Salamis

Salamis is an island of immense history, and the first thing that meets the eye from its shores is the strait — the narrow channel of water where, in 480 BC, the Greek fleet destroyed the Persian armada and saved Greece. The ferry from Perama, a short crossing, gives access to the island's green interior, where the roads run past the pine woods and the monasteries to the beaches and coves of the coast. Notable are the cave of Euripides, the hollow in the cliffs of the south coast where the great tragedian is said to have written, and the monastery of Faneromeni, the island's great convent with its frescoed church. The shore of the strait is worth walking, with the ships and the smoke of that September morning easy to imagine. Salamis is often overlooked by travellers in a hurry to reach the islands, but it has a quiet, real beauty, and its history is among the greatest in Greece.

Salamis is one of the oldest and most storied islands of Greece. In antiquity it was the home of the hero Ajax and of the great tragedian Euripides, and its name was forever written into history in September 480 BC, when the Greek fleet, led by Themistocles, defeated the far larger Persian fleet in the strait between the island and the coast of Attica — one of the most decisive naval battles of all time, which saved Greece from Persian conquest. The island was a possession of Athens, and its history followed that of the great city across the water. In the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, Salamis was a poor island of farmers, shepherds, and fishermen, and its monasteries and its churches date from these centuries. In the 19th and 20th centuries the island grew as a suburb of Athens and of the naval base of the region, and its population expanded greatly. The strait of Salamis is still one of the most important seaways of Greece, and the island's beaches and its monasteries are its quiet modern gifts.

Salamis has good beaches, most of them on the south and west coasts. The beaches of the south — including the coves near the cave of Euripides and the bays of the island's green coast — are quiet and lovely, with clear, calm water. The beaches of the west, including the beach of Kanakia, are popular with the island's residents. The water is clean and the swimming is easy, and the island's closeness to Athens makes it a favourite for a day at the sea. Bring a mask and a towel, and you will find a quiet spot without difficulty.

Salamis food is the cooking of an island that has long been a farming and fishing community. The island produces its own olive oil, wine, and vegetables, and its tavernas serve the daily catch with the classic Greek table and a warm, unpretentious ease. The island's closeness to the great markets of Athens has always shaped its table, and its tavernas by the sea are simple, honest, and good. For a proper Salamis meal, find a taverna by the water, order the fish of the day and a plate of the island's greens, and watch the ships pass through the strait that gave the island its immortal name.

The best times to visit Salamis are in late spring and early autumn, when the weather is warm and the sea is calm, and in summer, when the island's beaches are at their liveliest. The island is green and quiet, and its great history makes it a place of pilgrimage for those who love the ancient world. Whenever you come, give the island at least a day — the strait, the cave, and the monasteries all repay a visit.

Salamis has no airport. It is reached by ferry from Perama, a crossing of about fifteen minutes, and from Piraeus.

The island is easy to explore by car, and the main sights are spread around the coast. Do not miss the cave of Euripides and the monastery of Faneromeni, and walk the shore of the strait to remember the great battle. Swim at the beaches of the south and west, and if you can, come in late September, when the anniversary of the battle of Salamis is remembered and the strait is at its most evocative.