Poros, Hydra, and Spetses may all belong to the same chain of Saronic islands, connected by ferry routes and summer rituals, but each has an entirely distinct personality. Poros feels the most approachable of the three – not only because it lies just an hour from Athens by high-speed ferry, but because it still carries the relaxed atmosphere of an older kind of Greek summer. It is smaller, greener, more affordable, and in many corners still preserves the atmosphere of a 1990s family summer resort.
The island’s main town, however, is another story altogether: picturesque, filled with charming architecture and crowned by its iconic clock tower high above the harbor. Yet what makes Poros truly unique is its strange and beautiful sense of duality. Directly opposite, almost within touching distance, lies Galatas on the Peloponnesian coast, its twin across the water. The distance between them feels impossibly small, interrupted only by the constant movement of ferries, fishing boats, yachts, and catamarans crossing the narrow channel. When the traffic pauses, the water becomes unexpectedly calm, almost lake-like.
Poros has plenty of charms and is well worth adding to your plans for the next long weekend. There is excellent food throughout the island, from Dimitris’ beloved butcher’s taverna, known for its lamb chops, to Casanova by the marina, where the pizzas, pasta dishes, and especially the gnocchi have earned a loyal following.
