Spetses

Where: 85 km (53 nautical miles) southwest of Piraeus

Why: Horse-drawn carriages through Venetian influenced architecture, cosmopolitan nightlife and a favorite among Athenian aristocracy.

How to get there: By high-speed hydrofoil from Piraeus. Connections are available from neighboring islands Hydra and Poros.

By car: Drive to Costa (3 hours) in the Peloponnese and take the 15-minute ferry ride over.

For more information: Port of Piraeus +302104147800

Approximate travel time from Athens: 2 hours by hydrofoil

Don't miss: The mystical Villa Bourani from the John Fowles novel ‘The Magus'; Spetsopoula the small island opposite Spetses; Bouboulina's historic 300 year-old mansion; Spetses State Museum, housed at the Hatziyiannis-Mexis 200 year old mansion.

Special events: The Armata festival in September and accompanying traditional "Burning of the Boat" re-enactment, commemorates the sea-battle of September 8, 1822 when joint naval forces with Hydra defeated the Ottoman fleet.

Beaches: Anargiri, Agia Marina, Agios Mammas, Anargirios, Kosta, Zogreri, Ligoneri, Xylokeriza, Agia Paraskevi, Kouzounos, Agios Nikolaos, Garifalos

Did you know? John Fowles' The Magus took place here. Spetses was the home of Laskarina Bouboulina, the legendary heroine of the Greek War of Independence.

When in Athens, hop on over to the second largest Greek island (Crete is the largest) for fresh fish and ouzomezedopoleia in nearby Halkida, Evia.