Salamina
2.8/5The battle that saved Europe — 480 BC, 20 minutes from Piraeus
The Battle of Salamis viewpoint, Faneromeni monastery, Kanakia beach and the old capital.
Why 2.8: genuinely low prices and easy access — but the beaches are not the reason to come.
Twenty minutes from Piraeus lies the strait where the Persian fleet was destroyed in 480 BC. Salamina (ancient Salamis) is where the Greek fleet won arguably the most consequential naval battle in Western history — and the shuttle ferry from Perama, ten minutes and one or two euros, crosses the water it was fought in. Today it is a working island of 39,000 residents rather than a holiday one: an Athenian weekend escape for the seafood meze that its waterfront tavernas do cheaply and generously — grilled octopus, marinated anchovies, fried smelt — plus the 17th-century Faneromeni monastery on its pine hill, where frescoes cover every surface, and the sand at Kanakia on the southwest coast. Skip it if you are looking for a classic island holiday: Salamina is a suburb-island, not a resort, and if you want clear-water Cycladic beaches the swimming here is modest. Go in May, when the sea is warming, or September, when it is still warm and the Athenian crowds have gone. One day is enough, and the whole thing works as a half-day escape from the capital.
Good for
- History-minded visitors who want to stand where the 480 BC battle was fought, 20 minutes from Piraeus
- Athenians and travellers after a cheap, easy seafood-taverna day out
- Anyone curious about a real working Greek island with no tourist veneer
Maybe skip if
- If you're looking for a classic island holiday — Salamina is a suburb-island, not a resort
- If you want clear-water Cycladic beaches; the swimming here is modest
Getting there
No airport. Closest island to Athens — frequent shuttle ferry from Perama (Athens west suburb), ~10 minutes, €1–2. More working community than holiday destination.
Tip: Useful for half-day escapes from Athens — not a typical island holiday spot.
Best time to visit Salamina
Salamis is technically an island but functions as an Athenian suburb — 10-minute ferry from Perama, mostly visited for the historical battle site (480 BC) and the Faneromeni monastery. Beaches are cheap-and-cheerful Athenian-weekender beaches. Locals live there year-round.
Top beaches of Salamina
Kanakia Beach
The best organised beach on Salamina — sandy, shallow and well-equipped on the southwest coast. Popular with Athenian weekend day-trippers. The sunset over the Saronic is a good reason to stay late.
- Type
- Fine sand
- Length
- 400 m
- Depth
- Shallow — safe for children
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the south to west at over 4 Bft. Southwest-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare S/SW winds
- Facilities
- Good: sunbeds, beach bar, tavernas, parking.
Peristeria Beach
A smaller, quieter beach on the west coast — sandy and calm, with fewer visitors than Kanakia. Good alternative when Kanakia is crowded on summer weekends.
- Type
- Fine sand
- Length
- 300 m
- Depth
- Shallow — calm
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southwest to northwest at over 5 Bft. West-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm most summer days, sometimes choppy on rare westerly winds
- Facilities
- Basic: small taverna, some sunbeds. Quieter than Kanakia.
1-day itinerary for Salamina
Read the day-by-day plan on its own page →
Day 1: Faneromeni & the Battle Site
- 09:30 · Paloukia Ferry Port
Arrive by ferry from Perama (10 minutes). The crossing itself passes through the narrow strait where the battle was fought. Rent a car at the port — the island is larger than it looks.
- 10:00 · Battle of Salamis Viewpoint
Look out from the ferry port across the strait to Piraeus — this is where the 480 BC battle was fought. Xerxes watched from the mainland as his fleet was destroyed. A monument marks the viewpoint.
- 11:30 · Faneromeni Monastery
17th-century monastery on a pine-covered hill on the west coast — the most important religious site on the island. The interior frescoes cover every surface. Beautiful setting overlooking the sea.
- 🍴 Stop for lunch · Eantio — see Eat & Drink below
- 15:00 · Kanakia Beach
The best organised beach on Salamina — sandy, shallow, family-friendly, with good facilities on the southwest coast. The sunset here is excellent. - 18:00 · Paloukia — Departure
Ferry back to Perama for the bus or metro to Athens. Ferries run every 10-15 minutes throughout the day and evening.