Spetses

This is Spetses, a beautiful small island near Athens. I have only been there once 5 years ago! It has many beautiful beaches and the Village of Spetses is amazing!

Spetses (Modern Greek: Σπέτσες, Ancient/Katharevousa: Σπέτσαι, Spetsai) is an island of Greece, 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 town of Spetses (pop. 3,846 in 2001) is the only large settlement on the island, and was one of only two provinces in Greece with fewer than five settlements and two municipalities. The island is presently an independent municipality (pop. 3,916), with no local boundaries within the municipality. The other settlements on the island are Moní Agíon Pánton (pop. 32), Ligonéri (16), Ágioi Anárgyroi (11), Kouzoúnos (3). Also part of the Municipality of Spetses are the islands of Spetsopoula (pop. 11) and Velopoula (uninhabited).

Each year, the second weekend of September is dedicated to celebratory events aimed to commemorate the events of that battle of Sept. 8, 1822, in combination with the feast of the chapel of Panagiá Armáta (the Madonna-in-arms), near the lighthouse. The events culminate with the reenactment of the torching of the Turkish flagship in the harbor. Spetses is one of nine European cities participating in the European Network of Historical Reconstructions. In each of the participating cities (Brussels, Belgium; Dublin and Cork, Ireland; Bailen, Spain; Slavkov, Czech Republic; Tewksbury, UK; and Hydra and Spetses in Greece) the reenactments are considered historic events.

Spetses was the basis for the island Phraxos in John Fowles 1965 major novel "The Magus". Many fictional locations described there actually existed, including the "Lord Byron School" (the private Anargyrios & Korgialenios School of Spetses www.akss.net) and the "Villa Bourani" (located on the south side of the island above a popular public beach). Both School and Villa still exist, although the house is under private ownership. The Alki David mermaid film "Fishtales" starring Kelly Brook and Billy Zane was set and filmed on the island. [wikipedia]