Katakolon, Greece: Small Port, Big Reason to Come Ashore

Ancient Olympia is not a city ruin — it is a sanctuary, a cluster of temples and training facilities spread across a wooded valley at the confluence of two rivers. The Temple of Zeus once housed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: a forty-foot chryselephantine statue of Zeus by Pheidias. The statue is long gone, but the fallen columns of the temple's colonnade lie exactly where they toppled in a seventh-century earthquake, arranged in rows as though waiting to be reassembled.

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, adjacent to the site, contains the original pediment sculptures from the Temple of Zeus and the Hermes of Praxiteles — one of the few surviving original Greek marble statues attributed to a known sculptor. The museum is organized logically and not overwhelming. Budget ninety minutes for the site and another hour for the museum.

The torch relay for the modern Olympics still begins here. A ceremony is held in the ancient stadium, where the flame is lit using a parabolic mirror and sunlight. The stadium itself survives largely intact — the stone starting blocks and the judges' stands are original. Walking through the tunnel entrance from the sanctuary into the track produces an odd feeling that has nothing to do with nostalgia.

Katakolon village is reachable from the pier on foot in five minutes. There are tavernas, cafes, and a small beach. It is not a destination in itself, but it is pleasant for a coffee before or after the Olympia excursion. The drive to Olympia takes forty minutes by bus or taxi; organized ship excursions run the same route.

Arrive at Olympia early. The site fills significantly by mid-morning, and the heat in summer is considerable. The combination of ancient ruins and open pine woodland makes it worth the early start.