Πάσχα στο πανέμορφο νησί του Αργοσαρωνικού
Spetses is a spring flower, which, as the weather opens up, blossoms. That’s why, if you travel to the island this season, more than anything else it is worth exploring its countryside.
Easter in Spetses is not a simple affair, because visitors fill the island to overflowing. Bicycles, pigs, horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians try to coexist crammed into the town of Spetses, while the sea front is also crowded with the presence of many yachts. Apart from the cosmopolitan crowds, Spetses has a vibrant Easter, both insular and cosmopolitan.
On Good Friday, the lights fall on Poseidon Square. The candles held in the hands of the faithful look like fireflies in the darkness, while the epitaphs of Agios Antonios, Agios Ioannis, Agios Nikolaos and Ascension, adorned with white flowers, mingle in front of the historic Hotel Poseidonio with its turrets and columns, whose architecture is inspired by the resorts of the French Riviera.
On the evening of the Resurrection, in the church of Ascension, a boat is set on fire, reminiscent of the days of Armata (a great event in September with the burning of an effigy of the Turkish flagship), while on Easter Sunday, an effigy of Judas is burned in the square of Kounoupitsa.
SMALL AND BIG WANDERINGS
Spetses is a spring flower that blooms as soon as the weather opens. That’s why, if you travel to the island this season, more than anything else, it’s worth exploring its countryside. Rent an electric bike or motorbike (no cars allowed) and take a 1-hour ride around the island to see for yourself how big the pine forest of Spetses is.
Along the route there are benches overlooking the beaches and neighbouring Spetsopoula. Hikers will find a fairly extensive network of trails, until recently forgotten, which was re-evaluated by locals during the quarantine. It includes 19 trails, a total of 65 km long, which are ideal for exploring the hinterland of an island with relatively low elevations (the highest peak reaches 290 m) but with a Mediterranean nature of a bushy nature.
More information can be found on the “Spetses Culture Trails” page on Facebook and on the Anavasi mapp app. Another walk worth taking is, by the sea, towards the peninsula with the life-like sculptures of Natalia Melas, north of the old harbour. Walk to see a goat with her kid, two metal goats grazing olives and of course the mermaid with hair in chains waving to the sailors with her hand raised.
Returning to the port, head to the Roumani Hotel and the complex where the Café is housed, to see the paintings and retro inscriptions created -many decades ago- by the great Greek ceramist Panos Valsamakis (1900-1986). This is a rare example of public art. The pebbles depicting fish, dolphins, octopus, mermaids and mermaids, placed in squares and at the entrances to houses, are another work of public art, which is not signed by a single artist but by the Spetses artisans as a whole. For those planning a post-peak excursion to Spetses, note that Spetsathlon 2023, the athletic event featuring swimming, cycling and running races, is expected to take place on May 12-14.
ACCOMMODATION
Poseidonion (Dapia, tel. 22980-74553, poseidonion.com, from 230 euros per double room with breakfast). This is the most unique hotel in the Argosaronic Gulf. The work of the great benefactor of Spetses, Sotirios Anargyros, it turned 100 years old in 2014. It operates fully renovated, maintaining the luxury, glamour and refinement of another era.
Armata Boutique Hotel (Agios Antonios Parish, tel. 22980-72683, armatahotel.gr, from 154 euros per double room with breakfast, reservations from 10 April). Housed in a traditional Spetsesian house, it has 20 rooms and pays attention to high service.
Hotel Roumani (Dapia, tel. 22980-72244, hotelroumani.gr, from 66 euros per double with breakfast). Beautiful accommodation with polite staff and simple rooms. The big plus is its location, two minutes from the main pier.
Hotel Villa Plaza (Spetses, tel. 6936-739899, from 50 euros per double without breakfast, which is available on request). It is around 350 m from the port of Spetses. It is simple, decorated in earthy tones and is ideal for those looking for an economical accommodation option. Pets are allowed upon request.
Argonautis (Agios Mamas, tel. 6948-543869, argonaftispetses.com, from 84 euros without breakfast). Quiet guesthouse, relatively close to the beach, with well-designed, beautiful rooms, mosaic floors and light-toned decor.
