Ferry from Lavrio to Agios Efstratios

Athens (Lavrio) Guide

The Greek town of Lavrio, or Laurium as it is sometimes called, is in the Attica region in the south east of the country. The town is situated around 60 km to the south east of Athens, the capital of Greece, and to the north of Cape Sounio. With a long history in mining for silver, the town was at one time a major source of income for the State. The town's seaport is a suburb of Athens but is of lesser importance than the port of Piraeus. The town's residential area is laid out in a grid system with port at the town's heart. It is now connected to the new Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and the Attiki Odos highway. The nearest towns are Sounion and Keratea.

The port of Lavrio is home to many passenger ferry services, yachts, commercial boats and fishing vessels. because of its location, ferries departing the port have a shorter crossing time to the islands in the Cyclades and the eastern Aegean islands which makes it more convenient than other nearby ports. From Lavrio a ferry can be taken to Kea (Tzia), Kythnos, Syros, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Kimolos, Milos, Amorgos, Kythnos, Tinos and Andros.

Agios Efstratios Guide

The small Greek island of Agios Efstratios lies in the Aegean Sea and is around 80 km to the north west of the island of Lesbos and 30 km to the south of the island of Lemnos. Located in a valley formed by two dry river beds is the island's only village and is also where the island's resident's had their vegetable gardens before an earthquake struck in 1968. Before the earthquake the island's village was located on the top of a hill, above the harbour, and was made up of stone built two or three storey traditional houses. However, following the earthquake the village's residents were forced to move by the then military government. Some of the old houses have survived and have been restored by some of the island's current residents. One of the surviving buildings, the Marasleios School of 1909 is now home to the Museum of Democracy. Aside from the abandoned village, other popular attractions on the island include the ruins of the ancient city of Agios Minas and the churches of Christos, Agios Nikolaos and Agios Vasileios, built in 1727.

From the island's harbour, ferries depart to some of the island's in the nearby Sporades group of islands including Skopelos, Alonnisos and Skyros. Also, the islands of the North Aegean are connected to Agios Efstratios but via a third island and also are the ports of Thessaloniki, Kavala and Alexandroupoli.