Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
ZahlorouΖαχλωρού
POP 40
The picturesque settlement of Zahlorou, the halfway stop on the Diakofto-Kalavryta
train line, straddles both sides of a river and a railway line. Some people take the train to
this point and walk back to Diakofto - the walk, much of it on the track itself, takes up to
four hours.
From here, you can also hike up to
Moni Megalou Spileou
(Monastery of the Great Cav-
ern; 26920 23130; 8am-noon & 1pm-sunset winter, 8am-1pm & 2pm-sunset summer)
, a monastery (the 3km-long walk takes about an hour). The original monastery was des-
troyed in 1934 when gunpowder stored during the War of Independence exploded. The
new monastery houses illuminated gospels and relics, and the miraculous icon of the Vir-
gin Mary, supposedly discovered in the nearby cavern by St Theodore and St Simeon in
AD 362.
Of the two budget sleeping options right on the station platform,
Zachlorou
(
6983125616, 26920 22789;
www.zachlorou.gr
; r from €40)
is the preferred option over the
sootier
Hotel Romantzo
( 6986885779, 26920 22758; r from €35)
, but we're not talking
first-class services at either. A better option is
Taverna Oneiro
(
6945776821, 26920
23772;
www.villa-oneiro.gr
;
r incl breakfast from €50;
Oct-May)
, with nine wood-trimmed
ski-lodge-style studios.
All Diakofto-Kalavryta trains stop briefly at Zahlorou. You can drive to Zahlorou on a
narrow road leading off the Diakofto- Kalavryta road. The turn-off is 7.5km north of Ka-
lavryta.
TOP OF CHAPTER
KalavrytaΚαλάβρυτα
POP 1800
Perched 756m above sea level, Kalavryta (kah-
lah
-vrih-tah) is a delightful resort town
with fresh mountain air, gushing springs and a tree-shaded square. The town is especially
popular among Athenians, who arrive in numbers on weekends and during the winter ski
season. As such, prices can be a bit higher here than in other villages.
Two relatively recent historical events have assured Kalavryta a place in the hearts of
all Greeks. First, despite plenty of evidence that fighting had already begun elsewhere,
the official version of the War of Independence states that the revolt against the Turks
