Stand on the Acropolis in Athens on a clear day and look south toward the sea — the island you can see is Aegina. It is the closest of the Saronic Islands to the capital, reachable in under an hour by ferry, and it draws both foreign visitors and Athenians escaping the city for the weekend.
Aegina is a compact island with a lot to offer: sandy beaches, whitewashed fishing villages, pistachio groves, and some genuine ancient history. The most important site is the Temple of Aphaia, a well-preserved Doric temple on the island's eastern hill, built around 500 BCE and dedicated to a local deity later identified with Athena. The views from the hilltop across to the Peloponnese and back toward Athens are worth the trip alone. A few kilometres from the main port lies the abandoned medieval town of Paliachora, which served as the island's capital for centuries before being deserted in the nineteenth century — its ruined churches and crumbling houses make for an atmospheric wander.
Aegina is also Greece's pistachio capital. The local variety, grown in the island's rocky interior, is considered among the finest in the world, and you will find them sold everywhere in town — roasted, salted, or by the bagful. The island is equally known for its ceramics, a tradition that stretches back centuries.
Ferries and the faster hydrofoil ("flying dolphin") run regularly from Athens, making Aegina an easy day trip or a leisurely overnight stay.