All the above will be answered, responding to 4 questions on island hopping in Greece.

How many days for island hopping?

Even though a couple of days are enough to explore a group of small islands, your time range can vary. If you consider travelling to Aegean or Ionian islands, then you can invest from a couple of days or a couple of weeks. But, if you ran short in time and your base is Athens, then an one-day island hopping cruise is your answer! You can book your seat with Athens Day Cruise and have your greek island hopping part in the Saronic islands.

For whom is island hopping an option?

You may consider that island hopping cruises are destined for large companies of teenagers, with heavy wallets. But our experience will disprove you. Island hopping cruises can appeal from teenagers to retired couples, and from families with small children to solo female travellers. It depends merely on your itinerary, your chosen activities and your mood.

Island hopping: costly or affordable?

This question has as many answers as you desire. There are definitely some luxurious options, if you want to spend your time in Greece on a VIP cruise with a private catamaran. But it doesn’t have to be the only alternative. Choosing an one-day cruise in the Saronic islands, you can have your own island hopping adventure only with 100€. Moreover, you can always upgrade in our VIP package, and experience a day in full amenities.

What is the ideal time for island hopping?

Easy question but with not so easy answer. One would rush to say that summer is the best option for island hopping in Greece. Good and warm weather, great beaches and great people to meet. But with its mediterranean, mild climate, Greece has pretty good weather almost all around a year. Also,greek  summers can be really hot and uncomfortable for someone who isn’t used to high temperatures.

On the other hand, springs, autumns and even winters in Greece still offer miltiple opportunities for island hopping cruised. What is more, choosing an off-season time range for your cruise, you will avoid crowded decks and noisy bars. It will almost feel like an inclusive experience.

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During antiquity, Attica region and the Saronic islands used to be a flourishing place of commerce, culture and eventually history. Missing the respective archaeological museums out of Athens, will leave your historical continuum of ancient Greece incomplete.

So take our blog article as a guide and jump out of the comfort zone of Athens!

Archaeological Museum of Brauron

To begin with this archaeology tour on the outskirts of Athens, Brauron will be the first stop. Recommended as a pleasant surprise, the archaeological museum of Brauron stands next to the ancient Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron. It is located in the valley of Brauron, in the region of Mesogeia.

The archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron is one of the most important ancient sanctuaries of Attica. Mostly dedicated to the protection of little children and pregnant women, ancient Greeks visited the sanctuary in masses in order to pray for their beloved and worship the goddess. In the museum, the exhibition includes findings from neolithic ages up to early Mycenaen times (1600 BC). Don’t miss the of note statuette of a young girl “arktos” holding a rabbit.

A morning excursion to both the archaeological site and museum will be a top-notch experience. Moreover, you can combine it with a dive in the nearby beaches of Brauron.

Archaeological Museum of Aegina

Aegina and its museums have been in the spotlight in a previously blog article, dedicated to Aegina’s greatest museums. However, Aegina’s archaeological museum deserves a second reference among the most worth-visit arhaeological museum out of Athens.

It is the first museum of the post-revolutionary Greece, back in 1829. The first Greek governor, I. Kapodistrias was its creator. The archaeological museum of Aegina hosted several archaeological findings of then independent Greece, since Aegina was the first greek capital.

Right now, the museum is located next to the archaeological site of Kolona. Among its three exhibition rooms, it hosts a collection of ancient jewelery, pottery and sculpture, coins, weapons and bronze vessels. The most important exhibit is the statue of Aegina’s Sphinx. However, soon the museum will move back to its first residence, the Kapodistrian Orphanage. There it will take its new name as the “Timeless Museum of Aegina”.

Archaeological Museum & Site of Marathon

The archaeological museum of Marathon is located in the region of Vrana in Marathonas, in the eastern Attica. It started accepting visitors in 1975 and it contains 5 rooms and a roofed patio. Among the exhibits of the archaeological museum of Marathon, visitors can see findings from the Marathon battle (490 BC), the surrounding area of Marathon and the Sanctuary of the Egyptian gods in Nea Makri.

Visiting the museum and within the ticket price, visitors can also see the two tumuli of Marathon. The first one, closest to the museum, is the tomb of the inhumed bodies of Plataeans, who died during the Marathon battle. The second one, 2.5km eastern of the museum, is a burial mound (“Soros”). This mound houses the ashes of 192 Athenians who died during the Marathon battle. Alongside with the tumuli, the plain of Marathon is complete with a victorian column, which Athenians erected to commemorate their victory against Persians.

The post 7 worth-visit archaeological museums out of Athens (Part 1) appeared first on Athens Day Cruise.

Salamina

To begin with, Salamina is the biggest island of the Saronic Gulf. This island is famous in the history books for the Battle of Salamis, where a smaller Greek force won a great victory against a bigger Persian army.

Spetses

Spetses is one of the smallest islands of Saronic Gulf. Private vehicles are banned within the town’s limits. It has several historical sites like Cathedral of Ayios Nikolaos and Church of Panayia Armata.

Dokos

In Dokos live only a few people that are permanent residents through the whole year . The island has a few fascinating archaeological excavations. If you like to hike and camp, this would be an ideal place to explore.

Agkistri

Agkistri is another small island in the Saronic Gulf. It has several picturesque hotels and is an excellent place if you like a quiet stay away from tourists.

Aegina

Aegina is one of the popular islands among the Saronic Islands. In Aegina you can find some of the most famous archeological sights. For instance, Temple of Athena and Zeus are some great examples. The island is also very known for its Pistachios.

Hydra

Furthermore, Hydra is filled with wild coastlines and beautiful vistas. It is known for its fashionable seaside hotels. Hydra is a luxury home for tourists. In this island you can explore many exotic and beautiful beaches.

Poros

Last but not least, Poros is home to the temple of Poseidon and Zoodochos Pigis monastery. You can also take a walk through the lemon forest or ride a sailboat and discover the nearby islets.

Above all, if you are short on time, you can visit the famous Saronic islands by taking an Athens One-Day cruise. The cruise covers Aegina, Hydra and Poros in a relaxed, luxurious ship. To get more of this experience, book our VIP package and enjoy the best of Mediterranian hospitality.

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