Ancient Olympia is just the beginning. The largely unexplored Ilia has other aces up her sleeve, to fill not only weekends, but also regular multi-day holidays. The “definitely” includes the lake and the beach of Kaiafa and the wonderful oak forest of Foloi but also all the places that follow.
Ancient Olympia is the archeological site that excites even people who are generally not enthusiastic about archeological sites. Especially in spring, when the Judas-tree of Altis bloom, turning its vastness into a purple and green spectacle, the dirt roads of Olympia become one of the most beautiful walks you can take, not only in history but also in nature.
The capital of the homonymous state of Ilia and the cradle of the Olympic Games, Ilida experienced special prosperity, having under its tutelage the glorious Sanctuary of Zeus of Olympia. The theatre, the ancient market with the lodges, the sacred and public buildings, the main city with the streets, houses, shops, workshops and cemeteries, the rich findings of all periods, testify to the glorious past of the capital Ilida.
It is one of the rarest oak forests in Europe and unique in the Balkans. It is located southwest of Mount Erymanthos and according to mythology, it was named after the king of the Centaurs Folos, a friend of Hercules. On the plateau of Foloi, the oaks cover an area of many thousands of acres, creating one of the few purely seeded such forests in Europe.
One of the most special landscapes of the coastline of the western Peloponnese, in terms of beauty and ecological importance: the beach with the sand dunes, the seaside pine forest, the lake with its unique vegetation.
Impressive castle monastery of the 11th century, 12 km outside Pyrgos, in the village also called Skafida. The most remarkable part of the monastery is its Tower, which we do not know when it was built and does not look like any other castle or monastery tower in Greece.
It is considered a port of Pyrgos, from which it is about 13 km away. It is a small, picturesque harbor with colorful, tiled buildings adorning its seafront.
We will not exaggerate if we say that Ilia has, together with Messinia, the best beaches of the Peloponnese. Almost all sandy, organized and not, crowded and “secret”, in short enough to cover all tastes.
