The village of Portes in Aegina
Portes is a beautiful, picturesque fishing village located on the eastern side of Aegina. Its main feature is the large beach with the thick, round, time-sculpted pebbles and the beautiful houses with flowers and greenery next to the blue sea.
The inhabitants of the village live mainly from fishing and tourism, since the authenticity of the landscape and its wild beauty have conquered many who remain its fanatical fans. And not unfair. The fresh fish in the taverns of the area, swimming in the crystal clear seas and the proverbial tranquility of the village are the best recipe for relaxing holidays.
The people in Portes are hospitable and do the best they can for their place. They have a beautification club, with an active president, and they try to preserve the authenticity of the village. A village that has its own history and suffered great trials in the past. It is said that the Portes suffered so much from the raids of the pirate Barbarossa, that in order not to give a target they built houses without windows, only with doors. This is probably one of the reasons why the village was named that way. However, it is not the most prevalent one, since according to another opinion the name Portes comes from the word porto = port, and this is because from the port of the village the black stones were loaded onto ships traveling to Crete and elsewhere.
If you are an amateur (non-professional) fisherman in Portes you will find your paradise! There are excellent areas towards Cape Antonis. The same goes for spearfishing. But be careful because most of the tracks there require a high physical condition and a lot of experience.
The highway also ends at Portes. This means that you cannot continue driving around Aegina, but you will have to go back the way you came. The most common way to get to Portes is to take the road on the left exiting Agia Marina and going towards Alones (you will see the relevant sign there). The same applies if you are coming from Alones, so turn right this time. You can also go down from the road that connects Anitsaio with Portes.
But because one way or another the route is fantastic, especially if you are on a motorbike and want to do the tour, we suggest that after you “exit” from Agia Marina in the direction of Alones, you turn left on the road to Portes . On your return, “exit” from the road that connects Portes with Anitsaio and is located inside the village. You will not regret it, the heights you will pass will be unique and in most places strongly reminiscent of Big Blue!
