Saronic Gulf · Greece
Spetses
Spetses bans cars, and the fastest way to reach it is to drive. That is not a contradiction — you drive to a village on the Peloponnese coast, park, and cross in ten minutes. The Piraeus hydrofoil takes two to three hours and most people book it because it is the option they can see, which is how an island ten minutes offshore ends up being an afternoon's journey.
Getting to Spetses by ferry
Direct crossings serving Spetses — open one for its full timetable.
The short way and the obvious way
Four mainland crossings serve the island and they are not remotely equivalent:
- Porto Heli — about 10 minutes, and the cheapest route from the mainland.
- Kosta — roughly 20 minutes, with departures every ten minutes in season and parking at the quay.
- Ermioni — about 20 minutes, with three sailings in our timetable on Hellenic Seaways.
- Piraeus — 2 to 3 hours by hydrofoil.
If you have a car, or are willing to take a bus or taxi across the Peloponnese, the short crossings win comfortably. The Athens hydrofoil earns its place only if you are arriving without transport and want a single ticket.
⚠ Cars are prohibited on the island
Private vehicles are not allowed. This is not a soft discouragement of the kind several Greek islands practise — you cannot bring a car, and there are paid parking facilities at Kosta for exactly that reason.
Getting around is by horse-drawn carriage, scooter, bicycle, water taxi or on foot. It is one of the very few Mediterranean islands where the absence of traffic is a structural fact rather than a marketing line.
Dapia, and the shape of the town
Boats arrive at Dapia, the new port, which is also the centre of the town — you step off onto the waterfront rather than into a terminal. The old harbour, Palio Limani, is a walk or a short carriage ride round the coast and is where the boatyards still are.
Spetses built its own fleet and financed a substantial part of the Greek revolution from it, which is why the town is grander than an island this size would otherwise support.
It is a mainland island
Geographically Spetses is a few hundred metres from the Peloponnese, and functionally it behaves like a suburb of it: people commute, day-trip and shop across the water. Porto Heli and Ermioni are ordinary Greek coastal towns rather than tourist gateways.
That has a planning consequence. Combining Spetses with Nafplio, Epidaurus or Mycenae is easy and natural, and far more rewarding than trying to bolt it onto a Cyclades itinerary that starts at Piraeus.
With Hydra and Poros
The Saronic islands run in a line and the hydrofoils connect them, so Spetses, Hydra and Poros are a sensible three-stop route with Athens at one end. Hydra also bans cars; Poros does not.
Of the three, Spetses is the largest and the greenest — it has pine forest, which Hydra does not — and the least dependent on day-trip traffic from Athens.
Getting around without a car
Water taxis run to the beaches and cost more than you expect; agree the fare first. Scooters and bicycles are widely hired and the coast road circles the island in about twenty-five kilometres. Horse carriages are genuinely used for luggage and short hops, not only for photographs.
Walking works for the town and the near beaches. For anything further, budget for the water taxi rather than assuming a bus.
Season
The short mainland crossings run year round because the island lives off them; the Piraeus hydrofoils are heaviest from spring to autumn. Spetses does not shut in winter the way the Cyclades do, though the beach economy does.
May, June and September are the best months, and the island is busiest in August with Athenian rather than international visitors — which changes the atmosphere more than the numbers.
Spetses ferry & travel FAQ
How do I get to Spetses?
The short way is from the Peloponnese coast: Porto Heli in about 10 minutes, Kosta in roughly 20 with departures every ten minutes in season, or Ermioni in about 20. From Piraeus the hydrofoil takes 2 to 3 hours.
Are cars allowed on Spetses?
No. Private vehicles are prohibited. There are paid parking facilities at Kosta on the mainland, and the island runs on horse carriages, scooters, bicycles, water taxis and walking.
Which is the cheapest ferry to Spetses?
Porto Heli, at about ten minutes, is both the shortest and the cheapest crossing from the mainland.
Where do the ferries arrive on Spetses?
At Dapia, the new port, which is the centre of town — you step onto the waterfront rather than into a terminal. The old harbour, Palio Limani, is a walk or short carriage ride away.
Should I take the ferry from Athens or drive?
If you have a car or can get across the Peloponnese by bus or taxi, the short crossings win easily. The Piraeus hydrofoil is worth it mainly if you are arriving without transport and want one ticket.
Can I combine Spetses with other islands?
Yes — Hydra and Poros are on the same hydrofoil line, making a three-stop Saronic route with Athens at one end. Hydra also bans cars; Poros does not.
How do I get around Spetses?
Water taxis to the beaches — agree the fare first — plus hired scooters and bicycles on a coast road of about 25 km. Horse carriages are genuinely used for luggage and short hops.
Is Spetses busy in August?
Yes, but mostly with Athenian rather than international visitors, which changes the atmosphere more than the numbers. May, June and September are the better months.
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Reviewed by Serhat Özçelik, Founder & Editor of Ferry Schedule Hub · Last updated August 8, 2026.