Page 89 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

Boats lining the harbour at Ýdra

THE ARGO-SARONIC

ISLANDS

Hugging the coast just off mainland Greece
between Athens and the Peloponnese, the Argo-
Saronic islands have a rich history. Wealth gained
from maritime trading assured the islands’ cultural
and social development, seen today in the graceful
architecture of Ýdra and in the grand houses and
public buildings of Égina. Égina was particularly
prosperous in the 7th century BC as a maritime
city-state, minting its own coins and building the
magnificent Temple of Aphaia. Scenically, Kýthira’s
rugged coastline has more in common with the
Ionians than the Argo-Saronics, but the island’s
position on ancient shipping routes has today led
to some major finds, such as the bronze Youth of
Antikýthira, now on display in the National
Archaeological Museum in Athens.
The islands were not without strife, however.
The famous Battle of Salamis raged off Salamína
in 480 BC, when the united Greek fleet defeated
the invading Persian Empire. Hundreds of years
later, Ýdra and Spétses both played important
roles in the 19th-century War of Independence,
producing brave fighters such as the heroic
Laskarína Bouboulína, the only female admiral in
the Greek fleet, and Admiral Andréas Miaoúlis.
Due to their proximity to Athens, the islands are
still a major shipping route, and boats of all sizes
ply the waters between the mainland and many
of the big destinations here – although the main
trade is now in sunseekers, rather than goods.
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