Location Porto Heli
Travel from Athens
Flights to Athens:
From Norway to Athens with several airlines. SAS, Lufthansa, KLM and Air Baltic has often affordable tickets. Check all on Skyscanner.
Car from Athens:
Porto Heli is located about 180 km from Athens. Follow the highway (Ethniki Odos) Athens – Corinth. Approaching the Corinth Canal follow signs on to Ancient Epidavros. After passing the woods of Sofiko you arrive at the bridge to Epidavros. There, make a right turn and follow the signs to Porto Heli (and Kranidi and Spetses).
The ride offers stunning views of the sea and coastline. Driving through the mountains you will pass by charming villages like Koliaki and Trahia.
Bus from Athens
You may choose bus routes (KTEL) with frequent daily departures from Athens (210.51.34.588) or from Nafplio (27520.27.323).
Boat from Athens (Piraeus)
From the port of Piraeus there are 4 daily flights to Porto Heli. The boat stops along the way at some of the islands, and the trip is calculated in total to well 2 hours.
Porto Heli Area
A picturesque village located in Greece ” Cote d’Azur ‘, in an area where the Greek shipowners spend their holidays, opposite the two famous Greek islands of Spetses and Hydra.
Porto Heli is located in the southern region of Argolida with a population of about 2,000 inhabitants. This is one of the most cosmopolitan resorts in the county, and one of the most popular resorts of the Peloponnese. As a result, locals engages in tourism. The port is connected with Spetses, while the marina every summer is filled with boats from all over Greece and beyond.
Crystal clear water, perfect weather conditions with micro climate and around 330 days of sunshine a year, the gentle breeze in the summer season, many beaches and coves, historical attractions, the cosmopolitan life and a sailing paradise makes the area particularly attractive.
Sean Connery (former James Bond actor 007) and prestigious neighbors from the yet set and other guests visit Porto Heli area during the season. Here they can enjoy a discrete holiday without beeing noticed by photographers or reporters. The King of the Netherlands has his summer place in the area and ex Constantine lives in Porto Heli large parts of the yearPorto Heli offers plenty of activities and excursions for those who prefer an active holiday.
You can also just relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. There are good opportunities for water sports and many bars, cafes, kiosks, souvenir shops and taverns. ATM banking, internet cafes, pharmacies and car rentals are some of the many services offered. The beaches are lined – here you can swim, snorkel and enjoy the sun whether you want to be alone or with others.
Among the dozens of beaches, the most famous are Ververoda, Kounoupi, Hinitsa, Saint Aemilianus, Costa Lepitsa and Thyni. But, there are many natural bays and you may want to explore the area yourself to discover isolated beaches
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Water sports – hot, calm weather makes this a paradise for sports and swimming. Diving, water skiing and windsurfing are recommended. For sailing, diving, water skiing and windsurfing take a look at www.portoheliwatersports.com, www.poseidonsports.com and www.waterskigreece.com.
Porto Heli Scuba Club, www.greekdiving.com and Diving Center www.kallianosdivingcenter.gr.
Bicycle Rental – rent a bike for a day and you can explore the local area for swimming and snorkeling and enjoy beach bars for dinner, snacks and cold drinks.
There are two public tennis courts in Kranidi, which is a five-minute drive away, and AKS Porto Heli has four tennis courts available for the public.
The location of Porto Heli is great for day excursions to the mainland and to the Saronic Islands, such as cosmopolitan Spetses and Hydra. Ferryboats depart regularly from the small port of Costa (5 mins from Porto Heli) for Spetses Island, only 10 mins away. If you decide to visit Spetses, you can hire bicycles in order to explore this beautiful and fashionable island. There are also charming horse and carriage rides, which take you from the port along a seaside road to the historic old harbor.
Hydra can be reached either by boat taxi or hydrofoil. Idyllic Hydra “artists island”, is regarded by many as one of the best preserved and traditional of the Greek islands. Take a stroll around the cozy streets or sit down at a tavern and have a cup of Greek coffee. Because the island has only two cars, which are garbage cars, you will not experience any disturbing noises. All transport of goods and people happens with donkey and mule.
Events & Atraction
Festival of Arts & Culture (Arts and Culture Festival): Held annually in July and August. Concerts, exhibitions, seminars and conferences are organized as part of the festival.
Fun Fair held on the Costa road, or try Lepitsa tavern and beach (in Koilada) for blood fresh fish dishes and seasonal salads. Here children can play in the shallow sea or under shady trees on the beach while their parents eat.
Another fun and exciting event is Carnival, which is a public celebration with a parade, street party, masquerade, carnival songs, dances and lots of fun for everyone.
Every other year, Marine Week hosts a series of competitions; sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and water polo. The events take place in July and ends with distribution to the winners followed by a celebration.
Every Easter “The burning of Judas” is arranged in Porto Heli – a tradition that is carried out on Easter Sunday
The ruins of the ancient city Allieis
This is the main attraction, situated on the south side of the bay, in the direction of Costa. Archaeological excavations were conducted periodically since the beginning of the 20th century, most of them conducted by Americans in 1962. During the excavations were important findings revealed, inter alia, ancient temples, a stadium and many objects of brick and clay. The remains of the old fortified port and a lowered pillar of the temple of Apollo are still visible in the shallow water.
The “Tower of Elli” – Pirgos tis Ellis
A well maintained old mansion that glorify the picturesque landscape
The Church “Agios Emilianos”
Located at the height of an islet, where you will also find a fantastic beautiful beach
The Ververontas Lagoon – Limnothalassa tis Ververontas
Located northwest of Porto Heli and according to tradition the bay was a favorite haven for pirates. By locals, many are of the opinion that the water here is therapeutic.
Fakta om Hellas:
Official language: Greek
Capital: Athens
Government: Democratic Republic ????
Population: 10,623,835
Currency: Euro (EUR)
UTC +1
National day: March 25th.
History
In the Greek Bronze Age civilizations emerged around the Aegean. From 3600 to 1000 BC it was rich cultures associated with Minoan Crete and Mycenaean the Peloponnesus. Around 800 BC several city-states occured. The policies founded several colonies around the Mediterranean. They stood against several Persian invasion attempts and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic civilization. Alexander the Great spread Hellenism over large parts of the known world. The Roman Empire conquered Greece in 168 BC .Greek culture had, by then had long influence on the Romans. The eastern part of the Roman Empire was dominated by Greek culture. When the Roman Empire was divided into two, Greece ended as the center of the eastern parts. With Constantinople as the center Byzantine Greek culture spread. Constantinople fell in 1453 and the area was dominated by the Ottoman Empire.
Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire until the 1820s. The Greeks did then revolt and gained independence. After the second world-war broke out, a civil war lasted two years. It was completed by a military coup in 1967 and the monarchy was abolished in 1973. In 1974, having been behind a coup in Cyprus,the military junta broke together. The year after Greece was declared a republic with democratic governance. Greece joined the EU in 1981.
Geography
Mainland Greece consists of the southernmost part of the Balkans (also called the Greek mainland) and the peninsula Peloponnese. Greece’s two largest cities, Athens and Thessaloniki,are located here. In addition Greece consists of 1425 large and small islands, of which 166 are inhabited. The islands are divided into archipelagos such as the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the Sporades, the Ionian Islands, the northeastern Aegian islands and the Saronic islands. The island of Crete is not in any archipelago. Neither do Cyprus, which is closely related to the Greek sphere of interest, but geographically located closer to Turkey.