Greece - Korina Miller [285]
A left turn from the dock leads north along the extended harbour front and on to the Kalavria road.
Information
Poros doesn’t have a tourist office, but you can find useful information at www.poros.gr.
Alpha Bank (Plateia Iroön) Has an ATM.
Bank Emporiki (Plateia Iroön) Has an ATM.
Family Tours ( 22980 25900; www.familytours.gr) On the harbour front. Sells ferry tickets and arranges accommodation, car hire, tours and cruises.
Marinos Tours ( 22980 23423; www.marinostours.gr) On the harbour front. Arranges hydrofoil tickets and other services.
National Bank of Greece (Papadopoulou) About 100m north of Plateia Iroön; has an ATM.
Post office ( 22980 22274; Tombazi; 7.30am-2pm Mon-Fri) Next to Seven Brothers Hotel.
Suzi’s Laundrette Service (Papadopoulou; 5kg wash & dry €12; 8am-2pm & 6-9pm Mon-Sat May-Oct, 9am-2pm Mon-Sat Nov-Apr) Next to the National Bank of Greece.
Tourist police ( 22980 22462/22256; Dimosthenous 10) Behind the Poros high school.
Sleeping
Georgia Mellou Rooms ( 22980 22309, 6937850705; Plateia Georgiou; s/d/tr €35/45/55; ) Tucked away at the heart of the old town, next to the cathedral and high above the harbour front, these simple, old-fashioned rooms are a decent budget option. The owner is charming and there are great views from the west-side rooms.
Seven Brothers Hotel ( 22980 23412; www.7brothers.gr; Plateia Iroön; s/d/tr €55/65/75; ) Conveniently close to the hydrofoil dock, this modern hotel has bright, comfy rooms with small balconies and tea- and coffee-making facilities.
Hotel Manessi ( 22980 22273/25857; www.manessi.com; Paralia; s/d €70/80; ) Well-placed at the mid-point of the harbour front, the recently renovated Manessi is a central option. The business-style rooms are comfy and immaculate.
Eating
There’s not much haute cuisine on Poros, but there are traditional tavernas with character to match the cooking.
Taverna Karavolos ( 22980 26158; mains €5-7.80; 7pm-late) Karavolos means ‘big snail’ in Greek and snails are a speciality of the house here, served in a thick tomato sauce (€6). Classic Greek meat dishes and some fish dishes are also on the oft-changing menu. Head north from the cathedral for about 100m, then go left and down broad steps towards the harbour.
Taverna Rota ( 22980 25627; Plateia Iroön; mains €5-15) Located on the edge of Plateia Iroön, this longstanding, family-run taverna dishes up breakfast (€4.50 to €7), traditional dishes, a range of salads, pasta and pizzas. The fish soup (€6) is excellent and they make their own flavoursome bread. The mixed seafood platter for two costs €25.
Dimitris Family Taverna ( 22980 23709; mains €4.50-20) The owners of this cheerful, family-run place have a butcher’s business. Cuts of pork, lamb and chicken are of the finest quality, yet vegetarians can still mix and match a selection of nonmeat dishes. To get here, head north from the cathedral for 20m, turn right and then left for 100m.
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AROUND POROS
Poros has several good beaches. Kanali Beach, on Kalavria 1km east of the bridge, is pebbly. Askeli Beach is about 500m to the east and has a long sandy stretch. The Hotel New Aegli ( 22980 22372/23200; www.newaegli.com; s/d/st €70/80/120; ) is a decent resort-style hotel on Askeli Beach, with all the expected amenities, and even weekend Greek music and dancing. Neorion Beach, 3km west of the bridge, has water skiing and banana-boat and air-chair rides. The best beach is at Russian Bay, 1.5km past Neorion.
The 18th-century Moni Zoödohou Pigis, on Kalavria, has a beautiful gilded iconostasis from Asia Minor. The monastery is well signposted, 4km east of Poros Town.
From the road below the monastery you can head inland to the 6th-century Temple of Poseidon. There’s very little left of this temple, but the walk is worthwhile and there are superb views of the Saronic Gulf and the Peloponnese.