Athens is the capital and the biggest city in Greece. It is also the centre of the economic, cultural, and political life of the country. The history of Athens stretches over more than 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest populated cities.

It is one of the richest cities in extremely important archaeological remains, of which the most famous is the Parthenon on the Acropolis. In addition to buildings from the Greek Classical Period, Roman and Byzantine monuments are also preserved, as well as various notable modern buildings.

The port of Piraeus, 10 km from the city centre, is one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean, both for passengers and for goods.

Methana was a peninsula of Argolis, near Troezen; the city of Methana was its largest settlement.

The peninsula belonged to Troezen until the Athenians occupied it during the Peloponnesian War in 425 BCE and fortified it. It still preserves the ruins of the old fortifications, which were restored in the Middle Ages.

Hydra has a surface area of 50 km2 and a coastal perimeter of 55 km. It is a rocky island with less than 3,000 inhabitants which also has less vegetation than the other islands in the Argo-Saronic Islands archipelago. Its unique and highly picturesque character contributed to its transformation into a cosmopolitan spot, ideal for vacationing and relaxing. Artists and intellectuals were attracted to the island and settled there.

Spetses is a small island known for its rich vegetation and numerous pine trees. It has several wonderful beaches with fine sand and beautiful coves. Its villages are authentic and picturesque, with an abundant neoclassical architectonical beauty full of two-story houses with wooden balconies, coloured walls, and narrow streets paved with cobblestones.

Poros is in the southern part of the Saronic Gulf, 48 km south of Piraeus, and is separated from the Peloponnese by a 200-metre sea channel. It is made up of two islands: Sphaeria, of volcanic origin and located in the south, and Kalaureia, to the north. It is very rocky and has rich vegetation. The majority of the northern, eastern, and western areas have dense vegetation, while the south and the central areas have pine forests. The island is famous for its vegetation and also for its lemon tree forest, which faces the Peloponnese coast and perfumes the whole island during the month of May.

Poros was the island of Poseidon, the god of the sea. This may be why it was chosen as the seat of an alliance which took place in the 7th century BCE between seven close city-states, including Athens and Aegina. In the Revolution of 1821, Poros fought with the other islands against the Turkish and in 1830 it became the first official naval base of the independent state of Greece.

Aegina is an island in the middle of the Saronic Gulf, 20 km southwest of Athens. Located on the north-western point, its largest city is also called Aegina. Many Athenian business owners have their second homes here. The main businesses are tourism, agriculture, and maritime activities (fishing and transport).

The western part is formed of rocky but fertile lowlands, which are well-cultivated and produce abundant crops of grain, cotton, vines, almonds, figs, and pistachio nuts. The remaining surface is rough and hilly.

Many people spend their weekends here, enjoying its fish, its taverns, and its long history. The first settlements date back to the year 3,000 BCE. In 1828 it became the first capital of the free Greece and minted the first drachma (Greek coin). This beautiful island has wonderful ancient buildings, such as the Temple of Aphaea, the Temple of Apollo, and the cities of Antiqua and Paleocora.

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