Continue your journey to the village of Adami to Lygourio. At the central point of the settlement stands the important Byzantine church of St. John the Eleimona (12th century AD.) Climb up to the upper neighborhood of the village and next to the Town Hall you will meet the church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, a building of Venetian domination (1685-1785 AD) with interesting frescoes. Continue the road after the square on your left and search for Agia Marina (17th century AD). A few meters before, you may see on your left hand the Pyramid of Lygourio. Only its base is preserved. Pausanias refers to it as a small fortress for military guards.

Continuing your excursion to New Epidaurus-Demina in 4km. you will meet on your right hand the holy temple of St. John the Theologian (11th century AD). Your next stop, 5km. away, is the thriving women’s Monastery of Pammegiston Taxiarchon (15th century A.D.).  A little further down, 4  km on the national road to Athens, you will meet on your right the oldest monastery (of 11th century AD.) whose walls are decorated with amazing hagiographies while its iconostasis is three hundred years old. Returning to Ancient Epidaurus 800 meters before the first entrance of the village, on the national grid, turn left on the dirt road (before the AVIN Gas Station) and at 2 km you will find yourself on a deserted beach with pine trees and olive trees, called Polemarcha (the homonymous Monastery of Panagia 14th century AD.). Very famous is also the Avgou Monastery 11th century AD. in the area of ​​Pelei. You may reach it after the Koliaki and Trahia villages.

Visit the Ancient Tiryns, then the Byzantine Museum of Argos and the “Koronioti” or “Skoura” winery.Departure to Nafplion and visit the Palamidi Castle as well as the Archaeological museum. After having a coffee at the Syntagma Square, next to the museum, you may return to Epidaurus early in the afternoon through the Tolo-Drepano-Kantia route enjoying a swim and or a lunch in spectacular beaches in the area. Arrival at the hotel early evening. Enjoy a night swim at the hotel’s pool and dinner at the garden accompanied with outdoor candles.

Drive east with destination to Hydra. By arriving at Metochi, park your car in the public parking area or at the private one (costing around 5 euros) and take a sea taxi, which operates routes every hour or so. Travel across to Hydra at a cost of around 7 euros per person. Swim by the rocks, enjoying at the same time the wild beauty of nature and the aesthetics of modern times. Walk on the old harbor and climb to its upper neighborhoods, finding them full of plants and people. Keep in mind that the area is free of cars.

This a quick and easy trip. Arriving in Galatas, take the ferry in order to have the car (recommended) with you and go round the island and swim in one of its many beautiful beaches. On the way back, turn right for Methana, famous town for its baths. However, we would suggest that you go through the city to climb the volcano and stop a little in the village of ‘Kammeni’ to see the color of the earth: lava. Not far away, the small village Vathi is proposed for lunch early in the afternoon. From there your return to the hotel will take approximately 40 minutes.

Departing from the hotel and passing through the villages of Koliaki you may taste olive oil in the olive oil factory of ” Bekas”, cheese at Katsouli cheese factory and Trachia (croutons) in the traditional bakery called Tzanetos. Later, you will see a small label “Pelei” and you must continue for approx. 2km until you come across a chapel, the Holy Monastery of Avgou. Do not hesitate to step in and see the little church with the “stolen” columns from the Asklepieion site. Climb up to the top of the roof to admire the ascetic cave and of course the view of the Iria bay. Return to the main road and drive to ”Kosta ” where you may leave your car and use the small boats to reach ”Spetses” island. Look for the beach of Agii Anargyri and the cave of Bekiris known for its natural beauty and historical significance (impressive stalagmites with a sandy beach at the bottom of the cave).

Ancient Epidavros (hotel) – Top of Tithiou Mountain.

Transportation: Combination of car–trekking (climbing) Purpose: Getting to know the natural environment, the monuments and the relief of Epidaurus and the Εastern Αrgolida.

Duration: Car approximately 1 Hour. Hiking: about 3 hours

>>

We depart by car from Ancient Epidavros (hotel) and follow the new road to Lygourio – Nafplio. At a distance of 8 km from the hotel and about 4 km from the theater of Epidaurus after an animal farm we turn left on a country road and continue for another 5 km until we reach the forest observatory. There we leave the car and take the path that opens to the east and we follow it to the top of Ai-Lia mountain, Tithius mountain in antiquity. Before we start climbing, we have at northeast an amazing view of the Epidaurus valley, with its vast vineyards in the past, and nowadays extensive olive groves and orange groves.

Straight the road leads to the thriving women’s monastery of Kalamion after passing through the “drakospili” which was the dragon’s cave with the “sphonteli”. The ascent to the mountain is moderately difficult but compensates for the excellent view that offers it to all the signs of the horizon. From the top the view is amazing. Surrounding you can see the whole of the Eastern Argolida with the plains, the mountains, the ravines, the crops, the villages. To the west lies the valley of Ligouri, overgrown with olive groves, with the sanctuaries of Apollo and Asclepius dominating and emphasizing with their presence, the greatness and the history of the area.

Your gaze stops in the waters of the Argolic Gulf and the castles of Nafplion. To the north, from Argolik gulf to Saroniko gulf stands the Arachneo mountain, “Sapiselaton” its ancient name, with its two peaks “Pano Tsuga” and “Ai-Lia”. This is where the last “beacon” ignited to bring to Mycenae the message of the victory of the Greeks in Troy. Here there were altars of Zeus and Hera, where the inhabitants sacrificed during periods of aridness. To the east, your gaze reaches the blue waters of the Saronic Gulf and plays hide and seek with the waves behind the islands that nature naturally sowed, Kyra,Phsili, Agistri, Aegina.

South the mountains, Ortholithi and Didimo complete the backbone of Ermionida. It is hard to leave the top, as the spectacle enchants you, the cool air brings you the sounds of the mountains, mixed with the scents of the shrubs and the ringing of the goats that graze freely, while the look is not soaked by the proud flying of the hawks!

Enjoy the view, turn a candle on ‘Panagitsa’ and go back to the theater. Continue right on the small path to the harbor, pass by the fishing boats, in front of the restaurants and under Agios Nikolaos and before reaching Vagonia Beach turn left and walk along with the locals in the back of the village’s neighborhoods, observing their everyday life. The return to Yialasi will pass in front of the Laskaras bakeshop with the delicious candies and sweets while the stairs next to you will lead you to the Mycenaean tombs. Going down the ladder and 100 meters on the right, you walk up the tavern the “Klimata” with the exquisite stuffed vine leafs and the famous Greek cuisine and after 200 meters uphill you reach the church of Agios Theodoros.

Behind the church, the road uphill will take you to the temple of Artemis. Going down the main road to Yialassi and walking alongside the orange groves, you will meet the restaurant “Kalogerikon” shortly before the hotel. The wider area of Yialassi belonged during the Ottoman domination to the Holy Monastery of Taxiarches. This building was used as a warehouse and resting place for monks. It is worthwhile to taste their honest dishes from pure ingredients in an area with respect to its history. Of course, do not forget that the last part of the route is ‘uphill’. If you have difficulty, here we are!

In the first part of the route (1.5 km) from Kalamaki you will walk by the sea, discovering the area and the beach of Sarandakoupi. Then for another 3.5 km, passing through short vegetation, pine trees and listening to bells of sheep and goats you will find the beach of Polemarcha with its two distinct shores in the olive groves and pines and always with the discreet in the presence of the Holy Monastery of the Theotokos. Following an uphill route to Mount Akros and return to our starting point or to main road.

Tour the selecting and signposting paths of Epidaurus and the surrounding areas following the maps.

More information there.

Starting with your car from the hotel, head to Ligourio from the old road (under the bridge continue straight) and in about 9 km on your left hand you will find the Byzantine chapel of Agios Ioannis theologos 15 century. There you will turn right and an asphalt road for about 2.5 km will lead you to Panagia Chrysospiliotissa, a chapel in the rock.

From there start an uphill course of about 1.5 km for the “Arna” mountain, which offers you nice alternate flat paths from 1 to 25 km with a low difficulty index. You can hike to the village of Arachnaio with the famous “Rozi” creamery or walk down at the village “Demina” and the historic monastery of Taxiarches.

The total route can be from 5 to 35 km. Alternatively, the destination may be the villages of Demina, New Epidaurus or Ano Epidavros.

At the port of Epidaurus there are two of the most organized diving centers in the Peloponnese, Epidive center & Scuba Blue Dream Epidavros. Contact them or ask us to organize a diving trip for you.

The possibility of renting a speedboat and exploring the opposite islands or remote beaches is also a great experience.

Ask us to organize an approximately three-hour boat trip with fishing boat, admire the view of Epidaurus from the sea, swim above the sunken city, reach Kokkinovrachos, take a dive in the deep dark green water of Pikiza, ‘and look for the wild boar on the rocks that are looking for greens. Alternatively try watching the nets fishing procedure.

If you have your own bicycles or use our own explore the wider area as shown for example as a walk. If you are more courageous cyclists starting from the hotel and heading to the old road of Ancient Epidaurus – Lygouriou you can ride about 26 km.

First stop in Ioannis Theologos church (11th century) continue for another 5 km and make your second stop at the ruins of Pyramid and the Sanctuary of Agia Marina (17th century). Descending for about 800m. until you reach the upper square of the old settlement make your third stop at Panagitsa (17th century) and continue downhill for another 800m. through the old neighborhoods of Lygourio, reaching the main road leading to the Ancient Theater and taking your fourth stop at Ag. John the Merciful (12th century). Return to the hotel from the new Theater-Arch. Epidaurus.

Visit and enjoy a carefree walk through the olive groves and take a tour of the “Melas” oil mill www.melasoil.gr

Alternatively, visit the “Bekas” oil mill in Koliaki for a similar experience. www.bekasoliveoil.gr