Hello dear customer!

Before you begin, please be sure to bring enough water and perhaps a snack with you since this is a 26km 2 hour cycle (when I guide the tour it lasts 4 hours but feel free to take your time).

To begin, cross over the bridge and make the first right until you see the cannons at the following link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z8889gttZ8aFhaE59

 

Stop 1: Flags and Cannons

 

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At this point please consider if the bicycles feel comfy and everything feels alright since you are still close to my shop.

 

For those who are visiting the island for the first time, you should know that Spetses has played a very important roll in the liberation of Greece from the Ottoman Turkish rule in 1821.

At the time, the capital of Greece was not in Athens, like it is today, but instead it was in Nafplion due north west. Spetses and Hydra used to be one of the most important naval bases at the time since they holds a strategic position at the entrance to the cove from where the locals could defend against seaborne attacks and pirates.

 

 

The Ottoman occupants had very austere laws, regimes and taxation (something that the Greeks weren't too happy about) and there had been multiple failed attempts at revolting against them. After the declaration of war from the Maniot people in the southern Pelloponese the Ottomans sent a small fleet of warships to bomb the capital. The Spetsiot locals anticipated this move and had prepared an ambush. They assumed that the enemy ships would make the logical short-cut through the straight between Spetses and the mainland (in front of you); they were right. As the enemy sailed through the Greeks sprung from the old harbour and managed to sink every ship of the surprised Ottoman fleet.

 

As you continue your cycle along the promenade to the old harbour make note of the tall buildings on your right hand side; these are some of the original properties that the naval officers once lived in. You will also notice some busts depicting many of the important officers and local heroes (the location of the bust doesn't imply any relation to the property behind it) that contributed in the war efforts.

 

Please resume cycling until this point in the old harbour:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gPLNf4LfC8p1f7mP8

 

Stop 2: The heart of the Old Harbour

 

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The war of independence was an 8 year effort to free the newly forming nation. In 1834 it was decided that the capital would be moved to Athens. When this change occurred, the aforementioned strategic location became obsolete. So the naval bases of Spetses and Hydra were scrapped as the forces pulled out to reestablish elsewhere.

 

Any locals that remained occupied themselves with fishing. They would use traditional wooden fishing boats (called Καΐκια, Kaeekia) that lay out nets. Unfortunately, this today is a declining profession as not many young people from the island desire to take on such a job. Instead, there is a shift towards tourism. Spetses is known as one of the more luxurious islands of Greece and is famed for its focus on quality instead of quantity.

 

When you are ready, start your cycle through one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods of the island until here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8JoV9JVVHvBLE1HM8

 

Stop 3: Pityousa square

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People are always very impressed with this part of the town. Most of these buildings are second homes and are open for 2 months of the year. It is fascinating to look at historical pictures of this part because it used to be a saltmarsh. This, of course, made it the worst place to have a home because of all the mosquitos and marshy smell. Over time, as the main town was being constructed, the locals would throw the waste from construction building (the dirt from digging the foundations of buildings) into this saltmarsh with the intention of draining it and turning it into the prime real estate it is today. It is the most recently constructed neighbourhood and is still under construction at the time I am writing this, since the villa besides the square you are at that has the old windmills is still under construction currently.

 

The name Pityousa is of interest as well. This is what the Ancient Greeks called the island. It means "the island of pine trees" or rather "She who has pine trees". They never inhabited the island as it was not suitable for animal rearing. The name Spetses came much later in the timeline of the island.

 

The first reference to the island came from Strabo in the 1st century and Pafsanias in the 2nd century AD and they referred to it by this ancient name. Historians found a manuscript from the 5th century where the name appears to have been shortened to "Pitysa". Perhaps intentional or an ancient typo. More recently, during the 15th century, there was a large influx of people from modern Albania to the Pelloponese and the surrounding islands. These people struggled with the Greek language and many words were locally changed. Historians found references to the island as "Petsa" during this time period. It is important to understand that the Venetians occupied this part of Greece at that time. The name was further changed by them in an interesting way. Historians noticed that they had a tendency to add the letter "S" in front of Island names; they called "Ydra" as "Sydra" and "Petsa" as "Spetsa". Due to the uncanny resemblance of "Spetsa" to their word for spices "Spetzie" they gave the island a nickname as "The island of Spices". Some people thought that perhaps there are spices growing on the hillside and even attributed this idea to the wild thyme we have; which is a herb not a spice. Others attributed it to the idea that the island could have been used as a stop along a spice trade route; no such sources were found.

 

As you continue your cycle, you will soon be leaving the town. Please be careful as you cross the road to get to the bench as it is a blind corner. The next stop is here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JUo3vqutgMFkuK8A8

 

Stop 4: Bench view of Spetsopoula

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally out of the town! The island you see (called Spetsopoula; little Spetses) across the island is owned by the family of Stavros Niarchos, one of Greece's most famous shipping tycoons. All access is prohibited. You can, however use it to imagine what Spetses would have looked like before it was inhabited and the forests were burned/cut down.

 

I mentioned earlier how the presence of the pine trees is unique. Even the ancients thought so. Most islands in this part of Greece are rocky and covered only in shrubs. The factor that aided the trees in taking root is Geology. If you look across the road from where you are stood you will see that the rocks appear to be beach pebbles compressed with some kind of mortar. It looks unnatural but this is a naturally occurring cobblestone conglomerate substrate. The point is that it is a very brittle rock where the pine roots can crack it and grow from the rock itself in many cases. There is a pine tree right on the bend displaying this.

 

Most other islands have a harder Limestone substrate which doesn't allow this. If you look out to sea and to your right, you will see a peninsula of Spetses that appears more grey and less vegetated. This is the only spot on the island that has this other rock type. When the town was initially being constructed, the locals would quarry it out for use in construction. As the population increased, the need for a landfill site intensified and it was decided to use the old quarry. You will see this as you drive on.

 

For your next stop, look out for a beautiful green gate here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/996zjQCt8PkxtT6G9

Please cross the road with care as the turn is again partially obscured!

 

 

Stop 5: Green gate with Pelloponese view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From here you can see two of the most brilliant properties on the island! the one on the peninsula across with the modern building and helicopter pad used to belong to the owner of the company Folli Follie but in 2025 was sold to the Crown Prince of Greece Pavlos, the eldest son of the last king of Greece, King Constantine II. On your right you can see another gorgeous property belonging to a family who's Crest is etched in the gate itself.

 

When you take the turn you will notice the terrain looks different. All the vegetation is low to the ground and there is a lot of bare ground. This is because there was a large fire in August of 2018 and it takes a long time for the forests to recover due to the lack of rain.

 

Halfway to the next stop you will notice a sharp line where the trees were spared. This gives you an image of what it would have looked like before it was burned.

 

The next stop is by the dirt patch here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BiCa7PTgMeVmfQP9A

 

 

Stop 6: Wild Herbs

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I usually make the stop here to pick some wild herbs so that the participants can smell them. If you would like to try to find them I will attach pictures of the specimens:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wild Thyme (Thymus capitatus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis), Locally known as Throubi; closely related to oregano. Please bare in mind that the picture doesn't resemble the species growing on Spetses.

 

As soon as you pluck them you should be struck by their strong scent. These have been used in local cuisines throughout the ages. I mentioned earlier the myth of the "Island of Spices"; these were the origin of this idea. An interesting fact is that the most common surname on Spetses is "Thymaras". This name is written as if it once denoted a profession or occupation of picking thyme.

 

The next stop is at the bottom of this hill here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/85of7WQgnS5kcaPA6

 

Stop 7: Agioi Anargiroi Beach Stop

 

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This is the half-way point. Feel free to spend as much time as you'd like.

 

There is a beautiful cave of Bekyris you can visit here. It's a 10 minute walk from where you are. Please bare in mind that it can be claustrophobic for sensitive people. Ask the bar staff how to get there.

 

 

The second half of the island is owned by the trust of Sotiris Anargiros who's project still protects the land from ownership and deforestation. I usually make one stop here to enjoy the outstanding view: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5525qrdyWcQmohFf8

 

Stop 8: Zogeria Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the most beautiful bay on the island. The name is derived from the Albanian-origin words Zog (beyond) + Ere (Mountain) meaning the bay beyond the mountain.

 

Here, historians have found the earliest signs of human presence dating back to 12.000 BCE. It was a small hand-axe that was found in a dry creek bed within the bay. It is important to note that Spetses was still connected to the mainland at this point in time. The sea level was much lower due to the water being withheld in the ice caps during the most recent ice age.

 

If you look at an old topographical map of Spetses you will find there is a bay within Zogeria called Lazareto. The word is Venetian in origin and means "quarantine". There were manuscripts that mention how they would send people afflicted with the bubonic plague to this bay from Nafplio in order to live out the rest of their lives. On your right hand side you will notice a small peninsula; here there was a church dated to this time which was used as the center of operations.

 

Underneath the church were two graves; one containing 3 women, presumably nuns, and one was the nephew of a Venetian admiral. Historians quickly realised that many of his structurally important bones (Lower vertebrae, femurs, tibia and fibula) were missing. This was a common medieval practice conducted on people who died of the plague. The idea is that there was superstition that these people would raise from the dead to spread the plague. The word "Nosferatu" attributed to Dracula stories has Greek origin from Νόσος (Nosos; Illness) + Φέρω (Fero; Bring). So the people tried to stop the "Illness bringer" from raising from the dead. They did this by removing these bones so that the monster wouldn't be able to stand up.

 

When you are ready to return to town, it is a 7km cycle. I will be waiting for you at my shop here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Dd6Wa5BNqyD6wyrx8