Question 1

Katakolon on Your Own

Accepted Answer

You can visit Olympia without a tour, but it means a train, bus or taxi inland, so plan your return before you set out. If you would rather stay close, the village, its lighthouse and a museum of ancient technology fill a relaxed half day on foot. Olympia independently: A rail line runs from Katakolon via Pyrgos to Olympia, but its service is seasonal, so check the day's timetable at the station before you count on it. Regional buses run between Katakolon and Pyrgos. At the site: The archaeological site is about a 20-minute walk from Olympia village, no private vehicles are allowed inside, and it is an open-air site, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water. Staying in the village: The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology, on the east side of the central square, shows about 250 working models of ancient Greek inventions. The stone lighthouse is a short walk uphill, with views over the Ionian Sea. Carry your passport: In Greece you are expected to carry your passport to show the police if asked, and a copy may not be accepted. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own, and Olympia is far enough inland that a missed train can cost you the ship.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Katakolon itself is walkable, and the question is how to get inland. A railway line connects the village with Pyrgos and Olympia, and regional KTEL buses connect it with Pyrgos. The train service to Olympia is seasonal rather than year-round. Regional KTEL buses run between Pyrgos and Katakolon, and from Pyrgos on to Olympia. Inside the archaeological site everyone goes on foot.

Question 3

Food and Drink

Accepted Answer

Katakolon's harbor front is lined with cafés and tavernas, so lunch is easy to find without leaving the village. Seafood is the obvious order on this coast, along with the everyday dishes found across Greece. Fresh fish is often sold by the kilogram and can be expensive, so ask the price of your portion before you order it. By law, frozen seafood must be marked as such on the menu. Greek salad, called horiatiki, is tomatoes, cucumber, feta and onion with olives, traditionally dressed only with olive oil. Souvlaki, grilled meat on a skewer, and gyros wrapped in pita are the quick choices.

Question 4

Tipping and Currency

Accepted Answer

Tipping in Greek restaurants was traditionally not customary, and practice now varies. Where people do tip, it is usually a euro or two left on the table rather than a percentage. Tipping taxi drivers is uncommon. Greece uses the euro.

Question 5

Culture and Customs

Accepted Answer

Katakolon is a working village as well as a cruise stop, with a primary school, a church and a central square of its own. Greek is the language, and English is common wherever visitors are served. The Church of Agios Nikolaos, patron saint of sailors, stands on the central square. In summer, do your sightseeing in the cool of the morning and keep the afternoon for shade. Most pharmacies close on Sundays, and the door shows the nearest one that is open. Wildfire risk is high from April to October, and lighting a fire outdoors is illegal.

Question 6

A Brief History

Accepted Answer

Olympia was the great sanctuary of Zeus, where the Olympic Games were held every four years for more than a thousand years. Katakolon, on the coast nearby, has the ruins of a medieval castle and a 19th-century harbor of its own. The first Games, 776 BC: The ancient Olympic Games are traditionally dated to 776 BC. They were held every four years in honor of Zeus, and the victors were crowned with olive leaves. The statue of Zeus: The Temple of Zeus held a huge statue of the god in gold and ivory by the sculptor Pheidias, counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. His workshop was excavated near the temple in the 1950s. The last Games: The last recorded Games were held in AD 393 under the emperor Theodosius I, though some contests seem to have continued after that. Ancient Pheia: The ancient town of Pheia, a harbor of the region, lay on the other side of the Ichthys headland, at what is now Agios Andreas; its remains are under the sea. A medieval castle: The Byzantine fortress of Pontikokastro, on a hilltop near the village, was taken by the Franks around 1205, who called it Beauvoir. Little more than earthworks and tower bases remain. The lighthouse and the harbor: The stone lighthouse was built around 1865 and has been a listed monument since 2001. The harbor was built in the late 19th century to ship currants to Europe. Excavating Olympia: The first major excavation of Olympia began in 1875, funded by the German government. The site museum, opened in 1888, was the first museum in Greece outside Athens. World Heritage: Olympia was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989, and the flame for each modern Olympic Games is still lit there by sunlight focused in a curved mirror. To learn more ashore: The Archaeological Museum of Olympia displays the finds from the sanctuary, including the Nike of Paionios and the Hermes attributed to Praxiteles.

Question 7

Traveling With Children

Accepted Answer

Olympia works for children who like stories of gods and athletes, but it is an open, unshaded site with a lot of walking, so plan around the heat. Children who would rather stay near the ship have a hands-on museum and a lighthouse walk in the village. Younger children: Stay in Katakolon. The walk along the harbor and up to the lighthouse is short, and the cafés are close if you need a break. School age: The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology, on the village square, has about 250 working models of ancient inventions, a good way to make the history concrete before or after Olympia. Older children and teenagers: At Olympia, the ancient stadium is still a plain field with its start and finish lines marked across the track, and the old museum building now holds a museum of the history of the ancient Games. Heat: Bring hats, sunscreen and plenty of water, and avoid the hottest part of the day where you can.

Question 8

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Olympia is a large open-air site that you visit on foot, since no private vehicles are allowed inside. Visitors reach the main gate by crossing a bridge over the Kladeos River, so be ready for sun or rain. Olympia village is about 20 minutes' walk from the site, so arrange transport that can drop you as close as possible. In Katakolon, the lighthouse is uphill from the harbor. Ask your ship about the gangway and the distance from the berth to the village before you set out.

Question 9

Shopping

Accepted Answer

Katakolon has a market of more than sixty shops selling clothing and traditional Greek products. It makes an easy hour if you are not going inland. Olive oil and feta are usually fresh in Greece and are among the foods to look for. Retsina and tsipouro are the Greek drinks to look for.

Katakolon (for Olympia), Greece

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