Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica,
Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it
was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split
into Argolis and Corinthia. In ancient times, it was known as Pityoussa, and
later as Petses. The island is now an independent
municipality, with no internal boundaries within the municipality. The
town of Spetses is the only large settlement on the island. The other
settlements on the island are Moní Agíon Pánton, Ligonéri, Ágioi Anárgyroi,
Kouzoúnos. Also part of the Municipality of Spetses are the islands of
Spetsopoula, Falkonera, and Velopoula. An unusual aspect of Spetses is the
absence of private automobiles in the town limits. The most common modes of
transport are walking, horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, mopeds, and
motorcycles. Only taxis and delivery vehicles are allowed in the downtown
area. Ferries and high-speed hydrofoils arrive regularly from Piraeus. Trails
encircle the island and total about 25 to 30 km. Beaches closest to the town of
Spetses include: Agios Mamas in the center of town; and Kaíki beach 1 km to
the northwest and Agia Marina 2 km to the south, both of which offer
water-sports. Public buses serve beaches further outside of town, including
Zogeria, Agioi Anargiroi, and Agia Paraskevi.
History The island of Spetses, located in the
Mediterranean Sea, was first occupied during the Mesolithic Age, in around
8000 BC. During that period the island was connected through an isthmus to the
island of Argolida, now named Costa. Pieces of flint from that time were
found near the part of the island named Zogeria, containing a water source
probably available since that time. Other archaeological finds were located
in the area of Saint Marina, which contained the first Hellenistic
settlement to be found on the island and dates to the 3rd millennium BC. At least
three natural harbours of Spetses served as a refuge for ships carrying goods to
and from the Argolis Gulf during the peak of the State of Lerna.
After the collapse of the State of Lerna, Spetses experienced a period of
decline. Artefacts in the areas of Saint Marina and Saint Anargyroi show the
existing settlements belonging the late Mycenaean period ; the 12th to 13th
century BC. At the time of the Peloponnesian War, stone observatories
were built at the sites of Prophet Elias and Zogeria.
Mention of the island of Spetses was made both by Strabo in the 1st century
BC and Pausanias in the 2nd century AD, referring to the island as Pitiousa. The
raid by the Goths in the Eastern Roman empire caused a wave of refugees to flee
to Spetses, resulting in the re-settlement of the island, focusing on
the Old Port, making it one of the three largest cities of Argolis.
In the 15th Century, the Venetians named the island Spezia for its position on a
major traderoute; over time the name was Hellenised to "Spetsai".
During the 18th century, during the conquest of the Peloponnese from the
Turks and the Venetian expulsion, many Arvanites took refuge in Spetses in
order to escape Turkish persecution. These refugees created the old village
of Spetses, in the area of Kastelli, which is fortified by a wall that
reinforces the natural protection provided by the terrain. Over the years
the island developed a significant naval power. The Greek Coalition in
cooperation with the Russians in the Russian-Turkish war in 1768–1774 turned
the powerful merchant fleet of Spetses to a significant power against the Turks
during the so-called Orlofika. In response to these events the Turks
destroyed the only village on the island in 1770. For some years after the
destruction of the island it remained deserted, but was re-occupied in 1774 by
new settlers from the opposite coast of Peloponnese after the Treaty of Küçük
Kaynarca that allowed the Russian free movement of ships in the Mediterranean
and the recreation of the powerful commercial fleet by using the Russian
flag to establish trade routes with neighbouring countries. Merchant
seafaring was the only source of livelihood for many rocky, non-arable
Greek islands, and the brisk Mediterranean and Black Sea trade of the
18th and 19th centuries allowed them to prosper – especially and spectacularly
so during the trade embargoes of the Napoleonic Wars, which found Greek
merchantmen and crews willing and able work with, or against, both belligerent
sides at tremendous profit. After the re-occupation of Spetses the
settlement began to expand beyond the Kastelli region and brought about
further growth in the maritime economic activities of the island.
From 1821, the island played an important role in the Greek War of
Independence and was the home of celebrated war heroine Bouboulina.
Spetses was the first of the Greek islands that raised the flag of
Revolution the morning of 3 April 1821. Its fleet, consisting of merchant ships,
played a key role in the struggle, both by participating in raids against the
Turkish coast and the exclusion of fortresses in the Peloponnese.
Particularly important is the involvement of the Spetsiote fleet in
sieges of the fortresses of Nafplion and Monemvasia and naval battles of Samos
and Kafireas. Along with their counterparts in nearby Hydra Island,
Spetsiote captains were so wealthy they had been hoarding their gold in wells, a
wealth that they tapped to fund the war of liberation.
Several ships have been named after the island, including modern Hydra class
frigate F 453 Spetsai, the World War 2 era destroyer Greek destroyer Spetsai
and the historic Greek battleship Spetsai.
= Tourism = 1900s: The Poseidonion Grand Hotel
The Poseidonion Hotel was built by Sotirios Anargyros, descendant of a
great 18th century Spetsiot shipping family. His branch of the family had
fallen on hard times and he emigrated as a young man in 1868, when Spetses was
declining as a maritime center. In 1899 he returned from the USA, now a wealthy
tobacco tycoon and started to transform the island of his youth. He built an
impressive mansion and met with the rich Athenian hunters who visited Spetses
from August to October, to hunt the turtledoves and quail migrating between
Africa and Europe. He saw the need for a comfortable hotel
and built the Poseidonion in the style of its models, the Carlton in Cannes and
the Negresco in Nice. The hunters could now bring their wives and children to
enjoy the comfort, the spa, the donkey rides, dancing to the orchestra in the
evening and mixed bathing on the beaches across the channel. The Poseidonion
rapidly became the favorite vacation spot for high society, royalty and the
rich Athenians who came to enjoy a small slice of the grand life.
1960s-1990s: The rise and fall of the package holiday
In the 1960s and 1970s, the island attracted a number wealthy Greek
vacationers from Athens and elsewhere, owning villas or living on large yachts
in the port. Some had children who became students of the Anargirios
School. Although some hotels were present, tourists often stayed in
purpose-built holiday homes. From the 1980s, these were often supplanted by
north European tourists, especially from Britain, who were attracted by the low
cost of a holiday. Package tours to Spetses declined and
eventually ceased during the 1990s; nowadays the island's holiday clientele
remains more upmarket and largely Greek. Present
"Spetses is where superyachts bob up and down next to traditional wooden fishing
boats and where the super-rich rub shoulders with the locals in quayside
tavernas. All are drawn to this pine-covered island for its secluded
coves and clear waters and the glories of Spetses Town, the island hub,
untainted by package tourism." The main Athenian tourist season lasts
for only two months of the year, although most hotels and restaurants are
open from Easter until October. Efforts are being made to extend the season with
the addition of major events: The Spetses Classic Yacht Regatta
In June a weekend of sailing races, starting/finishing in the straight
between Spetses and Kosta. A record number of 75 yachts took part in the
2015 Regatta, that celebrated its anniversary, 5th year; categories were
Vintage, Classic, Spirit of Tradition, Traditional Caiques and Open Boats.
The Spetses Mini Marathon The main event is an international 26 km
marathon around the Island. A 10km race was added to the program in 2014. The
mini marathon is held since 2011. The swimming races of 2.5km and 5km as well
as the children’s 1,000m. Running and swimming races are also part of the
three-day program. More than 2,000 men and women participate in the running
events, while over 3,000 athletes in total take part in all sports. In
September 2013, Dr Marina Lyda Coutarelli, President of the Organizing
Committee and CEO of Communication Lab, was named “Honorary Citizen” of Spetses
island, for her work and effort, with regard to the island’s development.
In the early 21st century, there was a distinct shift away from package tourism
on Spetses and the island once again became fashionable amongst the wealthier
Greeks. Nowadays, the majority of visitors are Greek or independent
travellers from around the world. Whilst it is still possible to find traditional
lower cost rooms to rent and tavernas to eat in on the island there are now many
higher priced restaurants and so called ‘boutique’ hotels around the town.
Since package tours were actively discouraged by the island in the early
1990s, the island's holiday clientele remains more upmarket and largely Greek.
The fact that most tourists to Spetses are wealthy Greeks has led to inflated
prices in all of the shops on the island, meaning that Spetsens have to
pay premium prices for even the most basic foodstuffs. The tourists who come
here from the Greek mainland generally bring all they need with them so they
are not at the mercy of the inflated prices. This is having an adverse effect
on the local population and many people are feeling the pinch as they struggle
to afford to buy food. = The Armáta Festival =
On 8 September 1822 the Turkish fleet, coming from Monemvasia, endeavoured to
supply the town of Nafplion, which was at the time besieged by Greek forces
since the spring of 1821. Sailing between Trikeri and Spetsopoula, the
Turkish force confronted the combined fleets of the three nautical islands,
Spetses, Hydra and Psara. The admiral of the Greek fleet, Andreas Miaoulis, gave
orders to withdraw to the Gulf of Argolis, in order to outmanoeuvre the
more numerous and powerful Turkish fleet.
According to general descriptions, the battle consisted in distant and
ineffectual cannonade between the two fleets. An Algerian brig was damaged by
fire, having boarded by mistake a Greek fireship.
According to Spetsiot local historian Anastasios Orlandos, however, the
retreat of the Ottoman fleet was the result of an attack by the fireship of
Kosmas Barbatsis against the Ottoman flagship. The latter fled to avoid it,
followed by the other Ottoman ships. The besieged castles of Nafplion could not
be relieved, and fell to the Greeks two and a half months later.
Each year, the second weekend of September is dedicated to celebratory
events aimed at commemorating the events of the battle of Sept. 8, 1822, in
combination with the feast of the chapel of Panagiá Armáta, near the lighthouse.
The events culminate with a fictionalized re-enactment of the
battle, including the torching of the Turkish flagship in the harbour, an
incident not mentioned in historical depictions of the battle.
Spetses is one of nine European cities that participates in the European
Network of Historical Reconstructions. In wider culture
Spetses was the basis for the island of Phraxos in John Fowles' 1965 novel The
Magus. Many locations described there actually existed, including the "Lord
Byron School" and the "Villa Bourani". Both the school and villa still exist,
although the house is under private ownership.
Demographic evolution Notable residents
Dimitrios Drivas Diomidis Kyriakos
Ioannis Malokinis Ioannis Orlandos
Georgios Panou See also
List of settlements in Attica Fishtales – The island appears in the
children's film. Free-diving – World record free-diving
attempts frequently take place around the island.
References External links
Spetses main Portal GNTO's web page - Visitgreece.gr