Day trip from Athens Aegina
The closest Saronic island to Athens, with a 5th-century BC temple on a pine hill, 40 minutes to 1 h 10 by ferry from Piraeus.
Is Aegina worth a day trip from Athens?
Go. The cheapest island day.
Yes, and it is the easiest island day from Athens. Car ferries of Saronic Ferries cross from Piraeus in 1 h 10 for € 12 each way, and hydrofoils do it in 40 minutes for more. The Temple of Aphaia, the reason to go beyond the harbour, costs € 10 and is open daily, until 18:30 in early October. It is 17 minutes by car from the port, or about 35 minutes on the Agia Marina bus, which does not always pass the temple. Going alone costs € 34. The guided day trip is € 49 plus € 30 for the ferry and € 10 for the temple, paid on the day.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 40 minby hydrofoil; 1 h 10 on the € 12 car ferry · one way · Ferryscanner, Piraeus-Aegina
- Transport
- Ferry
- Self-guided cost
- € 34Car ferry return from Piraeus (2 x € 12) + Temple of Aphaia ticket (€ 10); island bus or taxi to the temple is extra · Saronic Ferries (Aegina fare)
- Tour price
- From € 135Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 5–7 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None
- Best time
- May-Oct; temple opens 10:00-17:30 Nov-MarDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Aegina
- 01
Temple of Aphaia
A Doric temple of about 500 BC on a pine-covered hill, with 24 of its 32 columns standing and a second tier inside. It is 17 minutes by car from the port. Allow 45 minutes.
- 02
Aegina town harbour
Fishing boats, a covered fish market one street back and kiosks selling pistachios on the quay. An hour is enough for the front and the lanes behind.
- 03
Kolona
The site of the ancient town, a 10 minute walk north of the ferry quay. One column of a temple of Apollo still stands, next to a small museum.
- 04
Agios Nektarios
A large modern church and the hillside convent where the saint is buried, 6 km from the port on the bus route to Aphaia. Entry is free. Twenty minutes.
- 05
Agia Marina and Perdika
Agia Marina, below the temple, is the island's sandy beach with shallow water. Perdika, 9 km south of the port, is a fishing village with a row of fish tavernas.
Good forCoast and islandsAncient sitesChurches and monasteries
How to spend the day
Be at Piraeus Gate E8 by 08:00 and take the next car ferry, 1 h 10 to Aegina town. Buses to Agia Marina leave from Ethnegersias Square, opposite the ticket offices, from 09:30. Ride 35 minutes, check with the driver that yours passes the temple, and give Aphaia an hour. Be back in town by 13:00 for lunch on the harbour. Take a ferry around 17:00, and buy that ticket in the morning.
Aegina in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustTake a morning ferry, ride the bus from the square outside the port to Aphaia, then walk or ride down to Agia Marina for a swim and lunch. Buses back to town are spaced out, so note the times when you arrive. Weekend ferries carry many Athenians and their cars. The island is hot and dry by August.
Winter
December to FebruaryFerries run all year because people live and work here, so Aegina is the one island that stays easy in winter. The temple keeps shorter hours, beaches are empty and half the harbour tavernas stay open. Go for a slow lunch and the temple on a clear day. Check sailings if the wind is strong.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- Jul-Aug weekends, mid-September during the pistachio festival, 9 November at Agios Nektarios
- Quietest
- Weekdays outside July and August
Aegina is a weekend island for Athenians, so Friday evening and Sunday evening ferries fill up. Go from Tuesday to Thursday. The cruise boats dock in late afternoon, by which time you can be at the temple or on the beach.
How do you get to Aegina from Athens?
Car ferry
- Travel time
- 1 h 10
- Frequency
- Daily, all year
- Cost
- € 12 each way
- Departs from
- Piraeus port, Gate E8
Saronic Ferries and three other companies run conventional ferries to Aegina town, taking 1 h 05 to 1 h 25. The first boat of the day leaves Piraeus at 06:00 and the last at 20:45. You can sit on deck, which the fast boats do not allow.
Hydrofoil
- Travel time
- 40 min
- Frequency
- Daily
- Departs from
- Piraeus port, Gate E8
Aegean Flying Dolphins reach Aegina town in 40 minutes. We could not confirm the fare on the operator's own page: booking sites show foot-passenger tickets on this route between € 9.50 and € 25 across all companies. Seats are numbered and indoors.
Guided day trip
- Travel time
- 11 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 49
- Departs from
- Piraeus port, Gate E8
The € 49 covers an English-speaking guide, a minibus on the island and a pistachio tasting. Ferry tickets cost € 30 more, paid to the local team on the day, and the temple is € 10 at the gate. It also stops at the monastery of Agios Nektarios.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Light clothes, sandals that can handle a dusty path at the temple, a hat and swimwear from June to September. Cover shoulders and knees for Agios Nektarios. Bring a windproof layer for the ferry deck in winter.
What to eat
Pistachios are the island's protected product: buy them roasted and salted, or as paste, brittle and ice cream at the port. For lunch choose the fish tavernas beside the market in town or on the waterfront at Perdika. Grilled octopus and small fried fish are the standard order.
What you will spend
The ferry is € 12 each way and the Temple of Aphaia costs € 10. Add the island bus, which is a small fare, or a taxi if you miss it. Kolona has a separate ticket. The harbour, the monastery and the beaches are free.
How to get the most out of the day
- Buy the island bus ticket at the kiosk on Ethnegersias Square, outside the port, before you board.
- The Fistiki Fest pistachio fair takes over the port for four days in mid-September. Good for tasting, bad for a quiet lunch.
- Faster passenger boats also serve Aegina and cost more than the car ferry. Check the vessel type before you pay.
- Photograph the bus timetable at the square. From Aphaia and Agia Marina the last useful bus back can be mid-afternoon.
How long do you need in Aegina?
Plan 5–7 h on site, plus 40 min of travel each way from Athens.
When is Aegina closed?
None. Best time: May-Oct; temple opens 10:00-17:30 Nov-Mar.