What Is Aegina Known For?

Aegina briefly served as the capital of the entire modern Greek state, a period that lasted barely two years but left the island with a genuine architectural legacy still visible today.

Aegina is known first for that role, chosen in 1828 by Ioannis Kapodistrias, the newly independent nation's first governor, as the seat of government following the Greek War of Independence. During his time there, Kapodistrias oversaw construction of the Governor's House and the Eynard School, the first institution of higher education in modern Greece, along with the country's first National Library. The capital moved to Nafplio in 1829, but the neoclassical buildings from that brief window still define much of Aegina Town's old center.

The island is equally known today for its pistachios, introduced to Aegina in the 19th century and now central enough to the local economy and identity that they've earned the nickname green gold. In 1994, Aegina pistachios received Protected Designation of Origin status from the EU, recognizing the specific growing conditions on the island that shape their flavor, and each year the Aegina Fistiki Festival celebrates the harvest with music, dancing, and a market selling everything from raw pistachios to ice cream made from them.

Aegina holds real ancient history too, since the Temple of Aphaia, built around 500 to 490 BC, ranks among the best preserved Doric temples anywhere in Greece. The island also drew literary figures in more recent history, including novelist Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek, who spent time living and writing on Aegina during his career, connecting the island by ferry to Poros and Nafplio across the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs.