Destinations > Greece > Peloponnese

Peloponnese

The Peloponnese Peninsula is home to a large number of ancient sites and it is the most visited part of mainland Greece outside Athens. For most travellers, a visit to the Peloponnese offers the best chance to sample traditional Greek life.

Corinth

Although modern Corinth is a relatively characterless city, most people come here to visit ancient city nearby, which was the capital of Greece during Roman times.

Practical Information

Tourist Police

Ermou 5, Corinth

Tel 0741 0 23282

Coming & Going

Corinth is served by buses and trains.

The train station is on Demokratias. Corinth lies on the Athens-Patras line and there are frequent trains in both directions.

Corinth has three separate bus stations. Buses for Athens depart from bus station A near the train station. Buses to Ancient Corinth depart from near the corner of Koliatsou and Kolokotroni and buses to most other destinations in the Peloponnese leave from the station near the corner of Ermu and Koliatsou.

Accommodation

Corinthian Beach Hostel

Damaskinou 39, Corinth

Tel (27410) 80028

Sights

Ancient Corinth

The ruins of Ancient Corinth, 7km from the modern city, are the main reason most travellers come here. Ancient Corinth, featres a number of ruins, the most notable being the Temple of Apollo, dating from the 5th century BC. There is also a museum on the site that houses a collection of mosiacs and statues.

Tel 0741 0 31207

Admission €6

Open summer 8am-8pm daily, winter 8am-3pm daily

Acrocorinth

This fortress contains ruins from Byzantine, Roman, Turkish and Venetian rule and offers excellent views from the Temple of Aphrodite, which crowns Acrocorinth.

Admission free

Open summer 8.30am-7pm daily, winter 9am-3pm daily

Corinth Canal

The Corinth Canal is a massive engineering task that commenced in 67AD but wasn't completed until 1893. The 6km canal boasts 90 metre high sides and is an impressive sight. Trains and buses running between Athens and Corinth or Patras will pass over the canal.

Nafplion

Ask a Greek what their favourite Greek city is and chances are they'll say Nafplion. This pretty town is located on the Argolic Gulf, a little over an hour south of Corinth, and it retains a strong Venetian influence and is dominated by three fortresses.

Practical Information

Nafplio Tourist Office

25 Martiou, Nafplion

Tel 0752 0 24444

Open 9am-1pm & 4pm-8pm daily

Tourist Police

25 Martiou, Nafplion

Tel 0752 0 28131

Coming & Going

Both buses and trains connect Nafplio to Athens although the bus is the preferred mode of transport with buses to Athens departing every hour. Buses depart from the bus station on Syngrou just south of Plateia Kapodistria. The train station is located on Polizoidou just north of the town centre.

Accommodation

Hotel Economou

Argonafton, Nafplio

Tel (27520) 23955

Sights

Akronafplia Fortress

The oldest of Nafplion's three fortresses has an imposing position above the old town. It dates from the Bronze Age, although nowadays it is home to a government-run hotel complex.

Bourtzi Fortress

The smaller of Nafplion's fortresses occupies a small island in the harbour. Bourtzi was mostly built by the Venetians. Boats to Bourtzi depart from Akti Miaoli.

Palamidi Fortress

This citadel contains three Venetian fortresses dating from the early 18th century. The Palamidi Fortress has a great position that overseas the entire city and it is worth visiting for the breathtaking views.

Accessible from Arvanitias via a flight of 999 stairs
Tel 0752 0 28036

Admission €2.35

Open summer 8am-6.45pm daily, winter 8am-2.30pm daily

Archaeological Museum

This museum's collection features the usual collection of pottery plus a well-preserved bronze suit of Mycenean armour.

Plateia Suntagmatos, Nafplion

Tel 0752 0 27502

Open Tue-Sun 8.30am-3pm

Patras

Greece's third-largest city has few attractions but is visited by many travellers, primarily because ferries from Corfu and Italy arrive here.

Coming & Going

Although the bus is faster than the train, most travellers take the train between Patras and Athens. This is mostly because the Eurail pass is valid and the train station in Athens is much more conveniently located than the bus terminal.

Buses go to Athens via Corinth every half hour and take about three hours to complete the journey. The bus station is located on Othonos Amalias, just north of the train station.

There are eight trains per day to Athens and the journey can take up to five hours.

Accommodation

Patras Youth Hostel

Iroon Polytechniou 68, Patras

Tel (2610) 427278

Olympia

This small town is a popular destination with many travellers who come here to visit the nearby archeological site of Ancient Olympia, which hosted the original Olympic Games.

Coming & Going

Buses stop across the road from the tourist office. There are several daily buses to Athens as well as buses to nearby Pyrgos that connect with the rail network.

Accommodation

Olympia Youth Hostel

Praxitelous Kondyli 18, Olympia

Tel (26240) 22580

Sights

Ancient Olympia

Ancient Olympia is a large complex of temples and sports venues that is world-famous as the venue for the first Olympic Games. The site is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

Tel 0624 0 22517

Admission €9

Open Jan-Mar Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 8.30am-3pm; Apr-Oct 8am-7pm daily; Nov-Dec Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 8.30am-3pm