Spetses Island Favorite Tips by janetanne Top 5 Page for this destination

Careful Not to Stub Your Toes on the Stones

Favorite thing: One of the most noteable sights when first visiting Spetses, are the beautiful stone walkways and courtyards all across the island. This unique artform is an old local practice that has even gained fame in other European countries lately. Expert artisians from Spetses have been sent to Spain and Italy to teach others this lovely way of decorating the grounds. No cement is used in the technique, but the small, smooth oval stones which have been painstakenly collected along the beaches, are placed in a fine-grained sand very tightly to create the typical geometrical and nautical designs found originally on Spetses Island.

Fondest memory: You will find especially nice designs in the courtyard of the monestary above the Old Port of Spetses Town. In the Spring time, when these photos were taken, new green grass has grown between the stones, making the designs somewhat difficult to make out. Later in the year, when the grass becomes dry from the heat of the summer sun, the designs will emerge from their camoflage to reign distinctly under the feet of the pilgrims passing by on their way to light a candle in the church for the safe journey of all travellers by sea! An age old Spetses custom not to be snubbed!

Bouboulina Museum

Favorite thing: The Museum

The Museum was founded in 1991 by Mr. Philip Demertzis-Bouboulis, Bouboulina’s fourth generation descendant, in his effort to save the mansion from collapse. A non-profit making company manages all the Museum income, and has as its main objective the repair and maintenance of the building and its use as a museum and cultural centre, whilst at the same time recounting the story of the Greek War of Independence with emphasis on the life of the heroine Laskarina Bouboulina.

The Museum, by the end of 2004, had accomplished the following:

1. Visitors: Approximately 350,000, of which some 83,000 were schoolchildren.

2. Repairs: In excess of € 370,000 has been spent on repairs and restoration, of which the sum of € 143,000 was Government funding and private sector donations and the rest was from the Museum proceeds.

3. Publications: Two small books have been published, one telling Bouboulina’s life story and one the history of Spetses. In addition a video cassette has been made showing the tour of the Museum. A wooden scale model of her flagship the Agamemnon has been constructed and is now on display. Also a variety of souvenirs have been produced, such as prints showing Bouboulina and the Agamemnon, flags, ceramics, her Coat of Arms, key rings, pins, medals etc.

4. A large number of newspaper reports, interviews, radio and television programmes have been made since the opening of the museum, making the life story of Bouboulina widely known, not only in Greece but also overseas.

Fondest memory: Horse and Carriage rides; Spetses' Sweets-Amigolata; Clean Air; Walks along the Old Port.