Porto Heli & Environs
As well a being a great town to learn to sail or to use a base to visit some of the wonders of ancient Greece, Porto Heli is also a nice town to chill out in and watch the world go by!
ESSENTIAL AMENITIES IN PORTO HELI
- 24hr Cashpoint
- Alpha Bank & Euro Bank
- Post Office
- Pharmacies
- Supermarkets
- Bakeries & Greengrocers
- Newsagents
Poseidon Studios offer free wi-fi to all our guests and can help you out with any more information you need regarding amenities and services in and around Porto Heli.
YACHTING ESSENTIALS IN PORTO HELI
There is a large quay for yacht and motor boat mooring which is close to all the amenities Porto Heli has to offer. You can call for bowsered water and fuel but there is no facility for electricity on the quay at the moment. Showering, washing and toilet facilities as well as lifting and mooring are available at Franks Yacht Station (0030 2754052380). There is one main yacht chandlery in the village which is situated just off the quay near the AB supermarket.
The pontoon at the end of Poseidon Sports beach is owned by the Nautica Bay Hotel who will allow you to moor up for a small fee. Water & electricity is available as are shower and washing machine facilities. A book swap is available for all in the sailing office.
GETTING TO PORTO HELI
How to get to Porto Heli by ferry
From Arrivals at Athens International Airport, go outside, turn right and walk almost to the end of the building. You will see rows of buses and you are looking for the X96 bus which goes directly to Piraeus Port. On the pavement by the buses is the kiosk where you must buy your ticket before getting on the bus, which should cost about €5 per person. The bus runs about every 20 minutes (less frequently during the night) and takes about 1 hour from the airport to Piraeus Port, which is the end of the line. Once at the port you will need to cross the busy road onto the quay side, take a look around for the gate numbers (large signs along the fencing above the main entrance gates) and walk to gate E9 beside which is the Hellenic Seaways ticket desk for Porto Heli which has a big red LED sign to announce this. You can buy tickets here or pick up ones you have already booked. The Hydrofoil usually takes around 2.5 hours depending on the weather and generally stops at Hydra, Spetses and then just 10 minutes later in Porto Heli. Listen to the announcements which will confirm which port you are in. Easy!!
How to get to Porto Heli by road
Leaving Athens International Airport you follow the signs for the toll road ATTIKI ODOS (ΑΤΤΙΚΗ ΟΔΟΣ) which skirts the outside of Athens. There are 2 tolls which you will pass through and will cost around €2.80 each for a regular car. You should be on this motorway for around 1.5 hours. The turning you need to take is sign posted EPIDAVROS (ΕΠΙΔΑΡΟΣ) and this will take you across the Corinth Canal (a good place to stop if you need to strech your legs or get some refreshments). Following the signs for Epidavros will take you left off the motorway just after the canal, onto the main road which runs down to PORTO HELI (ΠΟΡΤΟ ΧΕΛΙ). In places it is very wiggley as it passes over the mountains. From the Corinth Canal it should take a further hour. After you pass NEO EPIDAVROS you will see a turning to the right sign posted for SPETSES (ΣΠΕΤΣΕΣ) this will take you down a slip road and a left turn under the bridge. At the fork just after the bridge take the right hand turn which again should be posted for Spetses. Around here you will also see signs for Porto Heli (sometimes spelt Porto Cheli). You follow the road which soars above old Epidavros and over the mountain. Once over the mountain at the next junction (quite some way away) take the left turn which again is sign posted for Spetses. Then you will drive over the Massive Mount Didymon. As you approach KRANIDI (ΚΡΑΝΙΔΙ) you will see a sign post and turn to the right for Porto Heli (just after the Lidl Supermarket). From here it is just 15 minutes to Poseidon Studios. As you come into the town of Porto Heli you will see a Rev Oil petrol station on your right hand side. Turn immediately right after this station, drive past the “Dia” supermarket on your left and turn right at the 2nd junction. Poseidon Studios, the first house on the right, are painted green, you’ve arrived. Hurrah!
PLACES TO VISIT FROM PORTO HELI
KRANIDI (ΚΡΑΝΙΔΙ) is the commercial centre for our area and so is a bustling town with many amenities. The medical centre, police and mayor are based here as is the KTEL (ΚΤΕΛ) Kranidi bus station where you may change busses to go to Athens, Epidavros or Nafplion.
ERMIONI (ΕΡΜΙΟΝΗ) is a small but beautiful town about 10km to the north east of Porto Heli. You can reach it by car or bicycle or ferry from Athens. The town saddles a narrow penninsula so you are never far from the sea. Because of this there are lots of lovely bars and tavernas lining the quayside. On Thursdays there is a fabulous local market selling fresh local produce, clothing and homeware. At the end of the penninsula is the pine covered area called ‘Bisti’. From here you can see stunning views across the Saronic gulf to the island of Dokos and beyond to Hydra. In this forested area you can also see the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon.
DIDYMA (ΔΙΔΥΜΑ) is the farming community located in the shadow of the Didyma Mountain. It is a modest town with little of interest in the actual town. However just off the road are the caves or ‘craters’ of Didyma which are pretty impressive to walk around. For keen climbers there is a number of climbs in this region, mainly in the Didyma area.
KOILADA (ΚOIΛΑΔΑ) is a small town on the coast to the north west of Porto Heli. It’s main industry is still fishing and so this is the town to come to for a fish supper! It also has the biggest boat lift in the area and a construction yard where the traditional Greek fishing boats, Caiques, are still produced by hand. Across the bay from Kiolada is the ancient Frachiti Cave which can be reached by boat or a scramble over the rocks!
HYDRA (ΥΔΡΑ) is a preserved island only accessible by boat. You can take the ferry from Porto Heli or Ermioni or take a day tripper boat (Kelly Cruise) from Porto Heli. Hydra town is made up of beautifully conserved Venetian mansions it has become synonymous as a bolt home for artisans from around the world. To reflect this, the town is bustling with interesting and beautiful shops and boutiques full of locally crafted items. It also has no motor vehicles on it so take your walking boots or hire a donkey!!
POROS (ΠΟΡΟΣ) is an island easily accessible by ferry or car from Porto Heli. It is a beautiful island with beaches and woodland to explore and also home to the charming town of Poros which has many shops and tavernas to explore by day and funky cosmopolitan bars to chill out in by night.
SPETSES (ΣΠΕΤΣΕΣ) is just a short hop from Porto Heli. You can reach it by ferry from Kosta, just 5km from Porto Heli, on which you can take a scooter, mountain bike, or travel as a foot passenger.You can also travel by ferry from Porto Heli direct or we can organise a water taxi for more convenient times enabling you to enjoy Spetses into the evening. Once in Spetses you can stay in the beautiful town and check out its museum dedicated to the Saviour of the Argolic, Bouboulina. As well as some great boutiques in the town there are some fabulous beaches within walking distance. Or you can get the bus around the island to Anagyri bay with a lovely taverna, long often deserted beach & massive caves to explore. It is an exhilarating but not too difficult to circumnavigate on a bike.
AEGINA (ΑΙΥΙΝΑ) is a short hop from Athens into the Saronic Gulf on your way to Porto Heli. It is a pretty island with a number of towns and villages on it, including it’s historically important capital, Aegina. There are a number of busy beaches on the island and good walking as it is predominantley an extict volcano. If you are a lover of pistacho nuts then this is the island to visit as this nut is one of their main exports.
MONEMVASIA (ΜΟΝΕΜΒΑΣΙΑ) is labelled as the Gibraltar of the east and is a monolith with a preserved town on its southern side. Accessible by weekly tourist boat from Porto Heli it is one of the most amazing sites in the area. Accessed from the mainland by a narrow causeway you enter the town through thick wooden gates, designed to keep intruders out! You can get here from Porto Heli on the day tripper boat, Kelly Cruise.
ATHENS (ΑΘΗΝΑ) is a good starting place for most holidays to Greece with its rail, ferry and air transport links to the rest of Europe and the world. It is also full of interesting places to visit! You can see the main areas of interest in one day if you only have a short amount of time in Greece. However it’s probably best to spend at least a few days in the city, exploring, getting lost and discovering things for yourself. The most interesting area has to be Plaka with neighbouring Agora and of course the Acropolis. A lovely part of town to explore in the day and relax in in the evening. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while you can visit the National Gardens just across from Syntagma Square. For the chic side of town take a trip around Kolounaki where you will find international boutiques alongside funky coffee bars and exclusive eateries.
CORINTH CANAL (ΚΟΡΙΝΘΟΣ) is a sight worth seeing if you’ve not already driven over it to reach Porto Heli! Despite being considered by the Ancients and many attempts to construct this trade link between the east & west Mediterranean, it was not until the end of the 19th century that it actually opened for business. Now considered one of the most expensive pieces of water to cross in the World, the canal is quite an impressive sight. You can take a cruise up the canal, walk across the gap or jump into it attached to a bungee! If you’re taking a bus from Porto Heli to anywhere else off the Peloponesse you will almost certainly have to change buses here. Whilst Corinth town is nothing to write home about it does boast a fairly impressive castle with amazing views down the Gulf of Corinth and across the Saronic towards Athens.
NAFPLION (ΝΑΥΠΛΙΟ) the once capital of Greece and a city of great importance during the war of independence from the Ottoman invasion, is only 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Porto Heli and can be reached by bus from Kranidi. It has a plethora of important monuments and sites in and around its boundaries including the formidable fort perched on the top of the hill overlooking the city offering amazing views down the Argolic Gulf back towards Porto Heli & Spetses. It is also a great place to go shopping! With shops crowded into the Venetian lanes you will find a mixture of shops selling local artists wares, designer labels and hidden tavernas and ouzeries specialising in a mixture of local and European dishes.
Sunset over the Bourtsi Fort in Nafplion harbour
MYCENAE (ΜΥΚΗΝΑΙ) is just a short drive from Nafplion and is the archeological site of the centre of Mycenaean Civilization. What would have been a thriving city is now open to the public to see and wonder at. Most famously located here is the Lion Gate. Now a UNESCO World Heratage Site it is open to the public along with the nearby site of Tiryns.
EPIDAVROS (ΕΠΙΔΑΥΡΟΣ) is close to Nafplion so it is easy to combine your trip with one to the best preserved amphitheatres of the ancient world. Truly an amazing feat of ancient design, you must check out the acoustics with a rendition of your favourite ditty or passage from Shakespeare! If you’d rather check out the acoustics tested by professionals then visit in July and August when performances of Ancient Greek texts take place on Friday & Saturday evenings.
