Aegina vs Spetses
Aegina or Spetses? Ferry times from Athens, beaches, prices and crowds compared side by side, with a straight answer on which of the two suits your trip.
Aegina
FamilyAegina (pronounced "EH-yee-na" in Greek, not "ay-JEE-na") is one of the islands Athenians travel to most, simply because it is so close. It is mainly famous for... its pistachios!
Read the guideSpetses
RomanticElegant and cosmopolitan. Horses and carriages at the port, secret beaches and nineteenth-century shipowners' mansions.
Read the guideThe short answer
On the fast boat from Piraeus, Aegina is the closer of the two: 40 min against 2 h for Spetses, a difference of about 80 minutes each way. On a short trip that gap is worth more than it looks, because it applies twice.
Spetses does not allow visitor cars, so you arrive on foot and get around by water taxi, mule or your own legs. Aegina does, and the ferry carries them.
On beaches the two are evenly matched, both rated 3 out of 5, so pick on character rather than on quality: Aegina has 9 beaches covered here and Spetses has 4.
For sights off the sand, Aegina is the richer of the two: 8 places and museums against 5 on Spetses.
Aegina is the cheaper base, around 65 euros a night against 100 on Spetses, roughly 54 percent more. Over a week that is about 245 euros of difference on the room alone.
Spetses is the quieter of the two. Both fill up at summer weekends when Athens empties into the Saronic, but Aegina carries more visitors through the season.
The numbers
| Aegina | Spetses | |
|---|---|---|
| Fast ferry from Piraeus | 40 min | 2 h |
| Conventional ferry | 1 h 15 min | 2 h |
| Ferry from | 10 EUR | 30 EUR |
| Departures per day | 14 | 4 |
| Beaches covered | 9 | 4 |
| Places and museums | 8 | 5 |
| Activities | 5 | 2 |
| Room per night from | 65 EUR | 100 EUR |
| Food per day | 25 EUR | 32 EUR |
| Recommended days | 2 | 2 |
| Population | 13,056 | 3,993 |
| Area | 87 km2 | 22 km2 |
| Visitor cars | Yes | No |
| Best season | Apr - Oct | May - Oct |
| Beaches | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Food | ||
| Nightlife | ||
| Connectivity |
Which one for your trip
Choose Aegina if
- You are short on time and want the shortest crossing from Athens
- You are watching the budget
- You want to bring a car or need one for mobility reasons
- You want museums, monasteries and ruins as well as a swim
Choose Spetses if
- You want the quieter island
- A car-free island appeals and you are happy to walk or take a water taxi