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Greek Islands
> Saronic
Gulf
>
Peloponnese coast (north-east)
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Peloponnese coast
in Greece
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Peloponnese related
sites
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 Originally it was an island, but intense
geological upheavals in the region united and separated it
from the mainland twice. Later, a new retreat by the sea
formed the Isthmus of Corinth. This land bridge was
cut in the late 19th century to make the Corinth canal,
making the Peloponnese an island yet again.
The Peloponnese (Peloponnesus) is a rugged land with a
mountainous interior. The climate is purely Mediterranean
along the coasts, unlike the center which has a relatively
continental climate.
A mythical land whose every corner brings to mind some Greek
myth, the Peloponnese is composed of images and music, the
scents of the sea, of the mountains, of grapes, olives, and
citrus. The cities, towns, and spas of the region were
important centers in antiquity, and remain so today.
Villages seem to grow out of the grey rock, the wild stones
next to the hostile furze. Other villages lie by the vast
open sea, but everywhere the people are vital, hospitable,
haughty, and proud. |
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Peloponnesus sites
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Peloponnesus history |
The rich history of Peloponnese is mostly connected in the
ancient times with the town/countries of Sparta, Argos and Corinthos.
The small communities of the northeast Peloponnesian coast were never
of significant importance for the ancient Greek politics, as they had to
comply with the demands of the strongest towns -Athens or Sparta- taking
sides to one or the other.
The name of Hermione was given from the only daughter of Menelaus
and Helen, who in order to carry out her father's promise towards Achilles
got married to Neoptolemus (Achilles' son), after Menelaus returned from
Troy. According to other post Homeric legends, with which even Euripides
agrees in his play Andromache, it is mentioned that Hermione was promised
to Orestes from her grandfather Tyndareo, while her parents were in Troy.
Orestes demanded the promise to be realized, but as Neoptolemus denied
Orestes killed him and married Hermione with whom he made a son, Tisamenos.
The theater of Epidavros
was famous amongst the ancient Greeks and a cultural center for the area.
According to archaeological studies, life existed on Methana since the
Prehistoric period. This little peninsula had from time to time
constituted a naval base for the Ptolemaeans of Egypt against the
Macedonian forts on Spetses and Hydra.
According to the French geologist Fouch the last eruption of the
volcano on Methana occurred in 273 BC, changing the morphology of the
gulf. This eruption is described in Pafsania's Korinthiaka.
During the Byzantine era
whole of Peloponnese was under Venetian or Franc commend, plundered very
often by pirates from Crete, Egypt and Turkey.
During the Turkish
occupation (1460-1821 AD) the area suffered significant damages and
population were dramatically decreased. Only after the Greek
revolution (1821 AD), especially until 1863 (as the close by town of
Nafplion
was the capital of the new born country) peace was established. |
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Peloponnese today |
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The
ancient theatre at Epidavros, with its' 15.000 seats is one of the most
important monuments in Greece. Yet, it is still in use!!! If
during your staying in Greece it happens and there is a performance there,
is a must you cannot afford to lose. In the link that follows you
may view the performance dates for 2003.
Methana: The volcanic
peninsula of Methana extends into the Saronic Gulf a short distance
from Poros and connects with the Peloponnese through a narrow isthmus.
Methana spas, famous since antiquity, receive hundreds of visitors every
The
houses of the city extend along the beach and climbing up the hill. At the
quay lie the tourist shops, seafood taverns and confectionery shops with
their famous almond cakes and milk pies. Charming Nisaki
(little island), joined with Methana through a narrow strip of land,
constitutes the anchorage of the city. Nisaki is the Methaneans promenade
for their strolls, with rich vegetation, flowers and stone-paved alleys
all the way to the cafeteria that overlooks the beach on the other side of
the narrow strip.
Hermione:
is a quaint little Greek village. Being on a little bit of land jutting
into the sea it is only 4 blocks wide at the largest part and about a mile
to a mile and a half long. The lack of any thing resembling a sandy beach
has saved it from the mass impact of tourism but that doesn't mean there
is not great swimming there, or tourists. The swimming is great and there
is a night life in this little town. |
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Peloponnese hotels
Visit this page to find more about
Peloponnese
hotels
or, if you like me to assist you with
your choice, please
send me an e-mail with your questions and enquiries. I will be glad to reply and
assist you, wherever I possibly can. |
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