The Island of Spetses (UK: Spetsai - Greek:  ΣΠΕΤΣΕΣ)

The Island of Spetses is a small beautiful island located close to the Peloponnese about two hours by hydrofoil south of Athens.

Travel plan 1 (recommended)

1) fly to Athens International Airport
2) go by bus or taxi to Athens harbour (Piraeus) and
3) take a hydrofoil or a ferry to the Island of Spetses
4) walk, take a water taxi, a taxi or a horse buggy from Spetses Harbour to Spetses Hotel

Travel plan 2 (only recommended when travelling three people together or if you miss the last boat to Spetses)

1) fly to Athens International Airport
2) take a taxi from Athens Airport to Kosta
4) take a water taxi from Kosta to Spetses Hotel

Link to website with budget airlines: http://www.AirNinja.com


Athens International Airport (AIA) is located 33 km northeast of Athens, while the Piraeus harbour is in the southern part of Athens.
Travelling time from Athens airport to Piraeus is normally 1-2 hrs by bus E96 or taxi. Travelling time by hydrofoil from Piraeus to Spetses is around 2-2 1/2 hrs or by ferry 4 1/2-5 hrs.

You should aim at getting to Athens no later than around 16:00 (or maybe as late as 17) on 5 September if you want to go by hydrofoil. If you cannot manage this you can take a taxi from Athens Airport to Kosta (see below).

There is a hydrofoil at 6:00 am from Spetses so you should be able to catch a flight leaving around noon from Athens on 15 September.

 

Travel plan 1

Athens airport to Piraeus

Bus

There is a direct bus (X96) from the Athens International Airport to Piraeus. 24 hr ticket: Euro 3
The travelling time varies between one and two hours depending on the traffic.

You can also go via the centre of Athens (bus nos. E94 and E95) or by metro. You must then change at Omonia Square in the centre of Athens and take the direct metro to Piraeus.

All buses depart from the designated area on the inner curbside of the arrivals level of the main terminal building just outside the Schengen Exit (Doors 4-5).

Taxi

You can also take a taxi, but as there are special lanes for buses, it is not faster to take a taxi.
Price Airport-Piraeus: Euro 20-30, depending on travelling time and the amount of luggage. You normally pay extra for the luggage.

The taxi queue starts from Door 4 of the Arrivals Level and extends up to Door 1.

Piraeus (Athens) to Spetses

To get to Spetses from Piraeus you can choose to take:

1) a hydrofoil (about 2-3 hrs) (the travelling time varies depending on how many stops the hydrofoil makes on the way)
2) a ferry (4 1/2-5 hrs)
 

There are two different hydrofoil companies:

1a) Euroseas-Eurofast-1: http://www.saronicnet.com/euroseas/ (with 1-2 daily trips to Spetses) - One-ticket ca. Euro 28 (25% discount for students)

Departure Piraeus - arrival Spetses on 5 September 2005
09:30-11:50
15:00-17:20


1b) Hellenic Seaways:http://dolphins.forth-crs.gr/english/npgres.exe?PM=BO or http://www.forth-crs.gr/hellenicseaways/english/npgres.exe?PM=BO (with 5-6 daily trips to Spetses) - ca. Euro 28

Departure Piraeus - arrival Spetses on 5 September 2005
08:30-10:15
10:00-12:30
12:00-14:10
14:30-16:10
17:00-19:10
19:00-21:50

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Departure Spetses - arrival Piraeus on 15 September 2005

Euroseas-Eurofast 1:
12:00-14:20
17:30-19:30

Hellenic Seaways:
06:00-08:50
11:00-12:45
13:50-16:20
14:15-16:15
17:00-18:30
19:20-21:30

Tickets can be bought online or you can simply buy the ticket when you arrive at the harbour as there is a the ticket office by the hydrofoil.
There are not normally any problems getting a ticket except for a few weekends - especially the weekend of 9-11 September due to the festival on the island.

2) Saronikos Ferry leaves Piraeus for Spetses every day at 8.00. Price: ca. Euro 10

Spetses harbour to Spetses Hotel

The distance from the harbour to the hotel is about 1- 1/2 km

Means of transportation:

There is a bus starting from the main square at the front of the Possidonion Hotel to the right of Dapia Harbour as you look at it from the sea which stops at Spetses Hotel. Price: ca. Euro 1.

A water taxi takes up to around 8 people. The water taxis are very close to the hydrofoils and they sail straight to the pier of the Spetses Hotel.

There are four taxis on Spetses. You can find them in front of the petrol station in the Dapia near the end of the jetty where you disembark from the hydrofoils, ferry or catamaran.

The horse buggies, which take up to four people - or two people with luggage - are parked by the harbour in front of the Possidonion Hotel. Make sure you arrange the price in advance.

Travel plan 2

Taxi: Athens-Kosta

Travelling time: ca. 3 hrs.
Price: ca. Euro 150

If you miss the last hydrofoil to Spetses you can take a taxi from Athens Airport to Kosta which is a small town on the mainland fairly close to the Island of Spetses. You can also choose to go by taxi if you travel two or more together, but the hydrofoil trip is more comfortable and less expensive. It is important that you either fix a price or get the taxi driver to start the meter before departure.

At Kosta you can get a water taxi directly to Spetses Hotel at ca. Euro 12.

More information about the island on the following website: http://www.spetsesdirect.com/

 

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