Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kalogriá
KALOGRIÁ
(locally Kalógria) is the best
beach
near Pátra: a 7km strand, partly
naturist, bordered by a swathe of
umbrella pine forests. A fair proportion of Pátra,
including the gay community, descends here at the weekend. The whole area is
protected as part of the
Strofyliá Forest-Kotýkhi Wetland National Park
, which covers
beach dunes, the forest, and lagoons with their rare birdlife, and permanent
development remains low-key. Kalogriá is not actually a village - the nearest bona fide
town is Metóhi - but rather a small cluster of tavernas and stores. Behind the hotels,
the 200m outcrop Mávra Voúna has a number of organized climbing routes
(
W
geocities.com/patrasclimbing).
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
2
KALOGRIÁ
By bus
Regular buses run from Pátra (3-5 daily in season;
1hr 15min).
Tourist o
ce
There is an enthusiastic information and
environmental monitoring centre (Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm;
T
26930 31651,
E
ciks@otenet.gr) for the park at nearby
Láppa, in a building opposite the train station.
ACCOMMODATION
Amalia
T
26930 31100,
W
amaliahotel.gr.
For a quieter
stay there are these simple studios, near the beach
but
hidden in a large garden behind their own good taverna.
€50
Kalogria Beach
T
26930 31276,
W
peloponnesetravel
.gr.
Extensive and pleasantly modern, with colourful decor,
this resort has every sort of facility: restaurants, café and
bar, beach sunbeds and umbrellas, a large pool, a smaller
play-pool for kids, and a full ra
nge
of sports options. Buffet
breakfast included. April-Oct.
€90
Río and Éyio
RÍO
(Ríon), connected by local bus #6 to Pátra in thirty minutes, signals the beginning of
swimmable water east of Pátra, though most travellers pass through for the
suspension
bridge
across the gulf to Andírio (5min; €12.90 car toll). At the time of writing, ferries
across the gulf from Río and
Éyio
(Aigio), further east, had been suspended.
Dhiakoftó
From
DHIAKOFTÓ
(officially Dhiakoptó) an old
rack-and-pinion railway
(see box,
p.196) heads south up into the
Vouraïkós gorge
, final stop
Kalávryta
. Dhiakoftó itself is
typically drab, but there's a narrow pebble beach along the eastern side, and if you have
to spend the night, there is at least one good option.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
DHIAKOFTÓ
By bus
With trains suspended along the north coast
Dhiakoftó is poorly served by public transport. Athens-Pátra
buses stop at Éyio about 10km west, from where local buses
connect to Dhiakoftó (4 daily; 30min).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Panorama
T
26910 41614,
W
greecepanorama.gr.
Friendly and well-located hotel on its own small beach
with sea-view terrace seating and a good taverna. Simple,
comfortable rooms with balco
ny.
Wi-fi available in the
lobby; a/c. Breakfast €7/person.
€75
Zakhloroú
ZAKHLOROÚ
is as perfect a train stop as could be imagined: a tiny hamlet echoing with
the sound of the
Vouraïkós River
, which splits it into two neighbourhoods. It's a lovely,
peaceful place with an old hotel.
Méga Spiléou
Open roughly 8am-1pm, 5-7pm; museum €1 •
T
26920 23130 • 45min walk from the village, up a rough donkey track along the
hillside • Usual monastery dress code applies
The eight-storey
Monastery of Méga Spiléou
(“Great Cave”) near Zakhlouroú is the oldest
monastery in Greece and spectacularly sited under a 120m cliff. The view of the gorge
