Greece
The harbour and hillside of Aegina seen across the water, with boats moored along the quay.
islandDay Trip

Aegina

Photo: Pham Ngoc Anh / Pexels

Source Verified · 2026-10-05

The Verdict

An hour from Piraeus and a world away from it: pistachio groves, a temple alone on a hill above the sea, and a harbour town Greeks use as a weekend.

Why go

Aegina is the island Athenians actually use, and it has three things the day-trippers mostly miss: the temple of Aphaia standing alone on a pine hill above the sea, the fish market and pistachio stalls in the town, and the quiet west end at Perdika, where the tavernas look across to the islet of Moni. The pistachios are protected and genuinely better than anywhere else. Go midweek and stay the night: you get the island back after the last hydrofoil has left.

Trip role
Day Trip
Time needed
Min 1 night / Ideal 2 nights
Best for
History · Food · Easy Without a Car · Repeat Visitors
Skip if
you want a resort beach holiday · you are going on a Sunday in August · you want somewhere to settle for a week
Best months
April, May, June, September, October
Crowd reality
Busy
Car needed
Car Optional
Airport access
No airport — ferry from Piraeus, about 40 minutes from Athens airport by metro and bus
Ferry relevance
Hydrofoils and ferries from Piraeus in 40 to 75 minutes, plus the local boat across to Agistri

Understand the place

The most accessible of the Argo-Saronic islands — pistachios, a fifth-century temple above the water, and a working harbour forty minutes from Athens.

The old world

History & archaeology

The ruined columns and platform of the temple of Aphaia on Aegina, standing on its pine-covered hill.
Essential

The Temple of Aphaia

The Doric temple of Aphaia on its hill above the northeast coast of Aegina, one of the best-preserved temples in Greece.

“A fifth-century temple standing on its own on a pine hillside above the sea — the best ancient site within reach of Athens, and empty before ten.”

ModerateCar Optional
Full history & archaeology guide

Towns & villages

Boats moored in the marina at Aegina Town, with the old waterfront buildings behind.
Base

Aegina Town

The port of Aegina — a horseshoe of a harbour, a covered market, and the buses to the temple and the beaches leaving from the quay.

“A working harbour town with a fish market, a pistachio counter on every second corner and the best-value eating in the Saronic.”

BusyNo Car Needed

Pair it with

Editorially complementary destinations.

Easy to combine with

Logically reachable by transport. Confirm current ferry/flight schedules before booking.

Nearby

Related

Sources

Booking links

Commercial links: we may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.

Plan this trip

Greece Field Guide helps you decide. When you're ready to arrange it, take your saved places to an itinerary.

View saved places
Back to Greek Islands