About Kalavryta (Kalavrita)

Kalavryta, whose population was massacred during the second World War

The Monastery with the Memorial in the background

Historical Kalavryta is the favorite place of many - mostly Greek - tourists. It is distant 190kms from Athens. The knot is at the 159kms on the national road of Athens - Patra. It can also be reached by rail (22kms from Diakofto) by the unique famous funicular railway crossing the renowned gorge of Vouraikos River on its way up. The name the town bears today dates from the Middle Ages, and derives from the words "kala vryta", meaning good springs.

The most sacred place in the Monastery of Mega Spilaio

What to visit:
· The Monastery of Agia Lavra where the revolution of 1821 started. There you can admire the historical banner of the revolution and the heirlooms (5kms).
· The Monastery of Mega Spileon (built on a rock) where the miraculous icon of virgin Mary (one of the four icons painted by Apostle Loukas) made of wax and mastic is being kept (10kms).
· The Museum where there are among other things, a Gospel studded with diamonds, a gift of Catherine the Great, the skull of Saint Alexios, and the crozier and vestments of Bishop Yermanos.
· The Panhellenic Monument of 1821 (6kms).
· The Execution Monument where the German conquerors executed every male citizen at 13 - 12 - 43 (1km).
· The Ski Center (1600 - 2200m. altitude) at which you can take ski lessons (12kms).
· The Cave of the Lakes at Kastria which is one of its kind (16kms).
· The trout aquarium of Planiterou placed on the foot of mountain Helmos where you can try the tasty fried trout, fished and cooked on the spot (9kms).

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