Porto Heli Villas: Driving Distance, and the Island With No Cars

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Not an island, and that is the point#

Porto Heli sits at the tip of the Argolid peninsula, across a narrow channel from Spetses. Geographically it is mainland. Practically it behaves like an island - you are surrounded by sea on three sides, the light is Aegean, and nothing here feels like driving distance from a capital city.

But it is. The road from Athens runs down the Argolid in about two and a half hours, and that single fact explains the whole area. The houses here belong to people who come for three days, keep a boat, and drive back on Sunday night. There is no airport, no ferry queue, and almost no package tourism.

The second thing to understand is Spetses, ten minutes across the water. It restricts private cars, which makes it one of the most pleasant places in Greece to walk around and a slightly awkward one to arrive at with four suitcases.

Four places to look#

Where to rent, by area

Illustration01

Porto Heli

The harbour and the bays around it

A near-enclosed natural harbour ringed by pine slopes, with a marina, a handful of serious hotels and the best anchorage in the Argolid. Villas sit in the pines above the water. The centre of gravity for the whole area, and the easiest base if a boat is involved.

Natural harbourMarinaPines

Rate bandHigh

Anyone with a boat, or who intends to charter one.

See Porto Heli villas→

Illustration02

Ermioni

North-east along the coast

A working seaside town on a wooded promontory with water on both sides, a pine park at the end of it, and the deepest villa stock in the area. Less polished than Porto Heli and considerably better value, with ferries to Hydra from the quay.

Most stockPine promontoryFerries to Hydra

Rate bandMid

Longer stays and families who want a town with a pulse.

See Ermioni villas→

Illustration03

Spetses

The island across the channel

Neoclassical captains' houses, horse carriages, a waterfront that has not changed much in a century, and no cars to speak of. Staying here is a different holiday from the mainland side - more elegant, more enclosed, and logistically more thought-out.

Car-freeNeoclassicalWalk everywhere

Rate bandHigh

Couples and groups who want to walk, not drive, for a week.

See Spetses villas→

Illustration04

Kranidi and the inland bays

Inland, between the coasts

The market town the area actually runs on, with olive country around it and quiet bays like Koilada and Thermisia within fifteen minutes. The best value here by a clear margin, and the right choice if you want land and privacy rather than a harbour view.

Best valueOlive countryQuiet bays

Rate bandMid

Groups who want space and a pool over a waterfront address.

See Kranidi villas→

Getting the decision right#

1. Decide mainland or Spetses

2. Work out how you are arriving

3. Ask how you reach the sea

4. Book the boat before the restaurant

5. Go midweek if you can

Frequently asked questions

Porto Heli or Spetses?

Porto Heli and the mainland for a villa with a pool, a car and space. Spetses if you want to walk everywhere for a week and do not mind arranging luggage around water taxis.

Can I really not drive on Spetses?

Private cars are restricted for most of the year. The island runs on taxis, scooters, bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, and it is much nicer for it.

How long is the drive from Athens?

About two and a half hours to Porto Heli, most of it on good road through the Argolid. There is also a seasonal fast ferry to Spetses from Piraeus.

Is it busy in August?

At weekends, yes. Midweek it is noticeably quieter than any comparable island, because the clientele is Athenian rather than international.

Is there much to do beyond the beach?

Ancient Epidaurus, Nafplio and Mycenae are all within reach by car, and Hydra by boat. For a week, it is one of the better-connected parts of coastal Greece.