Cycladia Travel Guides

Τhere are six caves in Corinthia, all situated in the western part of the prefecture: the Cave of Hermes at an altitude of 1700 m. is the place where Hermes was born. This cave has 8 rooms and it is about 1200 m2.

Another cave at a high altitude is the Cave “ Tripa” Feneou (“ tripa” stands for “hole” in Greek). At 1800 m. on mountain Durduvana, this cave has 4 huge holes, an underground lake and 8 rooms. Many people were thrown in its huge holes and killed during World War II.

The Cave of the Englishmen was named after Englishmen parachutists who used it as a shelter during World War II and it is comprised of two large rooms.

The Cave of Virgin Mary of the Rocks is situated close to the village Kato Tarsos and it is divided in two levels: in the lower level there is a little church devoted to Virgin Mary.

The Cave Katavothres Feneou, close to Mati village, is quite impressive. It has 4 sinks. All the above caves are open to the public, but guides and special equipment is needed.

Finally, there is one cave that is not open to the public; the Cave of Lake Stimfalia.

It is not very common in Greece that a prefecture hosts more than two lakes; Corinthia hosts four: Lake Doksa, Lake Stimfalia, Lake Dasiou and Lake Vouliagmeni. All four are gorgeous but lake Doksa stands out with its picturesque chapel of Saint Fanourios right in the middle of the lake.

Sousaki is a volcano that exploded about 2.7 million years ago. It is situated close to the village of Agii Theodori but as it is a little hard to find, it would be wise to ask the locals for directions. Arriving to the volcano crater requires walking and climbing up a canyon which is relatively easy to pass through. On the way, you will meet a little lake and a waterfall, while the ground is hot and there are beautiful stones. Of course, attention is required.

Corinthia has many monasteries and churches spread across its towns, villages and mountains. Among the ones worth visiting are: the Monastery of Saint Patapios at about 8 km. from Loutraki, which is situated at an altitude of 700 m. on Gerania Mountain. The monastery hosts the Church of the Resurrection of Virgin Mary with a beautiful lattice wooden temple and the hermitage of Saint Patapios carved in a rock.

The Monastery of Lechova at 4 km. from the village Krionio, is found at an altitude of more than 1000 m., where part of the Church was built in the 11th-12th century B.C. and it has been declared an archaeological landmark by the Ministry of Culture

The Monastery of Prohpet Elias in Zacholi on the foot of Mount Mavro at about 20 km. from Derveni, which was built in the 14th century B.C., has a very interesting architecture and was used as a secret School for the Greeks during the Ottoman domination.

The Monastery of Saint Vlasios in Ano Trikala with its imposing white church and a historic Orthodox Image of Saint Vlasios.

Characterized by its very impressive size and architecture, the Monastery of Faneromeni in Chiliomodi is situated in a gorgeous pine forest and features the “old” and the “new” monastery in the same site.

The Metropolitan Church of Apostle Paul in Corinth really stands out due to its imposing three arches and its vast space of 800 square meters. Besides, it was established by Apostle Paul himself in 52 or 52 B.C.!

Finally, another church worth visiting is the Church Virgin Mary of Prathi at 1150 m. high on Mount Gerania, which is actually comprised by two churches: the old one that was built using stone blocks in the early 11th century and the new one that hosts 12 coveralls paintings.

With such a long and significant history, it is no wonder that the prefecture of Corinthia hosts four archaeological museums and one historic museum.

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth is situated in the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth and hosts objects of ancient Corinthian art coming from the Geometric period, statues of the 1st and 4th century B.C., vases, inscriptions, sculptures, and fantastic Roman mosaics.

The Archaeological Museum of Nemea was created by archaeologists of the University of Berkeley and it was granted to Greece in 1984. It hosts objects from the famous Mycenaean cemetery at Aidonia, also known as the Aidonia treasure, and various objects including jewels, tools, weapons, inscriptions and ceramic objects coming from the Prehistoric and Ancient eras.

The Archaeological Museum of Isthmia was inaugurated in 1978 and hosts ancient objects from Isthmia and the ancient port of Kechries. What will amaze visitors is the unique collection of eighty seven “Opus Sectilae”, i.e. artistic creations made of ivory and glass in the form of mosaics. These were brought to Kechries either from Italy or from Egypt in 375 B.C. and sank due to an earthquake the same year in the bottom of the sea. They were eventually discovered in 1976!

The Archaeological Museum of Sikiona is housed in the building of the Roman Baths and it is situated within the archaeological site of Sikiona. It hosts figurines, inscriptions, ceramics and sculptures, as well as objects of Mycenaean pottery.

The Historic / Folklore museum of Corinth presents its collections in three floors. Exhibits include tools and objects of the everyday life, local traditional costumes and costumes from other places in Greece, rural objects and artistic objects.

Last but not least, the Environmental Museum of Stimfalia stands out in a hill over the Stimfalia Lake The museum presents the flora and fauna of the area and explains displays how the environment was incorporated into the activities of the local people through local customs, rural activity, livestock and the Hadrian's Aqueduct.

The prefecture of Corinth is full of gorgeous villages, both coastal and mountainous. The mountainous villages have mostly maintained a strong folklore character. Among the mountainous villages worth visiting are Trikala with their famous ski resort, Evrostini, a village among pines and plane trees with a stunning river running through it, the historic village of Kastania with its lovely traditional stone houses which used to be surrounded by a forest of chestnuts destroyed in 1825 (“kastano”=chestnut in Greek), Lafka that also called “small Switzerland” due to its beautiful natural ambience full of pine trees, Goura with a fantastic central square and an interesting traditional architecture, and Pisia, a small village surrounded by pine trees offering a spectacular view of the Corinth Bay.

Of course, there are several coastal villages and towns worth visiting, like Loutraki, Ksilokastro, Derveni, Loutra Oraias Elenis, Agioi Theodoroi, and Schinos, which all offer fantastic beaches and diversified accommodation proposals. Finally, the area of Nemea with its famous wineries is certainly worth a visit.

Corinth is the capital of the prefecture; it is a contemporary city with a lively port, a renowned canal and a long history. It hosts museums and interesting archaeological sites, as well as the Church of Apostle Paul. The town centre is pedestrian and it is a vibrant commercial area.

“Akrocorinthos” is the name of the rocky hill that stands at the edge of Corinth high above; Ancient Corinth was situated in the foot of this hill and the city’s castle was built on its top. A significant part of Ancient Corinth is visible today in the homonymous archaeological site, which comprises of the Ancient Temple of Aphrodite, ruins of ancient houses and towers, gates, a Frankish tower and a Byzantine cistern. The Archaeological Museum of Corinth is also hosted within Akrocorinthos, so a visit is certainly a must!

The archaeological site of Sikiona is quite impressive as well, since it comprises of a large ancient theatre, a wrestling ring, a temple of Artemis or Apollo, a parliament and a long gallery. Next to the findings of the Ancient Era, there are ruins of the Roman Baths, part of which are in good condition and house the Archaeological Museum of Sikiona.

The archaeological site of Feneos is situated in the village of Ancient Feneos or Kalivia and includes an ancient temple devoted to Asclepius and parts of two huge statues representing Asclepius and Hygeia.

The archaeological site of Nemea hosts the grandiose Temple of Zeus, built in the 4th century B.C., which comprised of thirty six imposing columns nine of which are visible today, and the impressive Stadium. Findings from the excavations are housed in the homonymous archaeological museum.

The archaeological site of Stimfalia is half-sunk under the waters of Lake Stimfalia; the ancient city of Stimfalia was built in the northern part of the lake. What visitors may see today are the ruins of an ancient theatre, ruins of houses and public buildings, as well as wrestling rings.

The archaeological site of Heraion in Loutraki is comprised of the Ancient Temple of Hera, a large cistern, a second smaller temple, and dining halls.

Apart from the archaeological sites, the prefecture of Corinthia has many treasures, like the breathtaking views of the itinerary connecting Loutraki to Alepochori (in the prefecture of Attica), the coastal pine forest of Pefkias in Ksilokastro, or the underwater city in the coastal village of Mavrolimni. Visitors should definitely drive around and ask locals for extra information on sightseeing suggestions and landmarks of each area.