Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The town's altitude of 665m means an often markedly cooler summer climate and
harsh winters. Traffic can be chaotic and you may wish to escape to the quiet greenery
of
Platía Áreos
. Medieval Tripolitsa was destroyed by retreating Turkish forces during
the War of Independence, when the Greek forces, led by Kolokotronis in one of their
worst atrocities, had earlier massacred the town's Turkish population.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
TRÍPOLI
By bus
The main bus terminal, serving all destinations in
the northern Peloponnese, is 1.25km southeast from the
centre on the Akhladókambos road. Services to Messinía,
Kalamáta, Pýlos, the Máni and Spárti leave from the corner
café on Lagopáti, directly opposite the train station. For
Spárti it's best to take a direct bus (7-9 daily from Athens to
Spárti, via Árgos and/or Trípoli).
Destinations
: Andhrítsena (2 daily; 1hr 30min); Athens
(13 daily; 2hr 30min); Dhimitsána (2 daily; 1hr 30min);
Kalávryta (1 daily; 2hr 30min); Karítena (2 daily; 1hr);
Leonídhio (2 daily; 2hr 30min); Megalópoli (7 daily;
40min); Neápoli (2 daily; 5hr 30min); Olymbía (2 daily
Mon-Fri, 1-3 Sat & Sun; 3hr); Pýlos (3 daily; 3hr);
Stemnítsa (1 daily; 1hr); Vytína (6 daily Mon-Fri, 4 Sat &
Sun; 1hr 15min); Yíthio (3 daily; 2hr 30min).
By train
The train station is 1.5km southeast of the centre.
At the time of writing all services were suspended due to
the financial crisis. Should they resume, they will run from
Kórinthos to Kalamáta, with stops here.
2
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Alex
Vassiléos Yeoryíou 26
T
27102 23465,
E
st-alex
.gr.
This modern hotel is fairly fresh and very central,
with decent, rather large rooms with balconies and a/c.
Free
parki
ng and wi-fi. Breakfast included in their own
café.
€80
Anactoricon
Ethnikís Andístasis 48
T
27102 22545,
W
anaktorikon.gr.
Newly refurbished, maintaining the
Neoclassical style, this is a comfortable hotel near all the
most popular bars in to
wn. R
ooms are fairly simple, but
include internet and a/c.
€100
Klimataria Piterou
Kalavrýton 11
T
27102 22058.
Located beyond the
Aello
cinema and about 100m past
the far end of Platía Áreos, this taverna is one of several
along here. The menu is standard fare, including rabbit
and lamb, and full meals go for €10-15.
Daily lunch
& dinner.
Megalópoli
Modern
MEGALÓPOLI
is an important road junction and hub for buses, and your first
thoughts on arrival may be directed towards getting out. It's a rather characterless place,
with a military presence and a monstrous power station nearby that consumes lignite
from vast open-cast mines. The adoption of its ancient name, “Great City”, was an
altogether empty joke. Still, just outside the city to the northwest is what remains of
one of the most ambitious building projects of the Classical age:
Ancient Megalopolis
(site closed), which once boasted Greece's largest
theatre
, now almost entirely covered
over by earth and vegetation and with the power station's twin
smokestacks
, Arcadia's
sole eyesore, for a neighbour.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
MEGALÓPOLI
By bus
Megalópoli has regular bus connections with
Trípoli (and on to Árgos and Athens) and Kalamáta. Moving
north or west into Arcadia is slightly trickier, with just two
buses daily to Karítena and one then on to Andhrítsena.
However, hitching is viable along this route, as local drivers
are aware of the paucity of transport, and it's also possible
to negotiate a taxi to Karítena.
Destinations
Andhrítsena (1 daily; 1hr 15min); Pýrgos (2
daily; 4hr); Karítena (2 daily; 45min); Trípoli (7 daily;
40min).
Services
Facilities such as banks and a post office are
around the central Platía Gortynías.
Arcadian hill towns
North of Megalópoli, the best of Arcadia lies before you: minor roads that curl through
a series of lush valleys and below the area's most exquisite
medieval hill towns
. he
obvious first stop is lofty
Karítena
. Then the route to the northwest winds farther up
around the edge of the Ménalo mountains to the delightful towns of
Stemnítsa
and
