Katakolon Olympia 07-24-2013

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Katakolon (Olympia) Greece Port GuideKatakolon port is the gateway to the world-famousOlympia site. There are ruins of the Altis Sanctuary, asacred place to worship eus, the father of the gods. TheTemple of eus had a huge statue with i!ory and gold thatwas one of the se!en wonders of the world. "#ca!ations

from the ruins unco!ered well-preser!ed masterpieces,which are now on display at the Archaeological $useum.

%n the &th century '(, a sacred truce was made )y *reek (ity States to cease hostilities for a short time e!eryfour years to hold Olympic games. There are ruins of

)uildings used in the games. +hen you !isit the stadium,you can ha!e a foot race with your friends.

Olympia is only miles and a -minute ride from Katakolon. Admission to the site and museum is / euros.The site has wide pathways and there are no hills nor steps to clim). %t0s easy to walk1 people in wheelchairs getaround fine. 2owe!er, )e prepared for the sun and heat.

GPS CoordinatesThis guide includes *3S (oordinates for tourist sites and key locations. Open this port guide in one window onyour computer and open *oogle $aps in a second window. (opy and paste the *3S coordinates into *ooglemaps to find sites and get directions and time for tra!el )y car, )us, walking, or )icycle. The coordinates can )eused with any *oogle map format such as map, satellite, earth, and terrain !iews at any map scale.

These coordinates can also )e used in hand-held or !ehicle *3S de!ices. 4ote that these de!ices can acceptdifferent formats. %t0s important to set your de!ice to accept data in this format5

6egrees, $inutes, and Seconds shown as 4 ddd7 mm0 ss.ss, " ddd7 mm0 ss.ss

Table of Contents Subject PagesKatakolon (Katakolo) Port - Cruise ship dock location 2Travel Options to Olympia rental car, taxi, train, ship s excursion !us, private tour !us 2-"

# short history o$ Olympia %&ap o$ Olympia To'n and istoric ite *+alkin routes to the historic siteTicket !ooth, carria e ride .&o!ility /ssues - 0o 1ou eed a 3uide4 5Photos 6 map o$ ruins site 7-89

#rchaeolo ical &useum 88-823P coordinates $or Olympia area 8"Olympia To'n 8"-8%

otel :riniotis vie' o$ the !eaches 8*3oal o$ port uides 1our $eed!ack is important 8

CAVEAT%nformation contained herein is )elie!ed to )e accurate. 38"AS" !erify information for your tra!el plans.Opinions e#pressed are my own. 9ou are free to use and share this guide for non-commercial purposes. This

port guide is protected )y copyright law - see the last page of this guide for legal notices.

om SheridanNote: I would like to thank Len Cole and Raymond Ma for their help on this guide.

Katakolon-Olympia-9.-2%-298" Pa e 8 o$ 8 ;or more uides, see ' ''


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Katakolon (Katakolo) is the Port for Olympia

There are two piers as shown in the 'ing.com aerial photo a o!e .

Katakolon is a tiny port town with aresident population of :; . The sea frontis lined with cafes and restaurants. (photoleft) 9ou can rela# under in the shade anden miles? and a minute ride to the parking lot at Ancient Olympia. @or me, the tra!el issues arerelia)ility of transit, how far % ha!e to walk, the likelihood of getting lost, and cost.

+e took the ship0s )us e#cursion tour the first time we !isited Olympia in &. A guide walked with us ande#plained details a)out the site. She was !ery good. +e en


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Tra!el Options +et$een Katakolon Port and Olympia@or our second !isit to Olympia in $ay ; , % considered renting a car, a ta#i, the train, and a pri!ate )us tour5

,or me rentin& a car seemed to e more of a hassle than it $as $orth%%t0s only miles round trip. There0s not much to see dri!ing through the farm areas and there are no places to!isit en-route. There can )e pro)lems finding a place to park at Olympia and renting a car can )e e#pensi!e.

Ta-is are = euros each way or ;; euros for a =-hour tour, including waiting time.

The train is a lo$'cost option ut there is a relia ility issue%Trains are modern, clean, air conditioned, and the fare is only euros. Trains )etween Katakolon, >Katakolo>OS"? station? and Olympia are run )y the 2ellenic Bailways Org. Trains only run on the days ships are in port.Train ser!ice )etween Katakolon and Olympia was cut )ack se!erely in the *reek financial crisis. +ith limitedser!ice, tra!elers complained they had to change trains in 3irgos and worried they might not get )ack to the shipon time. Train ser!ice was restored, )ut the issue is not resol!ed. The *reek *o!ernment has announcedoffering a tender for sale, in the second Cuarter of ; , of a ; percent stake in the 2ellenic BailwaysOrganiDation >OS"?.(AET%O45

Train schedules might change during these times of cost-cutting and pri!atiDing the *reek Bail System. Ferify the schedule during the day you will )e in port. There is a =-hour phone ser!ice in *reece to

o)tain train information in "nglish and *reek )y calling ;;; while in *reece. The email contact iscallcenterGosenet.gr see http5HHwww.olympia-greece.orgHkatakolon-train-)us.html

"#tensi!e information on all tra!el options )etween Katakolon and Olympia is a!aila)le athttp5HHwww.katakolon.orgHkatakolon-train.html, )ut their latest update on trains is dated Iuly ; , ./00 .

% suggest you ha!e a )ackup tra!el plan to Olympia in case the train is not running the day you are in port.

Ship*s us e-cursionShip0s tours are always relia)le, and the ship won0t lea!e without you. Our tour in & had a guide. She was!ery good. +heelchair transport is an issue for some passengers. (heck with your ship. 3eople in wheelchairswere touring the archaeological site. % assumed they used the ship0s e#cursion )us to Olympia.

Pri!ate +us Tour$y priority was relia)le, reasona)ly priced transportation to Olympia. The Katakolon E-press +us Tour was

perfect for our needs on $ay ;/, ; . 8en (ole and Baymond $a organiDed pri!ate e#cursions for se!eral ports !ia our ship0s (ruise (ritic Boll (all. Bay arranged the )us tour in Katakolon. There were J; of us ontwo )uses. (ost was euroHperson cash on the )us. The )us was con!eniently parked outside the securitygate near our ship, so we didn0t waste time walking into town. 9ou can arrange tours for a group or sign upindi!idually for the )us at http5HHwww.katakolon-e#press.comH The company also offers a ; euro, -hour tour.

2ere0s the schedule for our )us tour5/ am 6epart from the security gate near our ship in Katakolon/5= am Arri!e Ancient Olympia; 5 pm 6epart Ancient Olympia for a -minute stop at the town of Olympia

;5= pm Arri!e at the 2otel Friniotis to see the )eaches5; pm Arri!e )ack at the ship dock in Katakolon

The )us made a special stop at the resort 2otel Friniotis so we could see the )eaches. +e were pleased with thetour. % would highly recommend it. % ha!e descri)ed the details in this port guide.GPS Coordinates for Katakolon Port Area (see the map on page 2 of this guide)

Cruise ship securit gate !est pier " #$% #&' *+#,- . 2 % /' /*0&,Cruise ship securit gate east pier " #$% #&' 1*# ,- . 2 % /' 2/*2#,Katakolo ( S.) Train Station " #$% #&3 + */4- . 2 % &3 +&*/4

Katakolon-Olympia-9.-2%-298" Pa e " o$ 8 ;or more uides, see ' ''


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A Short 1istory of Ancient Olympia

Olympia was named after $ount Olympus, the residence of eus, father of the gods. %t was a sanctuary, acenter for worship. %n ; '(, pilgrims came from all o!er *reece to make offerings to eus. "missaries of *reek (ity States !isited the Oracle of Olympia asking for the gods0 )lessing in )attle.

According to legend, a sacred truce was entered in &&: '( )y *reek (ity States to cease hostilities for a shorttime during Olympic games. The games )egan in the & th century '( and were held e!ery four years.

The ma


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Olympia To$n and 1istoric Site (map elo$)

Katakolon-Olympia-9.-2%-298" Pa e * o$ 8 ;or more uides, see '''


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4OT"5 There are two )us parking lots. Some )uses drop passengers off at the main lot and then pick them upat the parking lot ne#t to the museum. 2ake sure you kno$ the meetin& point for your us to Katakolon%

Terminolo&y" Olympia To$n is also called the $odern Town of Olympia, Archaia Olympia, and Archea Olimpia. The historic site is called Ancient Olympia and Antikes Olympia % The museum is referred to as the Archaelogical $useum %

The ruins are descri)ed as the Archaeological Site. 3alkin& 4outes Sho$n on the 2ap on the Pre!ious Pa&e

7rom the main bus parking lot to the ticket booth8+alk 88%5 $eet south and !ear le$t 'here the road divides< This route is sho'n on the map as !lue dots

Katakolon Olympia 07-24-2013

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