Poros

Poros is small, green, and instantly charming. The ferry from the Saronic islands lands at the town of Poros, which spreads up the hillside in a cascade of pastel houses above the little port, with the island's lemon groves and pine woods behind. The island is so close to the mainland that a stone can be thrown across the channel to the Peloponnese, and the town's seafront — with its cafés, its clock tower, and its little harbour — is one of the most pleasant in the Saronic. Above the old town are the remains of the sanctuary of Poseidon, where ancient Poros stood, and a small ferry crosses to the archaeological site of the ancient city of Troezen on the mainland. The beaches of the south, the bays of Neorio and Monastiri, are for swimming, and the harbour's cafés fill as the yachts come in. Poros is an island for slow days, good food, and the simple pleasure of being by the water.

Poros has been inhabited since antiquity, when the island was known as Calauria. In the 6th century BC it was the site of an important sanctuary of Poseidon, which was the centre of an amphictyony of the coastal states of the Saronic, and it was to this sanctuary that the orator Demosthenes fled in 322 BC, taking poison there to avoid capture by the Macedonians. In the Middle Ages the island was a refuge for the populations of the region, and its churches and monasteries date from the Byzantine and later periods. In the modern era, Poros was an important naval station during the Greek War of Independence, and in 1830 the island's dockyard hosted one of the great events of the revolution: the burning of the Greek fleet by the British and French at the conference of Poros, an act that helped shape the new state. In the 19th and 20th centuries the island was a fashionable retreat, and its harbour town grew into the handsome, elegant place it is today. The ruins of the sanctuary of Poseidon, on the hill above the town, still dominate the island, and the little chapel of St. George stands among the ancient stones.

Poros is not an island of long beaches, but its coves and bays are beautiful. The beach of Monastiri, on the south coast, is the island's most popular: a pretty sandy bay with a small chapel and clear, calm water. The long beach of Neorio, also on the south, is quiet and lovely. The beaches of the west coast are small and secluded, reached by paths through the pines. The water is clean and calm, and the island's green setting gives the swimming a gentle, southern ease. Bring a mask for the rocky points and a towel for the sandy coves, and you will find a quiet spot without difficulty.

Poros food is the cooking of a small, green island with a long history of hospitality. The island's lemon groves give its famous lemon-based dishes, including the lemonade sold at the harbour, and its tavernas serve the daily catch with the classic Greek table and a relaxed, welcoming ease. The island is also known for its 'moustokouloura' (grape-must biscuits) and its honey. For a proper Poros meal, find a taverna by the harbour, order the fish of the day and a plate of the island's greens, and watch the yachts come and go as the evening settles over the channel.

May, June, and September are the ideal months on Poros: warm, green, and quiet, with the sea perfect and the island at its most relaxed. July and August are the main season, when the island fills with holidaymakers and the harbour is lively. Spring is lovely, when the lemon groves are in blossom and the island is at its greenest. Whenever you come, Poros is easy to reach and easy to enjoy — it is a place for slow days and good food.

Poros is reached by ferry. Services come from Piraeus, from the other Saronic islands, and from the port of Galatas on the Peloponnese, just across the narrow channel that divides the island from the mainland.

A car is useful for exploring, though the island is small and the town is walkable. Do not miss the sanctuary of Poseidon and the views from the hill, the clock tower, and the beaches of the south. Swim at Monastiri and Neorio, eat by the harbour, and take the little ferry to the mainland if you want to explore the ancient city of Troezen. Poros is a small island with a great deal of charm — give it a couple of days and it will win you over.