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.