Built amphitheatrically on a long pine clad peninsula, Ermioni in Argolis is an ideal choice to escape the everyday. The harbor, traditional houses and cobbled alleys will give you the sense that you are on an island.
In about two hours from Athens you can find yourself on an «island» on the mainland that will whisk you into a completely different setting for a change of scenery. We’re talking about Ermioni, the picturesque seaside town in southeastern Argolis, 85 km southeast of Nafplio.
Its privileged position, on a peninsula at the edge of Argolis, makes it feel like an island and that is one of its great advantages. With easy access from Athens (2 to 2.5 hours by road or 2 hours by hydrofoil from Piraeus), Ermioni is a lovely destination for a short getaway.
Ermioni Argolis: Like an island on land
History, tradition, natural beauty, and a vivid island character blend uniquely in Ermioni Argolis. The picturesque town is built beside a pine-covered promontory, while opposite lie the islet of Dokos and Hydra. The sea that embraces it from two sides forms the port to the north and the Mandrakia to the south, filled with tavernas, cafés, and bars.
Starting your stroll from Ermioni’s port, within minutes you’ll reach the cobbled alleys with traditional houses. Pause at the 15th-century Metropolitan Church of the Taxiarchs (here the members of the 3rd National Assembly were sworn in on 1 February 1827) and interesting museums (Historical-Folklore Museum and Toy Museum).
At the tip of the small peninsula there is a little woodland, Bisti, where you can walk in the shade of the pines along Mycenaean walls and the ruins of ancient temples to the coves, from which you can dive into the sea. Opposite the port, on Krothi hill stands the picturesque chapel of Saint Gerasimos. It’s worth being there at sunset to enjoy a magical view of the town.
What to do in Ermioni
- Sample seafood meze at the town’s fish tavernas and ouzeris. Ermioni is renowned for its fish and seafood, which are caught daily by local fishermen.
- Walk through the wonderful Bisti forest at the tip of the peninsula. Pause to admire the dazzling white windmill, the ruins of the temples of Athena and Poseidon, a section of the Cyclopean walls, as well as traces of the famed purple-dye workshops.
- Climb up to Krothi hill with the chapel of Saint Gerasimos to savor the view over the Ermioni peninsula.
- If you enjoy hiking routes, you can traverse the small Katafiki Gorge, which connects Ermioni with the neighboring village of Fournoi. You will see unique scenes, rich vegetation, rocks, caves, and the chapel of Agios Nikolaos built in 1740.
- Visit the Monastery of Agioi Anargyroi (2 km west of the town) with frescoes of the 17th-century Cretan school and superb Byzantine icons. Built in the 14th century, on the ruins of the ancient temple of Asclepius, the monastery is famed for its healing springs and its notable library.
- Visit the seaside village of Thermisia with its imposing 12th-century Venetian castle on the hill and the namesake lagoon that is one of the most important habitats in the area.
- Swim at the beaches of the area. Kouverta, Petrothalassa, Sentoni, Dardiza, and the beaches around Bisti satisfy every taste.
- From Ermioni you can organize full-day excursions to nearby destinations such as Spetses, Hydra, Nafplio, the ancient theater of Epidaurus and the archaeological site of Mycenae.
