Aegina: the island of artists

The island of Aegina is a real piece of art with colorful two-story neoclassical buildings, cobbled streets and bronze sculptures. Besides, it's no coincidence that it's a place of inspiration for many artists. So grab your camera, book your ferry tickets to Aegina online and let's follow in the artists' footsteps.

The church of St. Nicholas near the port of Aegina

The path of artists

Prepare for art to move your heart! As soon as you disembark, you will instantly get a strong dose of artistic vibes as Aegina is full of well-hidden gems. The Gate of Aegina welcomes you to the island of the Argo-Saronic Gulf with a 5 m door made of glass, the impressive work of the sculptor Κostas Varotsos.

From there, your steps will lead you to 2 black boats meeting on the shore. The daily encounters of the ships at the port of Aegina inspired Giannis Moralis to create this "Untitled" sculpture. 

After waving the handkerchief at the ships, we leave to visit the museum of Christos Kapralos, one of the most important Greek sculptors of the 20th century! Opposite the museum, you will see the bronze statue of "The Mother" with her wandering gaze on the sea who eagerly searches for her sailor son.

At the end of the artistic path, you will find yourself in front of the house of Nikos Kazantzakis with its blue wooden shutters. In this neoclassical building, the writer completed his work "Odyssey".

The Gate of Aegina between anchored boats at the port

Architectural gems in Aegina

Apart from being an artistic hangout, Aegina is a place of inspiration and originality! Moving towards the heart of the island and the village of Mesagros, you will meet the house of Alexandros Rodakis.

It is a farmhouse decorated with paintings, symbols, sculptures, and impressive busts reminiscent of Cycladic figurines! All this was made by Alexandros Rodakis, a self-taught man who was not known as a painter, sculptor, or philosopher, yet he was all of it!

The house is a rare example of conceptual architecture with sculptures and symbols linked to the simple rural life in Aegina! So take a break from the fast-paced modern lifestyle (leave Instagram stories for later😋) and travel back to Aegina's past in 1884!

Probably you had enough of art for today, so there is no better ending to this epic art tour in Aegina than the Lighthouse of Bouza. This 9-m-high stone lighthouse was recently declared a monument of modern Greek history and has many stories to tell since it is 141 years old!

The Lighthouse of Bouzas made of whitestone

Now, the only thing left to do is book your ferry tickets with Saronic Ferries, Blue Star Ferries, Aegean Flying Dolphins, or Anes on Ferryhopper and jump on a ferry from Piraeus to Aegina! Don't forget to try ice cream with divine pistachio praline (needless to say the pistachio is from Aegina😁) and enjoy the sunset overlooking the islands of Agistri, Methana and Poros!