Loutraki-Sea Lake Vouliagmenis, Ireon :

HERAION

Ancient Heraion was a sanctuary to the goddess Hera and was in use from the Greek Dark Ages in the 8th Century BC until the late Hellenistic period. The sanctuary belonged to the powerful ancient city of Corinth (Korinthos) for most of its time and fell into disuse after the Romans sacked Corinth in 146 BC. The sanctuary was built on two levels, with temples to Hera on each level. The upper-level temple was dedicated to Hera Limenaia and the lower temple, by the beach, was dedicated to Hera Akraia. The sanctuary slowly developed over the years to become one of the richest rural sanctuaries in the whole of Greece, and its location in a small cove with a sandy beach must have made the sanctuary complex look 'heavenly' to its ancient visitors.

According to legend and Euripides, Medea, who was married to Jason (of the Argonaughts fame) murdered and buried their two children at Heraion, whilst fleeing from Corinth.

Originally excavated during the 1930's, under the direction of Humfry G. Payne, archaeological excavations are still ongoing and have uncovered temples, altars, large cisterns, aqua ducts, a sacred pool, dining areas, an L-shaped 2-storied stoa and a Hellenistic agora.

The excavations at Heraion have thrown up some unusual and interesting ancient building techniques, the 3-aisled temple of Hera Akraia is unique, and the 2-storey Stoa had a colonnade of Doric columns on the lower floor level with Ionic columns on the upper level.

On the Southern beach-side of the temple of Hera Akraia a large limekiln was discovered. This limekiln was used to reduce the marble of the sanctuary and temples into lime for the construction of the Hexamilion wall across the Isthmus of Corinth in the 5th Century AD.

Today’s visitors to Ancient Heraion also get the chance to have a wonderful refreshing swim from the sanctuary beach, or a chance to do some 'cliff-jumping' from the surrounding rocks for the more adventurous, as the sea in the sanctuary cove is both deep and clear.

Lake Vouliagmeni Known also as Vouliagemi lagoon, 3.5 kms from Ancient Heraion, the lake is a picturesque area surrounded by many cafes and taverns, with local fishermen still going about their daily business, as they have for thousands of years.

During the ancient period the lake was called Lake Eschatiotis.

In 1962 the international film “The 300 Spartans” staring Richard Egan (above) with Sir Ralph Richardson and Diane Baker was filmed around this salt water lake, as the rocky geography of the present Vouliagmeni shoreline is more in keeping with ancient Thermopylae than the actual present historical site. The music for the film was written by famous Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis. The King of Greece 'loaned' about 5,000 men of the Royal Hellenic Army for the making of this film, also known as The Lion of Sparta, to act as the Spartan and Greek warriors, as well as the Persian and Medes invaders.

Today’s taverns and cafes situated along the shore offer visitors a chance to have a refreshing drink, a cool swim and a tasty meal following their historical exploration of Ancient Heraion.

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MALAGAVI LIGHTHOUSE is situated above ancient Heraion, on the Western tip of Cape Melagavi in the Gulf of Corinth.

One of the oldest stone lighthouses in Greece, built in 1897, that is still in operation. You can get to the lighthouse from the Heraion car-park by walking up a small pathway to the right of the concrete ramp that leads down to the sanctuary of Heraion.

There are some spectacular views from the lighthouse, of the Corinthian Gulf, the rugged coastline and unusual rock formations in the sea nearby.

Ancient Heraion is located at the far Western tip of the Perachora peninsula, opposite Ancient Corinth, and beyond the Corinth Canal, Loutraki (Ancient Thermae) and Perachora (Ancient Peraea).

The sanctuary of Heraion is situated 25 kms (30 minutes by car) NNW of the Corinth Canal and lies just 3.5 kms beyond the Lake Vouliagmeni Lagoon. There is a free open car-parking area above the Heraion sanctuary, and you will have to walk down a winding concrete ramp to the upper sanctuary, and past the small church of Aghios Yiannis that overlooks the lower sanctuary and sandy beach.

Although Heraion and Perachora are beyond the Corinth Canal geographically, they are still officially part of Corinthia and the Peloponnese.

Admission to the Heraion archaeological site: Free Location Ancient Heraion - Perachora Greece

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LOUTRAKI is situated on the east coast of the Golf of Corinth, the ancient city of Thermal (today called LOUTRAKI), once hailed to be loved by the Gods, was the first resort to be recorded in the annals of world history.

The town of Loutraki is only 84 km away from Athens, connected by the National highway Athens - Patras, and only 6km from the famous Corinth Canal.

A unique combination of climatologically conditions and natural surroundings makes the whole area a privileged place.

A temperate Mediterranean climate, breezes scented with iodine from the crystal blue sea and superb beaches that have been awarded the "Blue flag of Europe" five times, make it a truly enchanting place.

The town of Loutraki is a well organized resort and together with its famous table and therapeutic waters, marvelous natural beauty spots and cosmopolitan life, there is so much to offer. In the center of Loutraki various classes of hotel, numerous night clubs, restaurants, bars and cafeterias, offer their excellent service. Most of the hotels are built along the sea front.

The beach of Loutraki, only a few steps from the Gerania mountain, is 4 Km Long, making the entire town an almost endless beach, which is equipped with modem installations at your disposal for endless hours of swimming and sea sports.

If you prefer climbing, the mountain and its fantastic forest are waiting to be explored.

The area of Loutraki and water are two closely related entities. They are complementary, to one another.

After long research studies the scientific word substantiated the unique therapeutic virtues of the water and designated it as a "unique treasure". It is of a very high quality, and competitive to waters such as Perrier, Vichy and Evian. Due to its therapeutic power, it has become famous word-wide. LOUTRAKI is one of the major water bottling industries in Greece. Also in the town of Loutraki is the famous thermal spa which includes all kinds of water therapies and also o lots of beauty treatments. For more information you may visit the site.

The house can be connected with 3 major Greek sightseeing areas.

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- ANCIENT THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS Firstly in a range of one and a half hours (1, 5), 86Km you can visit the famous ancient theatre of Epidaurus. The theatre of Epidaurus is the place where are presented historical theatrical plays written by the ancient dramatists authors.

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- MYCENAE Secondly 57 km from the house, only one (1) hour drive, one may visit Mycenae, the famous palace of King Agamemnon, the great general who leaded the Greeks in the conquest of Troy. You can visit the museum in Mycenae’s and see the well saved grave of King Agamemnon.

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- NEMEA Thirdly in a range of one (1) hour drive, 53 km you can visit Nemea (Greek: Νεμέα) an ancient site in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. Formerly part of the territory of Cleonae in Argolis, it is today situated in the regional unit of Corinthia. The small village of Archaia Nemea (formerly known as "Koutsoumadi"[1] and then "Iraklion") is immediately southwest of the archaeological site, while the new town of Nemea lies to the west. Here in Greek mythology Heracles overcame the Nemean Lion of the Lady Hera, and here during Antiquity the Nemean Games were played, in three sequences, ending about 235 BCE, celebrated in the eleven Nemean odes of Pindar.

It is also well known for the wine industry which is developed in the area, and you can visit many wine distilleries.

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- KALAVRYTA : Last but not least ,in a range of 130 Km, about 2h there drive is the villaga of Kalavryta. Kalavryta is built near the ancient city of Cynaetha. During the late Middle Ages, the town was the centre of the Barony of Kalavryta within the Frankish Principality of Achaea, until it was re-conquered by the Byzantines in the 1270s. After that it remained under Byzantine control until the fall of the Despotate of the Morea to the Ottoman Turks in 1460. With the exception of a 30-year interlude of Venetian control, the town remained under Turkish rule until the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, in whose early stages Kalavryta figures prominently: it was here that on 21 March 1821 the flag of the revolt was raised at the monastery of Agia Lavra by bishop Germanos III of Old Patras. Mt Chelmos near Kalavryta. Kalavryta. On 13 December 1943, in retribution for the killing of the captured German soldiers, what is commemorated as the Massacre of Kalavryta, German troops ordered all male residents of Kalavryta, aged 14 years and up, to gather in a field just outside the village. There, they machine-gunned down 696 of them. Only 13 survived. After that they burnt down the town before they left and the next day they burnt down the Monastery of Agia Lavra, birthplace of the Greek War of Independence. In Kastriá, in the municipal unit of Lefkasi, there is the famous cave system Spilaio ton Limnon ("Cave of the Lakes") which is filled with beautiful lakes and strange rock formations. Kalavryta has a ski centre which is located east of town, on the slopes of Chelmos. The monastery of Agia Lavra is located on a hill 4 km (2 mi) southwest of Kalavryta. Another famous monastery nearby is Mega Spilaio which is located 8 km (5 mi) northeast.

some information about the area and the surroundings - sightseeing areas: