Agistri, Greece: Island Guide, Beaches, Villages & Hotels
Agistri is a small, green, pine-covered island in the Saronic Gulf, about 12 square kilometres in size with roughly 1,000 inhabitants, lying just west of Aegina and 45 to 60 minutes by ferry from Piraeus. The island keeps its life in three villages — the main port of Skala, the second port of Megalochori (Myloi) and the quiet inland village of Limenaria — and its coast holds pebble and sand beaches, including the official naturist beach at Chalikiada in the south-east.
- Sea
- Saronic Gulf
- Size
- 12 km²
- Population
- ~1,000
- Ferry
- 45-60 min from Piraeus
The island of Agistri
Agistri, also spelled Angistri, is one of the Argo-Saronic islands in the Gulf of Aegina, not far from Athens. It is about 12 square kilometres in size, has a population of roughly 1,000 people, and lies just west of its larger neighbour Aegina. The island is green and covered in pine trees, and although it is small it has a good number of beaches, including one official naturist beach, Chalikiada, in the south-east. There are no banks on the island, though there is an ATM in Skala, one taxi, and one bus that runs the full length of the island and back. A minitrain also runs from Skala to Myloi harbour and back, and you can walk from one side of the island to the other in about two hours.
Skala, Megalochori and Limenaria
Agistri keeps its life in three settlements: the main port and resort of Skala on the north coast, the second port of Megalochori (Myloi) to the north-east, and the quiet inland village of Limenaria. A bus starts in Skala and calls at Megalochori and Limenaria, and a daily caique from neighbouring Aegina stops at Skala before running along the north coast to Myloi.
Skala
Skala is the main port and the busiest village on Agistri: all the ferries from Piraeus dock here, and it has hotels, tavernas, a beach, minimarkets, a bakery, a pharmacy and an open-air cinema that runs in high season. The island's single bus starts from Skala, the minitrain runs from here to Myloi, and the one taxi and the island's ATM are here too.
Megalochori (Myloi)
Megalochori, also called Myloi, is the island's second port, about 2.5 kilometres from Skala and connected to it by bus. It is a traditional, quiet settlement of white-painted stone houses, with a few modern hotels, bars and tavernas, and a Culture Centre that displays archaeological finds. Several beaches lie around Myloi, among them Xekofti Beach.
Limenaria
Limenaria is an untouristed, quiet village and the last stop on the island bus from Skala. Near it is Mariza, a platform in a small cove for jumping into the water, and from Limenaria a walk leads to the west coast and the sandy cove of Aponissos.
The beaches of Agistri
Agistri's beaches range from the naturist cove of Chalikiada in the south-east to sandy Aponissos in the south-west. The Skala beaches run along the north coast to Myloi as a string of sand and pebble beaches with gentle waves that are safe for children, while Megalochori has its own sands, including Xekofti. Dragonera is a pebble bay with a taverna between Myloi and Limenaria, and the Skliri coast between Skala and Chalikiada is dramatic and rocky. See the full guide to the beaches of Agistri.
Nature and sights
Agistri's sights are its nature rather than its monuments. The whole island is barely 12 square kilometres and covered in pine, so much of the pleasure is walking the forest paths and coves, which you can cross end to end in about two hours. The traditional village of Megalochori keeps a Culture Centre of archaeological finds, Dragonera looks out on a small uninhabited islet, and a little lake lies behind the beach at Aponissos. The naturist beach at Chalikiada sits in a rocky cove in the south-east. More is set out in the Agistri sights guide.
Where to stay
Accommodation on Agistri gathers in and around the port village of Skala, with a handful of small, family-run hotels and self-catering studios. Laza Beach Inn, Yialos Studios, Aktaion and Akrogiali sit in and beside Skala, Hotel Vasilaras and Hotel Andreas stand a short walk from the port, Hotel Kekrifalia looks over the harbour from Skliri, and Rosy's Little Village and the Agistri Club Hotel perch above the coves in the pine trees. Compare them in the Agistri hotels & villas guide.
Where to eat
Agistri eats simply and cheaply, most of it along the Skala waterfront, where tavernas, cafes and bars line the sea, backed by minimarkets and a bakery for self-catering. Away from Skala you eat by the sea: the Yialos beach taverna serves traditional Greek meals and local wine, Megalochori keeps a few quiet bars and tavernas, and beach tavernas open at Dragonera and, in high season, at Aponissos. Where to eat by area is set out in the Agistri restaurants guide.
Getting to Agistri
Agistri is reached by ferry from Piraeus, a crossing of about 45 to 60 minutes that runs several times a day and docks at the main port of Skala. A daily caique also crosses from neighbouring Aegina in about 10 minutes, stopping at Skala and continuing along the north coast to Myloi. On the island itself, one bus runs from Skala to Megalochori and Limenaria, there is a single taxi, and a minitrain loops from Skala to Myloi; you can also walk across the island in about two hours.
