Rafina

Rafina sits on the east coast of Attica, roughly 30 kilometres from central Athens and only 15 to 20 minutes from Athens International Airport. That closeness to the airport, combined with a busy harbour, has made it the capital's second port after Piraeus and a favourite jumping-off point for the northern and central Cyclades.

From the compact, horseshoe harbour, high-speed and conventional ferries run to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos, with the shortest crossing, to Andros, taking only an hour or two. Because Rafina faces east across the Aegean, its ferries reach these islands more quickly than those leaving Piraeus on the far side of Attica, and many travellers flying into Athens transfer straight here to catch a boat. Seasonal services extend the reach to Paros, Naxos and other islands.

Rafina is more than a transit point, though. It grew as a fishing town, and that heritage survives in the tier of tavernas rising above the harbour, long regarded by Athenians as one of the best places near the city to eat fresh fish. Weekend lunches here are something of an institution, with tables full and the day's catch on display. Above the port, the town proper has a workaday Greek character, a central square, cafes and everyday shops rather than resort gloss.

The surrounding coast of east Attica has good beaches within easy reach, and the town makes a convenient base for the battlefield and beaches of Marathon to the north or the wine country of the Mesogeia plain inland. For many visitors, however, Rafina is simply the efficient, appealing gap between plane and island: arrive, eat well by the water, and sail.

Reached by car, taxi or KTEL bus, including a direct link from the airport, Rafina rewards a little time even if you are only passing through. A plate of grilled fish overlooking the boats is a fine way to begin or end an island trip.