Each morning, buses wind through working-class neighborhoods of Piraeus, collecting elderly women bound for the beach at Lagonisi. For about €8, passengers spend two hours swimming before returning home by early afternoon.
The rides, filled with songs, conversation and teasing, have become more than a seaside excursion: they offer companionship and relief from the isolation of old age.
Chrysoula Pelekasi, 88, has joined the trips for more than 15 years. “At our age we need company; we want to get out of the house,” she says.
Others describe the outings as a way to meet people, ease loneliness and maintain routines despite health problems. Travel agencies organize the routes, picking up riders near their homes and bringing them back safely. Many participants cite arthritis, osteoporosis and limited mobility; some say doctors recommend swimming.
The service also offers an affordable alternative to increasingly expensive vacations. By midday, after swimming, shopping and socializing, the women head home, carrying groceries and stories.
