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Island group in Greece
Photo: vaggelis vlahos, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Saronic Gulf Islands lie in the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea southwest of Athens. They are a short ferry ride from Piraeus and are popular for day-trips; some, like Hydra, are also visited by cruise ships. This makes them quite touristy, but it's almost all Greek tourism - those from further west are passing 5 km above as their aircraft descends towards Rhodes or Corfu. They are dotted with little churches and museums, but the only major classical antiquities are on Aegina.
Ferries connect the main islands, Piraeus and the Peloponnese mainland. Try to avoid bringing a car: indeed it may not be permitted on some routes, and foot passengers have much greater choice of sailings.
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