Peloponnese 2023, part 7 (Trezene, Galatas, Lemonodasos, Porto Cheli, Kilada, Paralio Astros)
While exploring the Argolid Peninsula in eastern Peloponnese, I wished to visit the remains of the ancient city of Trezene (Troezen or Troizen). Easier said than done.
The ancient city of Trezene was the birthplace of the famous Greek hero Theseus. I have already written about Theseus and his most important undertaking in my stories about Crete, Knossos, the Labyrinth and the Minotaur (see: https://www.svudapodji.com/en/crete-1/).
The lives and fates of ancient Greek heroes, along with those of other characters and gods, are intertwined to incredible degrees and stories about all of this spread throughout the territories influenced by Ancient Greece and later by Rome. I always find it fascinating when I realise that I have come across some of these stories about the fates of the ancient Greeks in various places and countries. For example, the tragic fate of Theseus’s son Hippolytus and his stepmother Phaedra are mentioned in the context of the Hippolytus Hall in Madaba, Jordan (see: https://www.svudapodji.com/en/jordan-2/).
Hippolytus is also significant in the context of the Trezene archaeological site, near the modern village of Troezen. To reach this rather hidden site, I first passed through the village and then took a narrow local road to a spot where I parked my car and decided to continue exploring on foot. Although I succeeded in my plan, I realised I could have driven right up to the entrance of the site, though I would have had to navigate a dirt road in the final stretch.
When I arrived at the site itself, I found there was no infrastructure in terms of a ticket booth where I could buy an entry ticket. However, this wasn’t an issue since the gate leading to the enclosed site was open.
I found it even more interesting when I saw that I wasn’t alone and that a couple had already arrived and started exploring the site. So, I wasn’t the only one who was being silly, and perhaps a bit idle, as well.
Here, too, in the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, there was once an Asclepieion or the Sanctuary of Asclepius, although it was clearly overshadowed by the one in Epidaurus. On the other hand, after Hippolytus’s death, a cult dedicated to the hero was established here and he later became a locally revered god. Thus, the Sanctuary of Hippolytus is also often mentioned and a small temple dedicated to him was built on this site as well.
At the site, there were a few informational boards, but I didn’t find them particularly helpful. So, I continued to walk around and enjoy the site as I saw it. After all, excessive detail isn’t really necessary.
Since the sanctuary was significantly damaged by a local earthquake in the mid-3rd century BCE, the ruined structures remained until the arrival of the Romans, who restored them. Later, with the rise of Christianity, old materials were repurposed for new buildings, such as the church of Episkopi. However, these buildings also deteriorated over time and the materials from them were used for other purposes.
As I walked around the site, I came across a very interesting plant in several places, but I couldn’t figure out what it was (the internet suggested horsetail and asparagus as possible options). Regardless, it was quite picturesque.
As I made my way back to the car, I noticed a tower. This tower was once a part of the ancient defensive walls.
Then I continued on and drove to the town of Galatas, located just across from the picturesque island of Poros, which comes highly recommended for a visit. It’s possible to drive onto the island or you can take one of the many boats. Neither option is a problem since the distance is short.
However, I decided to just have a coffee on the mainland and not cross over to Poros at all. On the one hand, it would take too much time and I hadn’t planned to explore the island by car. Besides, crossing to the other side just to have a coffee seemed unnecessary, especially since the view was much nicer from Galatas.
Moreover, I realised in the end that I hadn’t taken a single photo of Galatas itself, not even when I strolled along the shore. My gaze was constantly directed towards the island of Poros.
The next destination was quite unconventional, but I had read about it in my guide, so I decided to seek it out. It wasn’t any archaeological site or church, but supposedly a huge orchard – a real forest – containing around 30,000 lemon trees, while the place is called Lemonodasos. So, I turned off the main road onto some side ones, which were winding and narrow.
At one point, I stopped at a spot where I estimated I could turn the car around, which was very important since that wouldn’t be possible everywhere. I was not only considering the space to turn, but I also wanted to make sure I wasn’t too close to a curve where another driver might not see me.
After resolving the parking situation, I walked around a bit, but I didn’t actually see any lemons. There were some citrus fruits that were still unripe, but those I noticed looked more like mandarins or oranges. However, the spirit of the area was certainly present.
So, I safely turned the car around and then continued on, practically making a loop through the whole area. The road was still narrow.
Once back on the main road, I continued driving along the perimeter areas of the Argolid Peninsula in a clockwise direction. As I started to go uphill, I stopped at one point to capture the view of the sea and the island of Poros, which I had previously seen from the shore.
On the other side, I could see olive groves in many places.
Some 50 km from Lemonodasos, now on the western coast of the Argolid Peninsula, I arrived at my next destination: the town of Porto Cheli.
Because of its naturally well-protected bay, this area is popular as a wintering spot for yachts and luxury boats. This is quite evident when walking along the marina.
Although Porto Cheli is known as a holiday resort, it was September and it was clear that the season was coming to an end. In addition to the yachts already docked and ready for winter, I noticed that about 80% of the restaurants and cafes were closed. I was hungry and had planned to have lunch there. Still, I did manage to find a nice place and had my meal.
After some nice, relaxing time, I took a little more stroll along the marina, photographing some interesting details along the shore.
Then, I drove just less than 15 km north to Kilada, another cosy bay where boats and sailboats were docked, but they seemed less luxurious than those I had seen in Porto Cheli.
This place isn’t found on tourist maps, but I came here to enjoy a nice view of Franchthi Cave, knowing I wouldn’t be going there myself. To reach the cave, you have to walk along a pretty trail that runs parallel to the coast, but unfortunately, I didn’t have time for that.
This is an archaeological site from the Stone Age, where traces of human habitation dating back to around 38,000 BCE have been discovered. The cave continued to be a seasonal dwelling for people until about 3000 BCE, when it was permanently abandoned.
Instead, I walked a few hundred meters along the wide street by the harbour in Kilada and then sat at a café.
While I enjoyed my coffee, I received news about an exciting work opportunity awaiting me when I returned home. In such a good mood, I finally started to feel better, while the sensation of catching a cold became a thing of the past.
After the pleasant break, I got back in the car and headed toward Nafplio, which is about 70 km away. I occasionally stopped to take photos of the surroundings, as the road now continuously passed through the interior of the Argolid Peninsula, making it interesting both to see and photograph.
Upon returning to Nafplio, I took a short walk and then settled down for a beer before retreating to my room, where I made plans for the next few days since I would be heading further south in the Peloponnese the following day.
The following map shows the places I visited on this day, as well as all other places I went to during this stay in Peloponnese in September 2023:
In the morning, I woke up feeling completely normal after a good night’s sleep. I stepped outside to a nearby grocery store, but a fresh, relatively strong wind hit me and I immediately felt unwell – weak and as if I might catch a cold. But what could I do? I had breakfast, took some aspirin and set off.
To start with, I drove about 30 km to Paralio Astros. Along the way, I stopped at a few spots to capture the beautiful sea within the Argolic Gulf.
As for Paralio Astros, while it holds significance in Greek history (it was the site of the second session of the National Assembly in 1823), I didn’t focus on that at all. I stopped here just to take a walk and try to relax as much as possible, hoping to help my body stabilise. In the end, I succeeded and it all started with a visit to the harbour, where I enjoyed the beautiful view of Paralio Astros and its charming details.
My conclusion was that this is an exceptionally lovely place and I associated it with meditation. It was sunny and peaceful, everything was beautiful and clean, so I sat down at a café by the sea, enjoyed a coffee and read. It felt wonderful.
When I felt that I had rested enough and was feeling good, I first took some more photos of the beach in this area and then I strolled along the main commercial street that runs parallel to the coast.
Of course, in the recent years, colourful umbrellas have become a prominent decoration in many streets around the world, but I must admit they do add certain vibrancy to the atmosphere.
The stretch of the coastal areas along the eastern shore of the Peloponnese, from Paralio Astros south to Leonidio, is called the Arcadian Coast. On one side is the sea, while on the other are the slopes of Mount Parnon, whose highest peak reaches 1,935 meters above sea level. Although this area is very beautiful, it was accessible only by sea until 1976, which meant that tourism developed more slowly at that time. From what I’ve read, even today, despite the modern wide road, this part isn’t as popular among tourists as some other areas of Greece. In situations like this, I always find myself wondering, “With so many extraordinarily beautiful places, how does one choose just one?”
Having left Paralio Astros, I came across the Moustos wetland just about 6 km further south. I hadn’t even known about this area, but as I drove past it, I realised I was intrigued. So, I turned around a bit further along and went back, parked the car in a convenient spot and took a little walk around.
This small lake (lagoon) and its marshy surroundings are connected to the sea by two channels, as there was an intention in the 19th century to drain the lake due to malaria affecting the residents of nearby villages. Today, malaria is no longer a concern, but the entire lagoon, along with Mount Parnon, is designated as a Nature Protection Area due to its biodiversity.
On land, you can find otters, badgers, foxes, weasels and more, while various bird species can be seen around the wetland. I spotted and photographed a couple of them, a great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), as well as a common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus).
But, at this spot from which I was observing the Moustos wetland, there’s also a lovely “natural pool.”
As can be seen in the previous photo, there’s a sign indicating that entering the water barefoot is prohibited. I had no intention of entering, either barefoot or in my footwear, but I intensely admired the water and its crystal-clear clarity.
From what I understood, there’s likely a spring here and the water flows from there into the lagoon.
What further amazed me was the large number of fish that could be seen in the water.
I was very pleased that I made this unplanned stop and in such a good mood, I continued south along the Arcadian Coast. My next destination was the village of Agios Andreas.