The Temple of Aphaia stands on a pine-wooded hill on the eastern side of Aegina, commanding views across the Saronic Gulf toward Athens and the Peloponnese. Built around 500 BCE and dedicated to a local goddess later identified with Athena or Artemis, it is one of the best-preserved Doric temples in Greece — 25 of its 34 original columns are still standing, giving a vivid sense of what a complete Greek temple once looked like.
The site includes a small museum displaying architectural fragments, and the setting is exceptional: the hill is planted with pine and cypress, the sea glitters below on all sides, and on a clear day you can see both Athens and the coast of the Peloponnese simultaneously. The temple is about 12 km from Aegina town and easily reached by bus or taxi. Allow an hour for the visit — longer if you want to sit in the shade and take in the views.