at lower prices, albeit without the convenience of such a short ferry ride back to the mainland. However, it definitely has enough attraction to justify a few days, either as a short break or–as we did–part of a longer Greek itinerary.

If you’re looking for alternatives with a comparable traditional small-island feel, I’d recommend checking out Amorgos, Folegandros, Astypalea or Serifos.

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