Aegina

The island of Aegina is characterized by its permanent historical presence in Greece, as it has been continuously inhabited since 3500 BC. During the archaic period, it prospered along with the development of shipping, trade and the arts- more precisely, with architecture and sculpture. Later on, it suffered periods of turmoil, caused not only by the Greeks but also by foreign conquerors - it was bequeathed to the Romans by the state of Pergamon and it then also suffered in the hands of Saracen pirates. Aegina was later occupied by the Franks, Catalans, Venetians and the Turks. During the years after the Ottoman Occupation, it grew into a political, administrative, economic and cultural centre of modern Greece. Nowadays, Aegina is a lively island, just a short distance from Athens and the port of Pireaus. With its rich tourism infrastructure, many attractions, ancient monuments, monasteries, picturesque stone villages, pine forests, beautiful beaches and ecological pathways, this island challenges and invites us all to explore each and every corner of it.