How sublime does the water, the sky, and the wide open space look? We had such a wonderful time playing outdoors at Aegina Island, which is a 40-min ferry ride from Athens!

Aegina Island is actually a popular destination spot not for international tourists, but for the Greeks themselves. Athenians will pop over for a weekend (or even a day trip) on this island as a bit of a lazy getaway that doesn’t take too far to get to. And, side note, I’m pretty sure I was the only Asian person on the island – at least as far as I could see!

I loved, loved, loved the crystal waters, which met the clear blue sky at the horizon. The place features Greece’s signature white-and-blue colour combination, which is right up my alley.

This is the main port area. It has restaurants lined all the way round it, so you can have your meal overlooking the water and yachts bobbing away.

We walked to a little beach area with ultra soft white sand, and plonked ourselves down for a few hours.

The water was INCREDIBLE! Crystal clear, cool, and so refreshing. Best of all, the depth was merely knee-height (for an adult), for a very long way. It was, by far, the best beach for young children that we saw. The kids had a wonderful time and it was here that Hunter, once and for all, gave up his fear/disgust of sea water and sand…. and instead delighted in splashing around in the water and building sandcastles.

I had a great time relaxing with my Cappucino Freddo (it’s THE drink to have in all of Greece) and bag of Doritos nuggets (these are awesome)! In fact, I got to relax so much during our Greece holiday that I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to look after kids full time 😛

We poked around the alleyways and settled down for lunch. It was a kiosk tucked into a wall, with a few simple tables and metal chairs parked outside. Beautiful flowering trees shaded us and the wind was cool in the shade. It was chill, quiet, and the kids appreciated wandering around the area and nibbling on lunch.

Lunch was our standard Pork Gyros, Greek Salad, and jug of wine!

After that, we did the super touristy thing and went on a horse-and-carriage ride. I reeled at the price (I think 20 euro if I remember correctly), but I guess we just had to do it!

The horse clip-clopped down the main harbour, then turned off down the vineyards and gardens, then through little alleys shrouded with trees and flowers. It was peaceful and pretty, and gave us a great little tour around the island.

I personally thought Aegina Island was a fantastic idea if you’re in Athens and fancy a bit of a getaway. It’s cheap and fast to get to from Athens, and you can easily fill up your day wandering around the island, taking a dip in the ocean, and having a long lunch in one of the (many) restaurants there.

Best of all, it’s not filled with foreign tourists, so you really do feel immersed in Greek culture 🙂