PYRGOS

The town, however, first started to develop around that tower, and it grew into a very important commercial hub in the heyday of the currant and sultana trade. As so many other towns and ports along the Peloponnesian coastline, Pyrgos faced great hardship when said trade declined. Today, it is an interesting accommodation option for those who want to explore the wider region of Olympia.

Having replaced the old tower, the central square is the heart of local living, always teeming with people who gather at the old cafés for a snack and a chat; Kentrikon is the oldest among them itsmagnificent interior looks like an urban living room of the 19th century while the area of the Eparcheion offers great views to the plain of Pyrgos. The Town Hall, built with a donation by local benefactor Giannis Latsis, is the most impressive building on the square, and a hub for the arts and culture in the wider region of Ilia. In general, the neoclassical buildings around the town are not to be missed, as many of them have allegedly been designed by the famous Saxon architect Ernst Ziller and his disciples.

The Municipal Market was indeed designed by Ziller in 1890; it covers an entire block and is quite unique in that each of its four symmetrical facades is decorated with different architectural elements. Having served as the town market until 1960, it was gradually abandoned and then restored before reopening as the new Archaeological Museum in 2013. Just a short walk from the central square, the Apollo Theatre is another listed building which followed the town's rise and fall. Built in 1880, it fell in disuse after 1960; refurbishment works started in 1987, and today the theatre is once more at the epicentre of the cultural life of Pyrgos.

An interesting stay, however, must be complemented and underlined by moments of calm and a glimpse at the good life. The famous, picturesque port of Katakolo and the dozens of kilometres of sandy beach, dotted with cute seaside cafés and restaurants serving fresh seafood and local delicacies, will provide the ideal setting and a lighter aspect of a history-rich stay in the area.

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Ancient Olympia Virtual Tour

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Ancient Olympia Virtual Tour

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Chalcidice

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Delphi

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Eleusina

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Marathon

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Epidavros

Even today’s visitors feel that they are in a sacred place as soon as they set foot in the Asklepieion of Epidavros. The place where healing was a religious mystery. The sick were cured by the god Asklepios in their sleep (enkoimesis) or received from him instructions on the therapy they should follow. From the sixth century BC until the end of antiquity, hosts of people resorted to the Sanctuary of Asklepios in expectation that their prayers for healing would be heard and answered by the god. These were patients and pilgrims who arrived there bringing precious votive offerings from all parts of the then-known world. Visit Virtual Tour

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Mycenae

Peering over the plain of Argolis, up there from the heights of the acropolis, one comes to terms with the superiority of the Mycenaean civilization. It reached its heyday in the Late Bronze Age (1350 - 1200 BCE) and then disappeared, leaving to eternity its legendary acropolis, built on an inaccessible, rocky hill between two ravines. The footprints of the Atreidai, the mythical royal dynasty, are visible to today's visitor and inspire awe in an era like ours, in which myth meets the history of the most important period of the ancient world. Visit Virtual Tour

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Ancient Olympia

What can be said of Olympia and not sound like a cliché? The significance of the archaeological site is self-evident, even if one is not familiar with the fascinating historical details and the political background, which literally span thousands of years. Known to the world as the cradle of the Olympic ideal, this open-air museum of imposing ruins and unique artefacts tells a story of religious piety, fair play, political ambition, and demonstration of power. All the buildings you can still admire were erected to please the gods and send a message to the thousands of visitors who swarmed to the sacred grounds. Walking around the Stadium, the Gymnasium and the Temples of Zeus and Hera – both instrumental in the ritual and competitive part of the Games – modern visitors will be able to understand why the event remained relevant even when the rest of the Ancient World was long dead. As an added bonus to the splendour of the site, the Museum of Olympia boasts some of the most famous works of art produced in the long course of Hellenic culture. Visit Virtual Tour

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