With over 6,000 islands in Greece, what makes the island of Aegina worth the trip you ask, especially if you are traveling there in September – Fistiki Fest! Just a short hop over from Athens, Greece, Aegina has the most amazing beaches, beautifully unique villages, and history-rich monuments.
If you plan on visiting the beautiful island in September you won’t want to miss the Fistiki Fest, keep reading to find out why!
What Is The Festiki Fest In Aegina?
The Fistiki Fest is an annual pistachio festival that is held on the island of Aegina, Greece. The first festival was in 2008 when a group of pistachio lovers got together and created the first-ever Fistiki Festival. The festival is held during the end of the harvesting season. It gauranteers to bring a lot of tourism and large crowds of people to the island.
What To Expect At The Fistiki Fest
In the past, the festival has opened on a Thursday at 10:00 am with the first event being at 6:00 pm. This is when children decorate the trees around the Tower. The day will usually end with a concert from a native group.
The second day of the festival starts with events for the children at 5:00 pm. In the past, there have been ping pong tournaments, journal writing, and chef lessons. There have been history lessons on the origin of the pistachio and how they protect the pistachios from pests. At the Port of Aegina, you may look out and see the Aegina Yacht Club members setting sail to welcome newcomers to the festival.
As the weekend commences, the children’s events start earlier, around 10:00 am. Throughout the day of shopping, you can stop in for the various events they have planned. Sunday is the final day of the fest and jam-packed with events for both children and adults, ending the night with a concert and the festival officially closing at midnight.
Want more to do in Greece, then here is my must-to-do list for Athens, Greece. You won’t regret it!
How To Get To Aegina, Greece
The island of Aegina is only accessible by ferry from the Piraeus port in Athens or from the other islands of the Saronic islands. You will want to keep this in mind when planning your trip to the Fistiki Fest. There are a few ferry companies you can travel with, Blue Star Ferries and Saronic Ferries SRN.
Ticket prices range from 12-19 Euros per person with or without a vehicle.
Things To Do In Aegina, Greece
If you have time before or after the Festiki Fest, make sure to check out these incredible – and maybe spooky – places while you’re in Aegina.
1. Picturesque Town
The main port and capital of the island is Aegina Town. It is filled with beautiful buildings, narrow streets, quaint cafes, and a port full of tiny fishing boats. The town is full of color along with the colorful pistachio nuts that are sold all around the town.
There is a single remaining column of an ancient temple that was dedicated to Apollo that used to be the ancient acropolis of the island. On the other side of the town is a small house where Nikos Kazantzakis wrote his novel, Zorbas the Greek.
2. Ancient Temple of Aphaia
This temple is dedicated to the goddess Athena and is one of the ancient architectural wonders of ancient Greece. It was built in 480 BC and 25 out of 32 of the original columns are still standing today – that’s pretty impressive.
This temple was built over the ruins of another temple that was built around 570 BC but was destroyed by a fire in 510 BC. There are still some painted remnants that can be found from the original temple.
3. Paleochora Ghost Village
Paleochora used to be the capital of the island but after one too many attacks from pirates, the people moved inward and abandoned the coastal villages.
A pirate named Barbarossa came to the island in 1537, destroyed the island, and enslaved the inhabitants. What remains of the village are a few churches and it has become a ghost town.
4. Archaeological Museum
This museum was founded in 1828 by the first governor of the Greek State, Ioannis Kapodistrias. It is hosted near the archaeological site of Kolona where the remains from the ancient temple of Apollo are.
The museum houses findings from all over the island. This is including the temple of Athena, the sanctuary of Elanios Zeus, and Kolano. There are also ancient columns, old vases, archaic inscriptions, and marble statues inside the museum – it is definitely a must-see while you are visiting.
What to Bring to the Fistiki Fest
1. Weather Appropriate Outfits
As I discuss in my “What is the Weather for Athens, Greece By Month Like” article, the temperatures in September range from 68-84 °F (20-28°C) so you’ll want to wear something that allows a breeze but can also keep you warm enough at night when it cools down. This maxi dress is the perfect Festiki Fest outfit for women and this lightweight jacket for men is the perfect amount of warm and cool and BONUS!! It’s also waterproof in case of rain.
2. Reusable Bag
While you are shopping around the festival buying all the pistachio things you can find, from nut butter to liqueur, you’ll need a reusable bag to carry everything. This one is super cute and waterproof in case it decides to rain while you are there. If you prefer more of a purse type of bag but still want to throw your purchased goodies in your bag, check out this cute purse that doubles as a phone charger, even though you’ll be so busy tasting the food and buying all the things you won’t even need to charge your phone.
3. Umbrella
While there are only approximately 3 days of rain during the month of September, you won’t want to miss out on anything during the festival in case it does rain. Make sure to bring an umbrella with you to play it safe. This one will fit perfectly in your reusable bag, comes in so many different colors, and is extremely well priced. If you prefer a larger umbrella, this one is my go-to for all rainy days.
4. Sunscreen
With 275 hours of sun in September, you’ll want to make sure you bring enough sunscreen for your trip. This sunscreen is the perfect size for traveling through TSA and is small enough to fit in your bag while you walk around the festival, making reapplying a breeze. If you’re more of a spray sunscreen kind of person, this Sun Bum smells so good you’ll want to keep reapplying it.
5. Walking Shoes
Since you will be doing a ton of walking during this trip, you’ll want to pack comfortable and reliable walking shoes. Not only will you be walking during the Fistiki Fest but with the weather ranging from 68-84 °F (20-28°C), it will be so nice outside you’ll want to see the whole island on foot. These tennis shoes are great for walking around without having your feet hurt and these sandals would go perfectly with the maxi dress you plan on wearing while exploring the festival. For the men who plan on attending the Fistiki Fest, these WASHABLE shoes, yes you heard me right, are fantastic everyday shoes and as I mentioned before, are incredibly easy to clean.
Still feeling unprepared for your amazing trip to Greece, then you need to check out my list of travel necessities here.
Last Few Thoughts
Now that you know what the Fistiki Fest is and how to prepare for it, it’s time to book your tickets! Who knew a small group of pistachio lovers getting together 14 years ago would have started this incredible festival that brings in tourists from all over the world? It is definitely worth the trip and don’t forget to check out everything else on the island while you’re there!
XO,
Anna
P.S. Ready to enhance your trip? Here is my list of Travel must-haves to travel like a pro.
Anna is a traveler, blogger, and entrepreneur who can’t keep herself still. She’s always on the move, whether working hard on a new passion project or exploring a new city as a part-time digital nomad. Dare to keep up? Check out The Tatted Nomad for everything digital nomad, social media marketing, mental health, and travel (and to see her latest addition, Novah, her service dog and travel companion). As a psychotherapist (to be) she also offers insights about your mental health related questions – anything you see that isn’t covered but you have questions about? Let her know!
