Its quintessentially Greek open-fronted cafés and tavernas offer fantastic seafood in a tranquil setting, and stay open late into the night. The town of Aegina, on the west coast of the island, is a great place to use as a base for your stay. Spend a couple of days snorkelling and swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Saronic Gulf, and be sure to visit the nearby island of Moni – an uninhabited natural haven with a secluded sandy beach and wildlife ranging from seals to goats and peacocks. If you’re looking to get some use out of your professional sailing waterproofs, the island’s main port town (also called Aegina) has its own sailing school that will be glad to offer lessons for all levels of experience and daily cruise trips. The best way to reach Aegina is by ferry from Piraeus, near Athens. It’s also often overlooked by foreign tourists in favour of more lively locations like Santorini and Mykonos, making it an ideal place to relax and unwind for a few days. Situated in the dead centre of the Saronic Gulf, Aegina has a rich ancient history and once challenged even mighty Athens for dominance of the sea, but today it’s a relatively sleepy spot that’s a favourite summer getaway for Greeks. Today it is a holiday and weekend resort for Athenians, and the ancient pottery trade is still carried on.For a backpacking destination that’s both far from the crowds and also has plenty to see and do, the Greek island of Aegina is well worth considering. It was chosen as the temporary capital of independent Greece (1826–28), but afterward the increasing concentration of business in Athens forced a gradual decay. From that time, except for another Venetian interlude, the island remained in Turkish hands until 1826, by which time it was again a modestly successful commercial centre. It regained some prosperity under Venice (1451) but was eclipsed by a pirate raid in 1537. It fell with the rest of Greece to Macedon and then to the Romans in 133 bce. The remnants were allowed to return from exile in 404 bce after the defeat of Athens, but Aegina never recovered from the blow. The Spartans settled the refugees in the region of Thyreatis in northern Laconia. Hostility with Athens was later resumed, and at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War the Athenians deported all of Aegina’s population and replaced them with Athenian settlers (431 bce). The conspicuous bravery of the tiny Aeginetan contingent (only about 40 ships) was recognized by a prize for valour. Aegina’s economic rivalry with Athens led to wars and to its close collaboration with Persia, but at the Battle of Salamis (480 bce) the island sided with Athens and prevailed. 3000 bce), the island became a leading maritime power after the 7th century bce because of its strategic position, and its silver coins became currency in most of the Dorian states. On the west coast the chief town and port, Aegina, lies over part of the ancient town of the same name. The highest point is conical Mount Áyios Ilías (ancient Mount Pan Hellenion), at 1,745 feet (532 metres). The northern plains and hills are cultivated with vines and olive, fig, almond, and pistachio trees, while along the east coast stretches a ridge of light volcanic rock known as trachyte. With an area of about 32 square miles (83 square km), it is an eparkhía (eparchy) of the nomós (department) of Piraeus. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!Īegina, Modern Greek Aíyina, island, one of the largest in the Saronic group of Greece, about 16 miles (26 km) south-southwest of Piraeus.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.
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