Greece - Korina Miller [122]
Most of the attractions are out of town, so it’s very handy to have your own transport.
Kalavryta’s taxi rank ( 26920 22127) is in front of the train station.
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AROUND KALAVRYTA
Moni Agias Lavras Μο Αγας Λαρας
The original 10th-century monastery ( 10am-1pm & 3-4pm winter, 4-5pm summer only) was burnt by the Nazis. The new monastery has a small museum where the banner standard is displayed along with other monastic memorabilia. Buses heading south from Kalavryta to Klitoria can drop you a short walk from the monastery, or take a taxi from Kalavryta (one way around €10).
Cave of the Lakes Σπλαιο τω Λιμώ
The remarkable Cave of the Lakes ( 26920 31001; www.kastriacave.gr; adult/child €9/4.50; 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6.30pm Sat & Sun Jul & Aug; 9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5.30pm Sat & Sun Sep-Jun) lies 16.5km south of Kalavryta near the village of Kastria. The cave features in Greek mythology and is mentioned in the writings of the ancient traveller Pausanias, but its whereabouts remained unknown in modern times until 1964, when locals noticed water pouring from the roof of a smaller, lower cave after heavy rain and decided to investigate. They found themselves in a large bat-filled cavern at the start of a winding 2km-long cave carved out by a subterranean river.
The cavern is now reached by an artificial entrance, which is the starting point for a 500m boardwalk that snakes up the riverbed. You must go with a guide (Greek-speaking) on the 35-minute tour. The ornate stalactites are mere sideshows alongside the lakes themselves. The lakes are a series of 13 stone basins formed by mineral deposits over the millennia. In summer the waters dry up to reveal a curious lacework of walls, some up to 3m high.
Getting to the cave is difficult without your own transport. A taxi from Kalavryta costs about €35 return.
Trout Farms & Restaurants
A pleasant afternoon’s eating can be had in the tiny village of Planitero, about 20km south of Kalavryta (6km north of the village of Klitoria), where half a dozen trout restaurants and several trout farms line the banks of the tree-lined Aroanios River. Several restaurants have outdoor seating areas built out over the river; most are under the shade of the plane trees themselves.
You can’t really go wrong choosing a restaurant. They offer similar fare at similar prices – it’s fun to cruise the area (all are within a 500m radius) to find an ambience that suits you. A trout of your choice costs around €7 to €9.
The turn-off to Planitero is signposted to the left about 4km short of Klitoria.
Activities
With 12 runs and seven lifts (two chairlifts), the Ski Centre ( 26920 24451; www.kalavrita-ski.gr; 9am-4pm Dec-Apr), elevation 1700m to 2340m, is 14km east of Kalavryta on Mt Helmos (2355m). It has a cafeteria and first-aid centre but no overnight accommodation. It also rents skis and snowboard equipment (€20 to €25 for boots and skis or snowboard). In Kalavryta try Ski Time Center ( 2692 022030; Agiou Alexiou) for ski hire.
There is no public transport to the ski centre from Kalavryta. A taxi costs about €25 return. The season lasts from December to April, snow permitting.
For rafting or hiking opportunities along the Ladonas River, boxed text.
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CORINTHIA ΚΟΡΙΝΘIΑ
Corinthia has disappointingly little to show for all its rich and tumultuous history (something it owes largely to its strategic position adjoining the Corinth Isthmus). Throughout time several empires have wrestled for dominance over the Peloponnese here; the Romans constructed a vast wall across the isthmus, many centuries later the Turks overran it and pretty much everyone else has attempted to carve a canal across it (like most large-scale civil engineering projects the schedule slipped a little bit behind: about 2600 years, in fact).
The Corinthia region was once dominated by the mighty, ancient city of Corinth; this makes a fascinating visit. Several minor sites in the pretty hinterland west