Spetses Geographical & Historical Outline
Spetses is the southernmost island in the group of Saronic Gulf.
It is separated by a narrow stretch of water, about 2 nautical miles wide, from the coast of the Argolida, the nearest settlement being Kosta in Ermionida.
Spetses Island has an area of 22 square kilometers and 25 kilometers of coastline.
The larger part of the island is covered by dense pine woods.
Spetses Geographical & Historical Outline
HISTORY
Spetses was called Pityousa in ancient times.
According to the archaeological finds yielded by excavations in the region of Agia Marina, the island was inhabited from the Bronze Age on.
In the 9th c. AD it was abandoned because of repeated Arab raids.
It was later reoccupied and under the Turkish domination Spetses received special privileges from the conquerors.
The naval power it acquired enabled it to a play a leading role, with the neighboring island Hydra, in the struggle against the Turks.
Laskarina Bouboulina, one of the most heroic female figures in the Greek War of Independence of 1821, was born on Spetses.