Hotel Miranda

The capital, Aigina

by AndyRG

The island and its capital have the same name (Aigina). It is an interesting town, with nice colourful buildings, a modern marine, the Archaeological Museum and the museum of Greek sculptor Kapralos (he died in 1993). Many personalities had been lived there, as Kanaris, Trikoupis, Kazantzakis...

Aegina in March - Things to Pack

by suvanki

If island hopping, just as much as you can carry! A rucksack or holdall. With a daypac/bag to carry camera etc. Come prepared for all weathers- I was unlucky, and found a thunder storm/ torrential downpour (Apparently the forecast had been for snow!)

So, a waterproof, fleece top, shoes/walking boots. Plus sun gear ! - sunglasses/ sunscreen / sun vests /shorts etc! Essential medications. There is a pharmacist, but not sure what stock they hold. Aegina offers lots of photo ops, so bring everything you need. Can't remember if there's a photography shop in town. I was glad I'd packed some reading material/music etc (In 1992, it was most likely that I was carrying a walkman, with a bag of cassettes, rather than an Mp3 player!!) as I was driven back to my room by the weather.
However, the weather in March can be unpredictable, so cover all options.

Temple of Aphaia

by AcornMan

Although substantially smaller than the Parthenon, the Temple of Aphaia has endured the centuries much better and is in remarkably good condition considering its age and the fact that it sits exposed atop a hill like the Parthenon does. The Temple dates from about 1300 BC, when it was associated with a female fertility deity. This ended up being my favorite archeological site on my trip, so to me the journey to Aigina was worth it just to see this one sight.

The temple is located about halfway between the port and the east coast where the beaches are. The bus doesn't automatically stop there, so you'll have to be vigilant and tell the driver to stop there. To continue on to the beaches you'll have to catch another bus, and unfortunately you'll have to pay bus fare again. We talked the driver into letting us pay for just one more ticket for two people since the trip was only half over, but you might not be so lucky.

Classical Greek Beauty

by wilocrek

"Greece...Just the way you imagined."

While Athens may boast the Acropolis and of course the airport most tourist would agree that Athens, while beautiful, is not the Greece of their dreams. Fortunately the Greece that we have all dreamed about is just a short hour long ferry ride from Athens. Because of its close proximity to Athens, the island of Aegina can easily be done as a day trip but there is so much to the island itself that one could easily spend days exploring. From its stunning location in the Agean Sea to its soaring hills that rise above the scenic marina, Aegina is the perfect place to get away from the madness of Athens and relax in the beauty and peace that this island offers. The marina offers shops and cafes' galore, built closely together and brought together by its quaint cobblestone streets. Its also a pistachio lovers paradise as the island is famous for its tasty, often freshly picked nuts. Vendors sell them on just about every street corner and after tasting a freshly harvested pistachio from Aegina there will no going back to the store brand. For the more adventurous there are dozens of shops the rent scooters for the day giving visitors a more mobile way to explore this Greek paradise. If your bold enough to take the scooter (or a city bus) to the top your reward will be the Temple of Aphaia. Sitting on top of the island overlooking the marina and the Agean Sea, the Temple of Aphaia is a perfect example of classical Greek architecture and even more important its a perfect illustration of the Greece that lives in our dreams!

Temple of Aphaia

by Sasie

The Temple of Aphaia on Aigina (Aegina) is lovely. Try to go in the evening when the crowds are less. It's this great temple silhouetted against this "impossible blue" sky. Aphaia was one of Zeus' daughters (what a surprise) and in an effort to get away from Minos, she turned invisible.

If you like antiquity and ruins, this is a lovely place. I enjoyed it more than the Acropolis or Sounyon.

http://www.aeginagreece.com/
ps: Pistachios are grown on Aegina....they're yummy.