The Municipality of Agistri was established for the first time by a Royal Decree in 1835 with the capital Megalochori and belonged to the prefecture of Attica and Boeotia. In 1912 it was abolished and recognized as a Community which was maintained until 31 December 2010.
On January 1, 2011, according to the Kallikratis program and the Official Gazette 87A – 07/06/2010, it was reconstituted as the Municipality of Agistri, which administratively belongs to the regional unit of Piraeus & Islands, in the region of Attica, while ecclesiastically it is part of the Holy Metropolis of Hydra, Spetses, Aegina, Ermionida and Trizinia.

The Municipality of Agistri includes the settlements of Megalochori (the capital of the island), Skala, Metochi, Limenaria, as well as the nearby islets Metopi, Dorousa, Kyra, Spalathronisi, Aponisos.
Agistri is the smallest island of Argosaronic and the largest of the cluster of small islands between Aegina and Epidauria in the Peloponnese.
It has an area of 11.97 square kilometers. The length of the island is 5.5 km. and its width of 3.5 km. It is 22 nautical miles from Piraeus and 3.5 nautical miles from Aegina. The highest point of the island has an altitude of 249 m. and is located in Kontari.
The distances between the villages of Agistri are short. For example, Megalochori is 2.5 km from Skala and Limenaria are 6.5 km from Megalochori.
In 1835, when the first Community of Agistri was created, during the census that took place at that time, 248 inhabitants were reported, which doubled in a few years.
The population of Agistri experienced an increase in the period 1879 – 1907, but until 1940 the population of the island remained small. After 1940 the population started to increase again and stabilized around 1991. Today, the population of the island is approximately 1,107 inhabitants (2021 census) and in the summer months it approaches 5,000 inhabitants.
The ferry connection with Piraeus started in 1960, while until then the island had a boat connection only with Aegina. Today the island has a daily ferry connection with Piraeus. The duration of the journey with the ferries, which arrive at Skala, is approximately 1.5 hours, while with the Flying Dolphins, which arrive at the port of Megalochori, it is 55 minutes.
On September 1, 2006, the opening of the new port in Megalochori took place, while in August 2019, the opening of the new port in Skala took place, which contributed to the overall tourism upgrade of the island. Agistri, which was electrified in 1973, consists of low green hills, which are covered by pine forests and is the third island in Greece in terms of greenness (80%), while since 2011 it has been recognized as a “green island” by the Prefecture of Piraeus and the National Technical University of Athens.
The island is full of pine trees and for those who love hiking it is ideal for walking.
AGISTRI NOWADAYS
Agistri is located just 55 minutes from Piraeus, a stone’s throw from Aegina and offers great summer holidays and relaxed, relaxing weekends.
Agistri is, perhaps, the best choice for anyone who wants to take a vacation near Athens, combining it with their work, or for those who want a one-day escape in the summer.
Agistri is a small earthly paradise of the Argosaronic, drowned in greenery, with pine trees “touching” its green-blue waters. It is the third island in Greece with a green ratio (80%).
In Agistri you will find, in addition to the green pine forests and sandy beaches with blue-green waters, traditional color, quietness, peace, but also intense nightlife for those who want it.
Perhaps it is one of the last romantic destinations in Greece, which slowly became a pole of attraction and a place of inspiration for many artists.
Romantic walks on the coastal road that connects Skala with Megalochori enjoying the enchanting sunset, cycling all day, rides on the island’s carriages, hiking on old retsina paths, among rare wildflowers, in an untouched natural environment, with amazing views from high up.
Horse riding in Aponnisos, ideal seas for kayaking, water skiing, windsurfing and water games. Swimming in wonderful secluded coves, underwater fishing in the rich fishing grounds with rocky bottoms and exciting diving to get to know the rich and colorful underwater world of Agistri.
By boat you can go around the island and admire bays, secluded coves with wonderful beaches and also discover the small islands that are around Agistri. With Agistri Express, day trips are organized for visiting the antiquities or religious tourism in Aegina, from which those interested return late at night.
It has two natural ports where ships approach. The port of Skala and the port of Megalochori.
Ferry boats arrive at Skala from Piraeus and flying dolphins arrive at Megalochori, while both ports are connected to Aegina throughout the day by water taxis or local routes.
Megalochori, otherwise called “Mylos”, is located two kilometers west of Skala and is the Administrative capital of the island and the seat of the Municipality of Agistri.
Skala and Megalochori are two tourist settlements with tourist shops, spotlessly clean hotels, rooms for rent – apartments, cafe-snack, bar and many picturesque taverns.
In the restaurants and taverns you will taste and enjoy a wide variety of appetizers and mezes, cooked food, grills, fresh fish and seafood from the island’s fishermen and you will drink chilled wine, ouzo or tsipouro. To have fun, there are bars and clubs with wonderful summer cocktails, wonderful music choices and unsurpassed parties, to let you go wild until the morning.
In Skala there is a large organized sandy beach, with golden sand and crystal clear shallow waters, just 100 m from the port, which gathers a lot of people and many families, since its sea is shallow and suitable for children and the elderly. A little further on is the organized beach “Sunrise”, pebbly and in places sandy, the most “in” youth hangout, at the exit of Skala. At the entrance of Megalochori, there is also a very beautiful organized sandy beach, which also gathers a lot of people. All the organized beaches have umbrellas with sunbeds and tables, where you can enjoy your swim and drink an iced fresh natural juice, all kinds of coffee, a drink or eat a very nice snack. Metohi is a beautiful, cool and picturesque village, distinguished by its local character, built above Skala, with beautiful old traditional houses with wonderful courtyards, many of which have panoramic views of the sea, Skala, Front and Aegina.
The last village of Agistri is Limenaria, a traditional picturesque settlement in the south-east of the island, distinguished for its Folk tradition and its special cultural characteristics.
In Agistri there are shops with folk art items, supermarkets, bakeries, food stores, commercial shops, a pharmacy and the regional clinic of the Tzanios Hospital of Piraeus, which contribute to the pleasant and comfortable stay of the island’s visitors. To get around the island, there are shops where you can rent bicycles and mopeds. To get around the different parts of the island, you can use taxis, buses, carriages or even the tourist train. The Police, the Coast Guard, the Municipality and the ordinary islanders are willing to serve you in whatever you need during your stay on the island. The above, the hospitality of the inhabitants, the good tourist infrastructure, the tranquility, the natural beauty and the crystal clear seas, compensate the visitors of the island, who connect with it, in a strange way, so that they “hook” and continue in the future to visit the island they loved so much and became attached to it.
BEACHES
Skala Beach
The beach of Skala is located on the north-eastern side of the island and has two well-organized beaches where you can swim. Both beaches are located in front of the coastal road, on which there are hotels, cafes, bars and taverns.
Megalochori beach
In the north of the island is Megalochori, which has two beaches with crystal clear blue waters in natural bays that create sandy and pebbly areas. more details
Small Dragonera beach
The coastal road after Megalochori turns to the southwest and continues parallel to the beach at a distance from it, crossing a dense forest and beautiful bays with clear blue waters.
The route is enchanting and combines with perfect harmony the green of the pine with the deep blue of the sea. On the coastal road, to our right after Baho, a dirt path begins, which after about five minutes leads to the beach of Mikri Dragonera.
It is an unorganized pebbly beach, with very clear blue-green waters, surrounded by pine trees that reach the sea. Access to Small and Big Dragonera is easy and is via a paved road. Each visitor can come either by their own means or by the local bus routes that run seven scheduled routes, from 8 in the morning to 7 in the evening.
Dragonera beach
The coastal road after Megalochori turns to the southwest and continues parallel to the beach at a distance from it, crossing a dense forest and beautiful bays with clear blue waters. more details
Aponisos beach
Continuing the road west from Limenara, we reach a very beautiful area, the beach of Aponissos, where the pine trees embrace the sea. more details
Mareza beach
The picturesque port of Mareza is 200 m from Limenaria and is a sample of the beauty and magic that this area has to offer. Mareza is a rocky beach, drowned in pine trees, with deep crystal clear waters, which is easily accessible by any means of transport. It is a bay that many prefer to moor their boats. Mareza is basically an unorganized beach-rock on the sea, ideal for diving in crystal clear blue waters.
Magkiza beach
On the dirt road that surrounds the lake, just before we reach the sea channel, a path begins on our right which in about five minutes leads us to the unorganized beach of Magiza, which is ideal for isolation.
HOW TO SPEND YOUR TIME?
Agistri, suffocated by the green pine forests, with the pine trees touching the green-blue waters on its sandy beaches, offers traditional color, peace, tranquility, wonderful water games and sports, but also an intense nightlife for those who want it.
Agistri, in addition to its beaches, the blue-green sea, romantic walks and tranquility, offers you intense activities, since it perfectly combines the mountain and the sea, with the aim of making the vacation days you will spend on the island unforgettable your friends or with your families.
First of all, it is worth taking a romantic walk, about 15 minutes, from Megalochori to Skala or vice versa, on a suitably designed pedestrian street with lights and enough people, next to the sea, in a route of about 1.5 km. , especially at sunset. It is also worth a ride on the traditional carriages of the island, which start from Skala to take you to Megalochori and back to Skala, on the paved coastal road that connects Skala with Megalochori, enjoying the enchanting sunsets by the sea. Those visitors who love cycling can spend the whole day cycling on the above route or between the cobbled streets of Skala and Megalochori or even going to the picturesque beaches of Dragonera and Aponisos.
In Agistri you will find taverns, mezedos and grills in front of the beach offering Mediterranean and traditional Greek cuisine, prepared with local products, fresh fish, squid, octopus and various other seafood. Small night cafes, bars and clubs, which often organize excellent music nights with famous musicians and bands, initially offer moments of relaxation and then intense night entertainment until the morning. Don’t forget to try the local sweets, and buy pure local products and herbs from the Agistri mountains. Agistri is surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters and there are wonderful lacy beaches for swimming, water games, wind-surfing and water-skiing. Some of them are ideal for small children, since they are very safe. At some of the beaches you can fish from the rocks or spearfish the island’s rocky bottoms and rich fishing grounds. In Agistri, from Megalochori, a large boat departs that entertains those interested, taking them fishing with nets and spears. Also with water taxis, which depart from the ports of Megalochori or Skala, you can tour Agistrio, admiring the entire coastline of the island and discovering unique bays and leeward coves, where you can swim.
In Agistri you can rent kayaks to have fun and sport in the sea, with Go kayak Greece, which offers excursions in the wonderful waters of Agistri, accompanied by highly trained guides and instructors from the British Kayaking Federation. In Agistri there is Agistri Scuba Diving, to get to know the rich and colorful underwater world of Agistri. A unique diving experience that you will never forget.
Agistri is famous for its diverse natural environment, which is a hiker’s and nature lover’s paradise. It is offered for mountain hikes, short or long, among the pines, thus getting to know the exceptional flora of the island, in an untouched natural environment. There are many routes that you can follow on foot and in which you will admire rare wild flowers and you will be delighted by the view of the island that you will see from above. In Agistri you will find an unprecedented experience, which will be unforgettable, in the region of Aponissos, horse riding. Experienced instructors will teach you the basics in the magical world of horse riding and accompany you on wonderful rides, riding on the most beautiful forest tracks of our island. Every year in the month of May there is a sailing race in Agistri which takes place on the sea route from Faliro to Agistri and again departure from Agistri to Faliro. Each of the two routes is a distance of 21 nautical miles. Also, every year in Agistri the “People’s Road Race and Swimming of the Municipality of Agistri” which has already acquired a mass character of great interest to the whole world.
In July and August, excursions are organized for the Festival at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, to which the Agistri Express takes you.
Finally, with the “Agistri Express” day trips are organized for a tour of the antiquities or religious tourism in Aegina to the Monastery of Agios Nektarios or a visit to the Temple of Aphaia, from which those interested return late at night.
Agistri is not only wonderful in Summer, as it is equally wonderful in Spring and Autumn. These are the times when the island more clearly highlights its authentic island character, while many accommodations, taverns and restaurants with better prices and more care are still operating. Thus, Agistri receives visitors almost all year round due to the very good climate it has, the peculiarity of its terrain and its short distance from Athens.