There is a particular quality to June in Spetses, one that those who know the island well tend to keep quietly to themselves.
The crowds of August have not yet arrived. The sea has just crossed that invisible threshold from cool to warm. The pine forests release something resinous and sweet into the afternoon air. If May is the island waking up, June is the moment it stretches, breathes deeply, and decides it is ready.
For those who have learned to decipher these rhythms, early summer in Greece is not a compromise… it is the point.
The Island Before the Season Peaks
Spetses in June exists in a kind of suspended grace. The Dapia harbour is alive at its own pace, busy enough to feel like somewhere, quiet enough to find a table. The horse-drawn carriages move unhurried along the waterfront, undisturbed by the press of high-season traffic.
The light hits differently this time of year, softer in the mornings, golden through the pine canopy, lasting longer in the evenings. The tavernas fill gradually rather than all at once. There is a sense that you are encountering the island as it actually is, before it shifts into the scenery that high season demands.
An Early Summer Morning at Thimaras Hotel
Days at our boutique hotel begin gently. Breakfast arrives with the sounds of the garden, birds on the bougainvillea, the soft rustle of the morning breeze through the palm trees.
From the pool terrace, the view settles into the garden at its June best. No rush fits into a day here. The beaches are a short walk away. The town is close enough to feel connected, far enough to feel private.
Explore our rooms: Rooms & Studios at Thimaras Hotel
The Beaches in Early Summer
June is when the beaches of Spetses are warm enough for long swims but quite uncrowded to feel personal.
- Zogeria: Pine trees to the water’s edge, a family-run taverna open for over 60 years, best reached by caique from Dappia. The journey itself, rounding the island’s western cape, is part of the experience.
- Xylokeriza: A remote but organised beach with sand and pebbles on the south of the island. Crystal clear, blue-green waters in a beautiful natural bay, ideal for those who want to swim and unwind in a peaceful setting. Accessible by bus from Ayios Mamas, or by caique for a more scenic arrival.
- Ayioi Anargyri: The island’s largest beach, easily accessible by bus from Ayios Mamas.
The Town: Walking the Neoclassical Streets
The walk from Dappia to the Old Harbour takes a leisurely ten minutes — sea on one side, old captains’ houses on the other, the occasional smell of jasmine from behind a garden wall.
The Bouboulina Mansion, behind Dappia, offers 40-minute guided tours through the home of the legendary naval commander of the Greek War of Independence. The Spetses Museum, housed in the 18th-century mansion of Hatziyiannis-Mexis, holds over three millennia of island history.
Choosing June
The island is open. The sea is ready. The sunlight lasts until nine in the evening. And the question of where to spend an early summer escape near Athens — at a boutique hotel built to belong to its setting — has a rather clear answer.
Thimaras Hotel is located in Kokkinaria, a ten-minute walk from the center of Spetses town. Free port transfer upon arrival and departure is included with every stay.
Reservations: thimarasspetses.reserve-online.net