Day trip to Poros from Nafplio with swimming
The short route to Poros: from Nafplio along the Peloponnese coast and across by water taxi. Nine hours instead of twelve, with free time for cycling, the beach and a wander.
This is the smart way to reach Poros if you are travelling around the Peloponnese. From Nafplio, Galatas is a little over an hour along the coast, and from there the channel takes five minutes to cross. Total: a nine-hour excursion instead of the twelve it takes from Athens, and almost the same amount of time on the island.
It is a little-known combination and a very logical one. Plenty of people do Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio without realising there is a proper Greek island an hour’s drive away.
What the day looks like
Morning departure from Nafplio, along the coast road of the western Saronic gulf, which is pretty and has sea views most of the way.
Crossing to the island by water taxi or shuttle from Galatas. Coming in through the channel, with the town of Poros climbing the hillside and the clock tower up top, is the best moment of the day.
On the island you get around five hours free. There is time to climb up to the clock tower, have lunch in a harbour taverna and swim at a nearby beach such as Kanali or Askeli, which are ten and twenty-five minutes’ walk away respectively.
Back in Nafplio by mid-afternoon.
Pain points
Effort level: none, unless you decide to walk up to the clock tower, which is fifteen or twenty minutes uphill on cobbled steps. That part is optional.
The heat: in July and August the middle of the day in Poros town is hard work and there is little shade on the climb. Plan the walk for before one o’clock or after five.
Five hours does not go far. You see the town and a nearby beach. For the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi or the sanctuary of Poseidon you would need to hire a scooter the moment you land, and even then it would be tight.
Lunch is usually on you. Reckon on 12 to 20 euros per person in the harbour tavernas. Eat a little way back from the moorings: the value improves noticeably.
Cancellation: operators generally allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check when you book, because in rough seas the shuttle can change its times, although the Poros channel is so short and sheltered that it is rarely suspended.
What to bring
Swimsuit on, a towel, water shoes (almost every beach on the island is pebbly), sun cream, a hat, water and some cash. Comfortable shoes if you plan to walk up to the tower.
The best time of year
May to October. June and September are ideal: the water is at a good temperature, there are fewer people and the heat on the walks is manageable.
In spring, if you go in April or early May, the lemon forest at Galatas is in blossom and is worth some of your free time instead of the beach. It is right there on the mainland side, a few minutes from the jetty.
Who it works for
For anyone already touring the Peloponnese who wants to add an island without rearranging the trip. For anyone with little time in Greece who wants a taste of the island format without spending a whole day travelling.
If you want to get to know Poros properly, our recommendation is still to sleep one or two nights on the island. But as a taster, this excursion is very well put together.