Travel Days

During their stay at the Ionian Village, campers make excursions about every other day to religious and cultural sites of Greece. Destinations include:

• Ancient Olympia
• Patras
• Zakynthos
• Kefalonia
• Kastro Klemoutsi
• The Village of Kalavrita
• Ancient Delphi
• Aegina
• Athens
• Syntagma
• Monastirakis, Plaka, Mitropoli

Ancient Olympia: Olympia is a sanctuary of ancient Greece, known for having been the site of the Olympic Games (one of the many Panhellenic games locations). Olympia was not actually a city, but rather an area set aside exclusively for temple dwelling and public buildings associated with the games.  The games were held every Olympiad (i.e. every four years), dating back as far as 776 B.C., and operated during times of a “Sacred Truce” (all Greeks put aside their local wars in favor of the Athletic Spirit).

Patras: Patras is the 3rd largest city in Greece and the largest city in the Peleponnese, as well as significant stronghold during ancient times because of its location as the western gateway to Greece. The new church of St. Andrew, whose construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1979, houses the skull and pieces of the X-shaped cross that St. Andrew was crucified on (while his relics were taken to Rome during the fall of Constantinople, Pope Paul VI returned the skull to Patras where it remains today).

Zakynthos Zakynthos is the closest island to Ionian Village (it can be seen from camp on a clear day) with a population of 10,000. It is the resting place of St. Dionysios, the patron saint of the both the island of Zakythos and Ionian Village. The island also houses a Loggerhead Turtle sanctuary at Laganas Bay, and historically was a cradle for poets, most notably Dionysios Solomos, author of the Greek National Anthem. 

Kefalonia Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands, home of the New Jerusalem Monastery and Church of Saint Gerasimos, built over the cave where St. Gerasimos retreated for several years of his life. The island was occupied by many forces throughout history, and much of it’s architecture was influenced by the Venetian occupation in the 1200-1500’s. Kefalonia also boasts beautiful caves, Dhrogarati, which house impressive stalagmites and contain beautiful colors created by sunlight streaming through the collapsed roof.    

Kastro Klemoutsi Kastro Klemoutsi was once the largest castle in the Peloponnese, named after the Greek word “chelonatas” meaning turtle, because it appeared to resemble the shell of a turtle when viewed from the sea. Built in 1220 by the Franks atop a 300 yard hill, it is considered the most beautiful and genuine example of French architecture of the 13^th century in Greece. Klemoutsi was built in order to protect the town of Glarentsa, which became one of the most important commercial towns of Medieval Europe.

The Village of Kalavrita Kalavrita is known as the birthplace of Greece’s fight for Independence from the Turks in March of 1821, when an assembly of the leaders of the revolt declared their independence, led by Bishop Germanos. The region was a center of resistance against the German and Italian invaders, and as retribution for murdered German soldiers, on December 13, 1943 the Nazis entered the village of Kalavrita and murdered approximately 1300 men & boys on the hillside above the village (only 13 survived to tell the story).  The region also contains the monastery of Mega Spilaion, “Monastery of the Great Cave,” which was founded in 362 AD and houses a famous icon of the Theotokos (“Panayia of the Cave”), attributed to St. Luke.

Delphi For the ancient Greeks, Delphi was known as the center of the world (the “Omphalos” or navel), the point where the earth touched the divine. The games held in Delphi were called the Pythian games, and like the games at Olympia, were held every 4 years and considered part of the Pan Hellenic Games. Archaeologists have found evidence that the site of Delphi was inhabited as far back as the Neolithic era, and that by the end of the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 BCE) it had become an important religious and political center of influence. 

Aegina The tiny island of Aegina (10,500 inhabitants) is significant throughout Greek history, as it was the chief center for trade during ancient times. There are said to be 365 churches on Aegina, one for each day of the year, however the most famous is dedicated to St. Nektarios, the first modern day Saint to be canonized in the Greek Orthodox Church in 1961. Holy Trinity monastery on Aegina contains the tomb of Saint Nektarios and the new church of Saint Nektarios, completed in the early 1990s.  The island is also famous for is Pistachios, one of Aegina’s major exports, which were introduced in ancient times from Persia.

Athens Evidence of the first habitants of Athens dates back to 3500BC and was named after its patron god, Athena, when she beat Poseidon in a competition to become the protector of the city. Over 3 million people live in Athens, the modern capital of Greece, comprising about 1/3 of the Greece’s total population. In the summer of 2004, Greece was the smallest nation in 52 years to host the Olympic Games (XXVIII Olympiad), aiding the full restoration of Athens as a splendid world capital and welcoming spectators with plenty of Greek Hospitality. In the center of the Acropolis (which literally means “top of the city”) stands the Parthenon, a temple built for Athena around 447 BC.

Syntagma Syndagma Square is a busy open space in front of the National Parliament building, from whose balcony the constitution was proclaimed by Greece’s Bavarian King Othon in 1843 (the building was initially built as his royal palace).  Since 1935, the Royal Palace has been the seat of the Greek Parliament.  A paved hollow square is in front of the palace, facing a wall on which is placed a memorial to the Unknown Soldier. The tomb is guarded by the famed Evzones, an elite unit of the Greek army. A highlight for visitors is the changing of the guard, which takes place at intervals throughout the day.

Monastirakis, Plaka, Mitropoli This area houses several churches, two of note are the Metropolitan Cathedral at the center of the square, and the small church (now in the middle of busy streets) of St. Eleftherios.  The Metropolitan Cathedral was constructed in 1840 and houses the relics of St. Philothei of Athens. The square is lined with colorful tourist shops, jewelry stores, icon shops, and cafes.