There is a wide range of accommodations in Poros. From private villas near Neorion to "rooms for let," Poros can accommodate many different tastes and pockets. Almost all of the hotels are on the waterfront and only a few minutes walk from the town center. Rentals for cars, bikes, motorcycles and vespas are available at the port but unless you plan to visit the surrounding areas of Peloponnese a car rental is not advised. Poros is a small island and the tourists, as well as the locals, first prefer to walk, then to bike, and then maybe use a motorcycle.

The telephone area code for Poros is 0298 and it is followed by a five digit local number.

An indicative list of the hotels in Poros is the following:

Poros (Town Center) Tel. Number

• Dionyssos: 22270
• Epta Adelphia: 23412
• Latsi: 22392
• Poros: 22216
• Saron: 22279
• Akteon: 22281
• Manessis: 22273

• Dimitra: 22697

In Neorion

• Pavlou: 22734

• Angyra: 22432

In Askeli

• Nea Aegli: 22372
• Sirina: 22741
• Chryssi Avgi: 22277

In Galatas (across in the Peloponnese)

• Stella Marris: 22562
• Galatia: 22227
• Papasotiriou: 22841
• Saronis: 22356

Poros is connected to Piraeus with a ferry line, which takes about two to three hours, with a "Flying Dolphin," (hydrofoil) taking only fifty-five minutes, and with many other medium-size boats taking usually about an hour and a half.

Any ship you choose to arrive to Poros (the longer it takes the cheaper the fare), your short trip through the Saronic Gulf is a pleasure for the eye.

Poros has daily service, several times a day, with the port of Piraias. For general information on ships leaving from Piraeus you call (+30 1) 4511311. The Port Authority's number in Poros is (0298 22274).

Poros is also connected with the ports of Methana, Galatas, Ermioni, and Costa in Peloponnese and with the islands of Aegina, Hydra and Spetse.

The Greek currency is the drachma. You can easily find many places on the island, aside from banks, that will conduct currency exchanges. In many business establishments (souvenir shops, etc) you can pay through a credit card, although cash is always preferred. Exchange rates, even in small outlet stores, are updated daily.

The Banks operate weekdays and they close at 2 pm. Automated Teller Machines are proliferating more and more all over Greece and there a few on the island.

Aside from public phones, Poros has a telephone center operated by OTE --the Telecommunications Utility Company of Greece. Local phones are relatively inexpensive (about 5 cents per local call). The public phone booths operate with a card (like a credit card) that you can buy from your local general store and they come in many denominations (50, 100, 500, 1000 or 10,000 drachmas).

The area code for Poros is 02 and for the prefecture of Athens is 01. In order to dial from Greece abroad you need to dial 00 followed by your country's code (for example US is 1).

Fax machines you can find at any hotel, travel agencies and tourist shops. A page takes about a minute to send and costs approximately 1,500 drachmas (about 5 US dollars). Access to e-mail in Poros is not widespread but as of last time I visited (summer of 1997) I did find a business providing e-mail services.

In Poros, as everywhere in Greece, the telephone number for the police is 100. At the same number you can request help to call an ambulance and to call a firefighting unit. Policemen, most of times, speak English and you can also utilize them as a source of information and directions. The phone number fot Tourist Police at Poros is 0298 22462.

Medical Emergency

Again, you call 100 for an ambulance. If you need a doctor or if you can assist yourself to the hospital the medical care at a public hospital if free of charge. However, any prescription you will have to pay yourself at a local pharmacy. Most pharmacies close at regular store hours. However, in all regions, by law, certain pharmacies stay open overnight for emergencies. The pharmacies that are open are listed in all major papers.

Port Authority

Poros has daily service, several times a day, with the port of Piraeus. For information you call (+30 1) 4511311. The Port Authority's number in Poros is (0298 22274).

Area Code

The telephone area code for Poros is 0298 and it is followed by a five digit local nuber.

If you need general tourist information about Greece, the GNTO has the following offices abroad:

Argentina

• Organismo Hellenico De Turismo
  Av. Santa Fe 976, 1059 Buenos Aires
  tel.: (00541) 3286634, 3284769
  tlx: 26597 GRECTOUR AR
  fax: 3284713