Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You can gaze at the ongoing archaeological excavation of a well-preserved 3rd-century
BC ancient
theatre
in the city centre, 100m north of Plateia Sarka. Nearby, the
acropolis
on Agios Ahillios Hill dates from Neolithic times (6000 BC).
Municipal Art Gallery of Larisa
GALLERY
( 24106 16266; Pinakothiki Katsigra, cnr Papandreou & Kliou Patera; admission €3;
10am-2pm Tue-Sun)
Houses a superb private collection of contemporary Greek art that's
second only to the National Art Gallery in Athens.
Sleeping
Hotel Metropol
HOTEL $$$
( 24105 37161;
www.hotelmetropol.gr
;
Rousvelt 14; s/d/f incl breakfast €45/60/75; )
Should you linger in Larisa, you'll find large rooms decorated with the owner's paintings
at this dated, but adequate, business-style hotel, between Plateia Kentriki (Central Sq)
and Ethnarhou Makariou.
WORTH A TRIP
AROUND LARISA
If you have time, it's a pleasant drive 28km northeast of Larisa to the
Vale of Tembi
,
a dramatic gorge cut by the Pinios River between Mt Olympus and Mt Ossa that
was sacred to Apollo in ancient times. A small bridge connects the car park with
13th-century
Agia Paraskevi
church and, 2km further on, the ruins of a
medieval
fortress
.
The picturesque village of
Ambelakia
, 5km up a winding road from the village of
Tembi, was a prosperous textile centre in the 18th century. A few dozen of the ori-
ginal 600 mansions remain, and walking the cobbled streets is a pleasure.
Information
There are several banks around Plateia Mihail Sapka.
Hospital
(
24102 30031; Tsakalof 1)
K-Net
(
24105 39355; Rousvelt 24; per hr €2;
24hr)
Internet access.
Municipal Tourism Office
(
24106 18189;
ereot@otenet.gr
; Ipirou 58;
7.30am-3pm Mon-
Fri)
