Patras is Greece's third-largest city and the regional capital of Western Greece, in the northern Peloponnese. The city is built at the foothills of Mount Panachaikon, overlooking the Gulf of Patras.
Patras is Greece's third-largest city and the regional capital of Western Greece, in the northern Peloponnese. The city is built at the foothills of Mount Panachaikon, overlooking the Gulf of Patras.
Located on the heart of Peloponnese, the town of Kalavryta combined mountains and water, sitting between the mountains of Erymanthos and Chelmos as well as the bank of the river Vouraikos. Its surrounded area has diverse historical roots, from the Greek ancient city of Cynathea, the Frankish Principality of Achaia, the Byzantine era and even the Despotate of Morea during Ottoman rule.
Monemvasia is a town in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small island off the east coast of the Peloponnese. The island is linked to the mainland by a short causeway 200m in length. Its area consists mostly of a large plateau, the site of a powerful medieval fortress. The town walls and many Byzantine churches remain from the medieval period. Monemvasia's name is derived from two Greek words, mone and emvasia, meaning "single entrance". Its Italian form, Malvasia, gave its name to Malmsey wine. Monemvasia's nickname is the Gibraltar of the East or The Rock.
Corinth is on the narrow isthmus between the Saronic and Corinthian gulfs connecting the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece, although now it is split by the Corinth Canal. The modern town of Corinth isn't a big tourist attraction, but to the south of the town is ancient Corinth a huge well preserved archeological site. Looming over ancient Corinth is Acrocorinth. A huge fortress citadel that towers over the town and nearby countryside. Nearby you can find the ancient port of Kehries, where St. Paul disembarked.
Nafplio is a seaport town and one of the most beautiful towns in the area of Argolis (in eastern Peloponnese) as well as one of the most romantic cities all over Greece. Nafplio consisted the first capital of the newly born Greek state between 1823 and 1834. The most photographed spot of Nafplio –and its point of reference as well– is Bourtzi, the Venetian small fortress standing on the rocky islet of Agioi Theodoroi. In the summer you can reach the fortress by boat departing regularly from the port.
In the western Peloponnese, in the "Valley of Gods", lies the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece, and the birthplace of the most important athletic mega-event of all times; the Olympic Games. The ancient Olympic Games were held there every four years throughout Classical Antiquity, at the sanctuary of Zeus.
The sanctuary, known as the Altis, consists of an unordered arrangement of various buildings. Enclosed within the temenos (sacred enclosure) are the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Zeus, the Pelopion, and the area of the altar, where the sacrifices were made.
The ancient city of Mycenae, the home of King Agamemnon, consisted a major center of Greek civilization from 1600BC to 1100BC. The fortified citadel is nested over the fertile plain of Argolis near the seashore in the northeast Peloponnese.
Mycenae is the largest and most important center of the civilization that was named "Mycenaean" after this very citadel. Mycenaean is the culture that dominated mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, and the shores of Asia Minor during the late Bronze Age era (circa 1600-1100 BCE).
In a small valley of Argolis prefecture in Peloponnese is located the village of Epidaurus, which consists a world heritage monument famous in ancient times for being the birthplace of Apollo's son Asclepius, the god of medicine, and, thus, a place of healing. Its principal monuments, particularly the temple of Asklepios, the Tholos and the Theater - considered one of the purest masterpieces of Greek architecture – date from the 4th century.