Greece - Korina Miller [124]
For self-caterers, Vasilopoulos supermarket ( 27410 85281; Kolokotroni 8; 8am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat) is the best of the supermarkets around town. The Produce Market (cnr Kyprou & Periandrou) is the main market for fruit and veg, meat, cheese and other foods.
Getting There & Away
BUS
Buses to Athens (€7.50, 1½ hours) leave every hour from the KTEL Korinthos bus station ( 27410 75424; Dimocratias 4). This is also the departure point for buses to Ancient Corinth (€1.40, 20 minutes, hourly), Lecheon (€1.40, 15 minutes, half-hourly) and Nemea (€4.80, one hour, six daily). You can catch the bus to Nemea from the corner of Aratou and Ethnikis Andistasis and the other buses from the corner of Kolokotroni and Koliatsou.
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CORINTH ISTHMUS (PELOPONNESE) KTEL BUS STATION: GATEWAY TO THE PELOPONNESE
Although it’s plonked on a main road on the Peloponnese side of the Corinth Canal, the Corinth Isthmus (Peloponnese) KTEL bus station ( 27410 83000, 27410 73987) is the spot to change for buses south to the rest of the Peloponnese. No formal timetables are available; all buses from Athens heading to the Peloponnese stop here.
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Buses to the train station and the proastiako depart from Plateia Kentriki (about €1, 20 minutes).
Buses to Isthmia (€1.40, 15 minutes, four daily) and Loutraki (€1.70, 10 minutes, every half-hour) depart from the local bus stops Aratou and Ethnikis Andistasis.
All buses to other regions in the Peloponnese can be caught from the KTEL bus station on the Peloponnese side of the Corinth Canal (boxed text). To get there from Corinth, catch one of the frequent local buses to Loutraki.
CAR
There are several car-hire outlets around the city centre, including Vasilopoulos Rent a Car ( 27410 25573; Adimantou 39).
TRAIN
Seven trains daily head along the north coast to Diakofto (€7, 1½ hours) and Patra (normal/IC €5.70/8.90). Four trains run daily to Pyrgos (€13, four hours). For Olympia you must change to the local train at Patra.
At the time of research the inland line to Tripoli was under repair and replacement buses were in service. Alternatively, take the KTEL buses from the Corinth Canal (boxed text).
The handy proastiako train service runs between Corinth and Athens airport (€10, one hour, eight daily).
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ANCIENT CORINTH & ACROCORINTH
ΑΡΧΑΙΑ ΚOΡΙΝΘΟΣ & ΑΚΡΟΚOΡΙΝΘΟΣ
Ancient Corinth was an affluent and powerful city during its first golden age, when Greek merchants made a mint from their control of trade on both sides of the isthmus and, centuries later, when the Romans rebuilt it anew (but only after first trashing the place in revenge for resisting its rule a few decades earlier). Earthquakes and centuries of pillage left little standing of Ancient Corinth, except for remnants of once-grand buildings, located 7km southwest of the modern city. Thanks to paths, on-site descriptions and a lovely site museum (which is divided into Classical and Roman periods), this wondrous ancient city makes a fascinating visit.
Surrounding the site is the village of Ancient Corinth. Towering 575m above is the Acrocorinth, a massive and much more physically imposing limestone outcrop. It commands dramatic views across the surrounding valleys and hills and is well worth perusing if you have time. Stout shoes are a sensible precaution on the uneven ground.
Most visitors come on whirlwind guided tours, but there’s enough here to warrant an overnight stay. With a choice of restaurants and tavernas, it’s also a better alternative to staying in modern Corinth.
History
During the 6th century BC Corinth was one of ancient Greece’s richest cities, thanks to its strategic position on the Corinth Isthmus. Its twin ports, one on the Aegean Sea (Kenchreai, near Kechries) and one on the Ionian side (Lecheon) enabled it to trade throughout the Mediterranean. It survived the Peloponnesian Wars and flourished under Macedonian rule, but it was sacked by the Roman consul Mummius in 146 BC for rebelling against Roman