Poros Overview

The land of lemon trees, Poros is two islands connected by a short causeway: larger Kalavria to the north, with thick patches of woods and dark-watered beaches, and smaller Sferia to the south, geared almost entirely toward tourists. The name “Poros” (“Passage”) refers to the narrow strait, formed in 273 BC by a volcanic eruption, that separates the island pair from the Peloponnese. In the 6th century BC, the Kalavrian League met in Poros to ward off hostile navies, later ordering the construction of the Temple of Poseidon. When the island came under siege again, the great orator Demosthenes chose to commit suicide near the temple’s columns rather than face capture by the Macedonians. Poros was sparsely populated until Greek refugees arrived from Turkey in the 1920s. Today, the island is hardly lacking for people—tourists have descended on its beaches, enjoying the many opportunities to soak up the sun.

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