Spetses Overview

Pine trees and a gentle landscape distinguish Spetses from its rockier neighbors. The southernmost of the Saronic islands, Spetses is spared from the heaviest of the Athenian traffic, though weekends still find the main port city packed. Years ago, visitors were welcomed to the island by the sweet, magical scent of vegetation combined with an abundance of honey—hence the name “Spetses,” derived from the Venetian term spezzie (aromatic or spiced). Spetsians were renowned for their crucial role in the War of Independence, when they dedicated their entire fleet to the cause. Today the ports of Spetses make way for the boatloads of tourists that come to worship the sun on the ivory beaches that ring the island.

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