Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights & Activities
Moni Agias Lavras
MONASTERY
( 26920 22363; 10am-1pm & 3-4pm winter, 10am-1pm & 4-5pm summer)
The original
10th-century monastery that stood here was burnt down by the Nazis. The new monas-
tery has a small museum where the banner standard (the flag that started Greece's War of
Independence) is displayed along with monastic memorabilia. The monastery is around
6km southwest of Kalavryta. A taxi from Kalavryta costs €20 return with half an hour to
see the monastery.
Cave of the Lakes
CAVE
( 26920 31588;
www.kastriacave.gr
;
adult/child €9/4.50; 9.30am-4.30pm, longer hours in
summer)
The remarkable Cave of the Lakes lies 16.5km south of Kalavryta near the vil-
lage of Kastria. The cave features in Greek mythology and is mentioned in the writings
of the ancient traveller Pausanias, but its whereabouts remained unknown in modern
times until 1964 when locals investigated, having noticed water pouring from the roof of
a smaller cave. They discovered a large bat-filled cavern at the start of a 2km-long cave
carved out by a subterranean river.
The cavern is now reached by an artificial entrance, which is the starting point for a
500m boardwalk that snakes up the riverbed. You must go with a guide on the 35-minute
tour (in Greek). The lakes are a series of 13 stone basins formed by mineral deposits over
the millennia.
Getting to the cave is difficult without your own transport. A taxi from Kalavryta costs
around €40 return (the taxi will wait for you). Check opening hours - they change regu-
larly.
Trout Farms & Restaurants
TROUT FARMS
A pleasant afternoon's eating can be had in the tiny village of Planitero, about 20km
south of Kalavryta (6km north of the village of Klitoria), where half a dozen trout res-
taurants and several trout farms - all offering similar fare (trout €8 to €11) - line the
banks of the Aroanios River, many under the shade of plane trees.
The turn-off to Planitero is signposted to the left, about 4km short of Klitoria.
Ski Centre
SKIING
( 26920 24451;
www.kalavrita-ski.gr
; 9am-4pm Dec-Apr)
With 12 runs and seven lifts
(two chairlifts), the Ski Centre (elevation 1700m to 2340m) is 14km east of Kalavryta on
Mt Helmos (2355m). There's no overnight accommodation but it rents skis and snow-
