Spetses

In order to get to Spetses from JUNIOR HOTEL you can either go by boat from Tolo (13 kilometers) which makes this route 1-2 times a week and the trip last less than 1 hour. Another way is by car to Costa near Porto Heli (60 miles - about 1 hour) where we go to Spetses in 10 minutes with boats that constantly pass it.

Spetses (Modern Greek: Σπέτσες, Ancient/Katharevousa: Σπέτσαι, Spetsai) is an island of Greece, sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia. In ancient times, it was known as Pityoussa, and later as Petses. The town of Spetses (pop. 3,846 in 2001) is the only large settlement on the island, and was one of only two provinces in Greece with fewer than five settlements and two municipalities. The island is presently an independent municipality (pop. 3,916), with no local boundaries within the municipality. The other settlements on the island are Moní Agíon Pánton (pop. 32), Ligonéri (16), Ágioi Anárgyroi (11), Kouzoúnos (3). Also part of the Municipality of Spetses are the islands of Spetsopoula (pop. 11) and Velopoula (uninhabited).

Ferries and high-speed hydrofoils arrive regularly from Piraeus. The port is also known as Dapia. Trails encircle the island and total about 25 to 30 km; beaches include Agios Mamas, in the center of town, Agioi Anargiroi and Agia Paraskevi at the back of the island, Zogeria, and two beaches close to the town, College beach and Agia Marina, both offering watersports.

Archaeological findings in Spetses date back to 2000 BC. However, Pityoussa in antiquity was an island of no importance.

From 1821 to 1832, the island played an important role in the Greek War of Independence in fighting against the Turks, and was the home of celebrated war heroine Bouboulina. The modern Hydra class frigate F 453 Spetsai , the World War 2 era destroyer Greek destroyer Spetsai (D 98) and the historic Greek battleship Spetsai have been named after this island.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the island attracted a number wealthy Greek vacationers from Athens and elsewhere, owning villas or living on large yachts in the port. Some had children who became students of the Anargirios School. Although some hotels were present, tourists often stayed in purpose-built holiday homes. From the 1980s, these were often supplanted by north European tourists, especially from Britain, who were attracted by the low cost of a holiday.

The island of Spetses, located in the Mediterranean Sea, was first occupied during the Mesolithic Age, about in 8000 BC. During that period the island was connected to through an isthmus to the island of Argolida , currently named Costa. Pieces of flint from that time were found near the part of the island called Zogeria that contained a water source probably available since those times. Other archaeological finds were located in the area of Saint Marina, which contained the first Hellenistic settlement to be found on the island and dates to the 3rd millennium BC. At least three natural harbors of Spetses (Saint Marina, Saint Paraskevi and Zogeria) served as a refuge for ships carrying goods to and from the Argolis Gulf during the peak of the State of Lerna (about 2300 BC).

Source: Wikipedia