DESCRIPTION & DETAILS OF THE MUNICIPALITY
The Municipality of Agistri was established for the first time by a Royal Decree in 1835 with the capital Megalochori and belonged to the prefecture of Attica and Boeotia. In 1912 it was abolished and recognized as a Community which was maintained until 31 December 2010.
On January 1, 2011, according to the Kallikratis program and the Official Gazette 87A – 07/06/2010, it was reconstituted as the Municipality of Agistri, which administratively belongs to the regional unit of Piraeus & Islands, in the region of Attica, while ecclesiastically it is part of the Holy Metropolis of Hydra, Spetses, Aegina, Ermionida and Trizinia.
The Municipality of Agistri includes the settlements of Megalochori (the capital of the island), Skala, Metochi, Limenaria, as well as the nearby islets Metopi, Dorousa, Kyra, Spalathronisi, Aponisos.
Agistri is the smallest island of Argosaronic and the largest of the cluster of small islands between Aegina and Epidauria in the Peloponnese.
It has an area of 11.97 square kilometers. The length of the island is 5.5 km. and its width of 3.5 km. It is 22 nautical miles from Piraeus and 3.5 nautical miles from Aegina. The highest point of the island has an altitude of 249 m. and is located in Kontari.
The distances between the villages of Agistri are short. For example, Megalochori is 2.5 km from Skala and Limenaria are 6.5 km from Megalochori.
In 1835, when the first Community of Agistri was created, during the census that took place at that time, 248 inhabitants were reported, which doubled in a few years.
The population of Agistri experienced an increase in the period 1879 – 1907, but until 1940 the population of the island remained small. After 1940 the population started to increase again and stabilized around 1991. Today, the population of the island is approximately 1,107 inhabitants (2021 census) and in the summer months it approaches 5,000 inhabitants.
The ferry connection with Piraeus started in 1960, while until then the island had a boat connection only with Aegina. Today the island has a daily ferry connection with Piraeus. The duration of the journey with the ferries, which arrive at Skala, is approximately 1.5 hours, while with the Flying Dolphins, which arrive at the port of Megalochori, it is 55 minutes.
On September 1, 2006, the opening of the new port in Megalochori took place, while in August 2019, the opening of the new port in Skala took place, which contributed to the overall tourism upgrade of the island.
Agistri, which was electrified in 1973, consists of low green hills, which are covered by pine forests and is the third island in Greece in terms of greenness (80%), while since 2011 it has been recognized as a “green island” by the Prefecture of Piraeus and the National Technical University of Athens.
The island is full of pine trees and for those who love hiking it is ideal for walking.