Poros lies right next to the Peloponnese. The town center of Poros is directly across from the Peloponnese village of Galatas and the two communities are separated by a body of water about 150 meters in width. Small taxiboats --some people call them "the gondolas of Poros"-- connect the town center with Galatas and contribute to the area's uniqueness.

The name Poros means exactly what was described above: "a small passageway." Aside from the topographical orientation of its name, it is said that Poros owes its name to a similar location that existed near Constantinople --now Istanbul-- the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Your journey to Poros begins at Peiraias, the port city of Athens. After you go through the havoc that is characteristic of the port in the summertime, your troubles are over.

Poros is connected to Piraeus by a ferry line, which takes about two to three hours, with a "Flying Dolphin," (hydrofoil) taking only fifty-five minutes, and with many other medium-size boats taking usually about an hour and a half.

No matter which ship you choose to travel to Poros (the longer it takes the cheaper the fare), your short trip through the Saronic Gulf is a pleasure for the eye to see.

The Saronic Gulf --a microcosm of the Aegean-- is sprinkled with islands, islets, and rocks, adding a unique color to the southern entrance to Athens. As you leave Piraeus, your first stop is the island of Aegina. A small church, located at the edge of the promenade, welcomes the visitor to the "whiteness" of the Greek Islands. After a short stop for passengers to disembark, you'll pass through a small chain of rocks called "Petrokaravo" or "Rockboat" in English, because the rock chain resembles a small boat. Soon after that, on your right, you'll see (westward) the island of "Agkistri," meaning "Hook" in plain English.

After Agkistri, and again on your right, you will arrive at or pass "Methana," depending on whether your ship makes a stop. Despite its appearance --a protruberance of the Peloponnese deep into the Saronic Gulf-- Methana is not an island. This mostly mountainous peninsula is a tourist attraction for its "therapeutic hot baths."

After you reach Methana, Poros is only a few kilometers away. As a matter of fact, from the promenade of Methana you can see the back, northern side of Poros. There are two entrances by boat to Poros, one from the East and one from the West.