Spetses is one of Greece’s more civilised islands – it avoids excesses of all kinds, neither tat nor ostentation. Impeccable breeding and manners. This is what attracts the older money and European chiceria who feel perfectly at home. They arrive in their yachts or drive down from Athens and catch one of the gaily painted water taxis that zip back and forth across the narrow channel that separates the island from the Peloponnese.
The island is car-free, so apart from the electric golf carts that some of our villas have, or the local taxis, there is an eclectic range of modes of transport – from flower-decked caleches to vespas, or by foot. The terrain is gentle, the lanes lined with bougainvilleas and enticing old doorways, the fragrance of motorbike diesel and orange blossom is a Spetses classic, as is the sound of cockerels, neighing, church bells and exhaust pipes revving up the steeper lanes.
A stroll along the waterfront with its historic, neo-classical sea-captain’s mansions, the 19th century cannon that still bristle out from the old port area of Dapia where they had defended the town during the 1821 War of Liberation from the Ottoman empire, the churches and the monuments, is to dip into Spetses’ illustrious history.
For a deeper glimpse, make your way to the Bouboulina Museum; a family run, not-for profit gem, founded by the descendants of Bouboulina to celebrate her life, proud achievements and bitter end.
One of Greece’s most colourful personalities, she funded and captained a fleet of war ships against the Turks, and any particularly forceful female is still today called a “bouboulina” by Greek men…. Ask us if you want a private visit with one of the family – who have grown milder in the last 5 generations!
On the corner is an unassuming boutique called Panama which is one of the few island shops anywhere to sell original clothes and accessories at reasonable prices, while Ralph Lauren, Orlebar Brown, Pucci et al. are all to be found alongside the top Greek designers.
Down by the waterfront, a lunch of delicately fried whitebait at Patralis is a great way to refuel, then head the Grand Hotel Poseidonion which majestically presides over the Esplanade for coffee and home-made gelato on the elegant terrace watching the horse drawn carriages clip clop along the shore.
A wander through the flower-filled lanes punctuated by enticingly secretive doorways and glimpses of private Spetses, can befollowed up with an aperitif-time snack of perfect shrimp Bao buns and an Aperol spritzer at the Nuovo 1800 – in one of Spetses’ historic mansions further down, as a great way to enjoy the sunset.
Dinner at Tarsanas to round off the day before heading back to your villa.
Share This