Katakolon, Greece

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Katakolon


Katakolon, on the west side of the Peloponnese, is the harbor for the quiet Greek town of Pirgos. The port was built in 1857 for the specific task of exporting currants (raisins) from Corinth. To fully appreciate the hospitality of modern Pirgos, spend an evening in one of the cafes or pastry shops lining the town square paved with flagstones. Rub shoulders with the residents who frequent the small tavenas and grills to the narrow alleyways, as you sip local wines and nibble on savory delicacies from the land's fertile soil.

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But Katakolon's main claim to fame is as the gateway to Olympia where the first Olympic games were held in 776 B.C. Only six miles to the east, shaded by majestic olive, pine, and oak groves, ancient Olympia was not a town but a holy sanctuary to honor the games an the gods. Spend an afternoon walking in the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, or the Heraeum, dedicated to his wife, Hera. Wander the stadium and hippodrome where the contests took place, and imagine wearing a champion's wreath of wild olive branches as the crowd shouts in praise.

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