I hadn’t anticipated visiting Methana but fate had other plans. I was on the ferry from Piraeus to Aegina but didn’t disembark quickly enough at Aegina. Before I knew it, the boat was pulling away from the dock and I was headed towards the next port of call. In my defense, I wasn’t the only one who missed the boat, so to speak.
An hour later the ferry docked at Methana on the eastern edge of the Peloponnese. Having learnt my lesson, I made sure to got off the boat pronto this time. The next ferry heading back to Aegina wasn’t for another four hours so I had lots of time to explore.
Methana is a small mountainous peninsula that was created from volcanic eruptions many centuries ago. The most recent suspected earthquake was in 1922 so I wasn’t too worried about an immediate eruption. There were no buses and the few taxis that met the ferry had already been snagged so I contented myself with exploring the small harbor town, also called Methana. Most of the town’s businesses and services were ranged around the harbor - a half dozen hotels and tavernas, travel agent for ferry tickets, a small grocery store and a bakery/café where I had galabouko, a
delicious custard pie on a phyllo pastry base.
Following a modern paved walkway across from the water I came to a tiny harbor where fishing boats were moored and kayakers were returning from their morning adventure. The walkway continued past a large Orthodox church and around a rocky point before heading back to town via a sandy strip of beach.
Just a few blocks
uphill from the main street the modern trappings of town disappeared and rural
Greece took over. I passed an old farm house where goats and sheep shared space in the front yard with a two story chicken coop and a noisy rooster. Across the street, an old lady led her donkey from one section of grassy field to another to make sure it found the best patch to graze. Fragrant flowers framed colorful wooden shutters and doors and people called out a cheery "kali mera" (good morning).
Heading back to the harbor I continued past the ferry terminal and discovered fields of purple flowers alongside another beach area. The shoreline was rocky but it looked decent enough for a private swim. Alongside the road, benches and an old blue and white striped table were
strategically placed to take advantage of the Saronic Gulf view and I spent my last 20 minutes soaking up some sun while waiting for the ferry.
As far as I know, Methana isn’t listed in any guide books so is relatively undiscovered by most tourists. It makes a good place to get "off the beaten path" and take a break from more hectic sightseeing.