Touring around Porto Heli by bike, boat, bus or car - local trips and excursions in Argolis.
- Local excursions by bike, bus or car.
- Excursions by sea.
- Excursions in Argolis.
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Porto Heli is ideally suited for daytime excursions to a number of interesting places. You can travel to the local beaches by bicycle, to Kranidi, Ermioni, Koilada or Didima by motorbike or using the bus, to Epidavros, Mycenae and Nafplion by hire car or taxi and to Hydra, Spetses and Monemvasia by sea - either by ferry, hydrofoil, water taxi or as an organized tour on a traditional Greek Caique. I've got tips and info on local excursions by road on my driving page if you do hire a vehicle and Jeff sent me a great article on Touring Epidavros using the KTEL Bus Service.
- Kranidi is about 7km from Porto Heli and is where we bank, pay our bills, press our olives and get our yearly check-ups. It is a mix of narrow alleyways, old houses and some quite cosmopolitan shops. Shorts and a t-shirt are about the least you should wear as it is more of a traditional village than a resort. The Folk Museum is open weekdays from 10.00 - 14.00 and 18.00 - 20.00, closed weekends and entrance is free. Call for information on 27540 23561. Kranidi is also the location of the Public Library, open Mondays: 16.30 - 20.30, Tuesday - Friday: 09.00 - 20.30 and Saturdays: 09.00 - 14.00, their (in Greek only) website is here. The KTEL, has daily bus services from Porto Heli, please click here for the timetable.
- Didima is about 20km from Porto Heli and has a number of subsidence craters, one of which has the tiny chapel of St George carved/built into the rock if you follow the right hand path and the tiny chapel of the Metamorphosis as you follow the left hand side path. The chapel of St George is dated roughly as 13th Century and the craters were used as shelter both for animals and humans during inclement weather. The craters are plainly visible from the road and the short stairway into the smaller crater is clearly marked. Again, the KTEL has daily scheduled bus services for both Didima and Koilada, I'll get timetables posted soon.
- Koilada is small fishing village about 12km away and it is here that the traditional wooden Greek caiques are built. The coastline is gorgeous with numerous bays for swimming and the village itself is renowned for the quality of the seafood. To get there use the KTEL or go by hire vehicle or taxi. The Frachiti caves are interesting to explore (over 25,000 years old), ask for details in the village. For route notes of a Didima/Koilada drive, please click here.
- Ermioni is about 17km away and has a market day every Thursday. The best way is to go by KTEL and share a taxi between 4 people coming back, the return bus doesn't give you long there. You can also get there using the Hellenic Seaways hydrofoil, call: 27540 51537 or ask about times and fares at their ticket office in Porto Heli.
- Kouverta Beach outside Ermioni, I explored 2 summers ago, you need a car or motorbike to get there. There is a brown sandy beach, perfect for kids and sloping, pebbly sea bed with crystal clear waters. They have a cantina there with all the usual cantina snacks and drinks, a shaded seating area and about 15 umbrellas out front. There is no charge for umbrellas so you need to get there early to nab one. I'm working on the route notes at the moment.
- Here are the map links: Map of Argolis, Local area map and the Village map.
- Spetses is a pretty island with a mixture of traditional and modern buildings. The Bouboulina Museum, (the islands’ heroine for her part in the war against the Turkish) sited in the house she used to live in is a must-see, as are the metal sculptures around the old harbor which are a good half hour walk (do the trip in a traditional horse & cart if you'd prefer). You can get across to Spetses via the KTEL service to Costa and then the local ferry boat, please click here for timetables or use the Hellenic Seaways hydrofoil (27540 51537). There is also a Water taxi service from Costa (24/7), or you can pre-book one to collect you from Porto Heli. N.B. Cars are only allowed on Spetses during certain hours so it is best explored on foot or on hired bicycle/motorbike.
- Hydra is a small, rock island with an international reputation among artists. There are some amazing shops displaying a variety of talented work and a trip by sea around the island is highly recommended. The Hellenic Seaways hydrofoils have a daily route between Hydra and Porto Heli (ask about fares and timetables at their Porto Heli ticket office or call: 27540 51537) and the journey time is about 45 minutes.
- Monemvasia is best seen via an organized tour on a traditional Greek Caique such as the Kelly Cruise as the hydrofoil services do not leave you enough time to explore, unless you wish to stay there overnight. For details ask in the hotels (even if you are not a guest). The name comes from the Greek for "One entrance" and indeed, Monemvasia is joined to the mainland by only a narrow causeway. The old town, built inside the walls of the fortress, has more than thirty beautiful Byzantine churches and a number of hotels have incorporated parts of the old fort into some of their rooms.
- Epidavros is about 50km from Porto Heli and is the shrine to the Greek god of healing, Asclepios and the site of one of the best preserved amphitheatres in Greece. They have an excellent museum and the ancient dramas are performed in the amphitheatre (in various languages and by different theatre groups) during July and August. For details of performances at Epidavros during 2009, please click here, which also links to a number of cultural, theatrical and musical happenings all over Greece. Also, please read Jeff's article on Touring Epidavros via the KTEL Bus Service.
- Nafplion is 90km away and the mixture of Venetian and Turkish architecture make it a very attractive town. There are a number of interesting cafes and shops to explore and it is the site of the Komboloi Museum (a.k.a. worry beads). The view from the Palamidis Fortress towering above the town is great and you can either walk up the 999 steps or drive most of the way up and complete the climb on foot. N.B. If you walk, take LOTS of water to drink as the steps are hard work. You get great panoramic views from the top so don't forget your camera!
- Mycenae is about 100km from Porto Heli, and is the site of the Tomb of Agamemnon and the famous Lion Gate. There is a path through the ruins to the top of the castle from where there is a fantastic view of the surrounding area. Epidavros, Mycenae & Nafplion can be combined into one day-long excursion either with an organized tour, by pre-booking a taxi or by hiring a car. For more information on these and other sites of archaeological interest in Greece, see the Greek Ministry of Culture website.
- Corinth is a little further away and not exactly in Argolis, but it is still a lovely drive, about 1 1/2 hours and there is the charm of the old town plus the Corinth Canal to be explored. For more about the canal see the Corinth Canal website.
