Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
been sent by Hera to destroy Nemea. The lion became the constellation Leo (each of the
12 labours is related to a sign of the zodiac).
Like Olympia, Nemea was not a city but a sanctuary and venue for the biennial Ne-
mean Games, held in honour of Zeus. These games were hosted by the nearby city of
Kleonai, and they became one of the great Panhellenic festivals. Three original columns
of the 4th-century-BC Doric
Temple of Zeus
survive, and have been joined by two more
columns reassembled by an American team. Other ruins include a
bathhouse
, probably
used by athletes to oil up pre-competition, and a
hostelry
.
The site's
museum
has two models of the ancient site - the first shows what it would
have looked like in 573 BC, the second in AD 500 - and explanations in English. The
jewel of the collection, quite literally, is the
Gold of Aidonia
, an exquisite assortment of
gold rings, seals and beads from the site of Aidonia, near Nemea. Don't miss the video
that explains the extraordinarily advanced race-starting mechanism (English subtitles).
The
stadium
(stadium only adult/concession €2/1; 8am-3pm)
is 500m back along the
road, and was once connected to the sanctuary by a sacred road. The athletes' starting
line is still in place, together with the distance markers. Look out for ancient 'graffiti' in
the tunnel used by athletes (note: the tunnel is slightly hidden).
Getting There & Away
Nemea is best visited with your own transport. Buses to/from Corinth Isthmus (€4.50,
one hour, around four to five daily, fewer on Sunday) will stop outside the site on the
way to modern Nemea, a busy agricultural service town about 4km northwest of the site.
UNTANGLING THE SPRAWLING VINE ROUTES
The Nemea region, in the rolling hills southwest of Corinth, is one of Greece's
premier wine-producing areas, famous for its full-bodied reds, produced from the
localagioritikogrape. Look out also for wine made fromroditis,a local variety of
white grape.
Nemea has been known for its fine wines since Mycenaean times, when nearby
Phlius supplied the wine for the royal court at Mycenae. Half a dozen or so wineries
provide tastings for visitors (usually free, some by appointment). They include
Skouras
(
27510 23688;
www.skouraswines.com
;
9am-3pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 11am-3pm
Sun)
, northwest of Argos,
Ktima Palivou
(
27460 24190;
www.palivos.gr
;
Ancient Nemea;
8.30am-5pm)
and
Lafkioti
(
11am-4pm)
,
27460 31000;
www.lafkiotis.gr
; Ancient Kleonai;
3km east of Ancient Nemea.
