2015
ANEKORAMA |
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credit for photos and illustrations
strofylianationalpark.gr/Parxa G. & Goula A.
4
Strofylia forest is a
wetland of 2,000 sq.m.
full of umbrella pines,
oak trees and pine
trees
Achaia
STROFyLIA FOREST &
KALOGRIA: Achaia’s treasures
The vast Kalogria coast (9 km long, 80
m wide), 45 km far from Patra, is full of
dunes, and has relatively shallow waters.
Only its northern part is organized.
Beautiful Strofylia forest extends be-
hind the sandy beach, and together with
Kotychi lagoon, they constitute a rare wet-
land protected by the Ramsar Conven-
tion, a very green area of 2,000 sq.m. full
of umbrella pines, oak trees, pine trees,
streams, marshes and lagoons where ra-
re bird species live. During the migration
season, entire flocks of birds rest here: her-
ons, glossy ibises, cormorants, swallows
and others. Visitors can rent bikes, stroll
in the woods, or walk up the nearby hills,
the “Black Mountains”, and get a good
view of the entire wetland.
RIO: In the shadow of the bridge
Except for the riveting close view of the
bridge that connects Peloponnesos to Cen-
tral Greece, Rio has nice beaches with peb-
bles and sand, and many restaurants and
cafés. See the well-maintainedMorea Cas-
tle or Rio Castle, built in 1499 by Sultan
Bayezid on the ruins of an ancient tem-
ple of Poseidon, which together with its
twin, Antirio Castle, on the opposite shore,
guarded the entrance to the Corinthian
Gulf for many centuries. Today it’s used
for cultural events.
Ilia
OLYMPIA: The land of Zeus
Ancient Olympia, a unique World Herit-
age Site, is located in the valley of Alfios
River, 115 km far from Patra and 18 km
from Pyrgos. The Olympic Games were
conducted here from 776 BC to 393 AD
and visitors can appreciate the signs of
Olympia’s wealth and prestige. Except for
the ancient stadium and the temples of
Zeus and Hera, there are many interesting
sites: palaestra (wrestling place), gymna-
sion (training facility), vouleuterion (build-
ing that housed the council of citizens),
prytaneion (seat of the government), and
