The town of Kalavrita is located on the picturesque slopes of the Peloponnese Mountains at an altitude of 750 meters above sea level.
According to archaeological evidence, Kalavrita was the site of the ancient Arcadian settlement of Kinefa, but in the 13th century, during the reign of the Franks, the town received its present name. In 1770 and 1821 Kalavrita took part in the struggle for the independence of Greece, and during World War II it was severely repressed. Thus, on December 6, 1943, the Germans entered the town, demanding the surrender of weapons, imposed a curfew and forbade local residents to leave the town. On December 13, the German army shot almost the entire male population and set fire to the town, but women and children managed to escape and hide in the mountains.
Today Kalavrita has a well-developed tourist infrastructure. There is something for everyone: there is a ski resort near the town, beautiful beaches of the Corinthian gulf, as well as historical and natural monuments. Among the first there are two monasteries - the Monastery of St. Laura, where for the first time, during the Greek struggle for independence in the 19th century, the Greek flag was raised, and the Mega Spileo, with the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Great Caves. Local natural monuments are the Cave of Lakes and the gorge of the Vourekos River, through which passes the notorious cogged railroad.
The ski center of Kalavrita operates daily from December to April and has 12 slopes and 7 ski elevators. At the top of Neraidoraha, in the center, there is a modern telescope of the National Observatory of Athens, ARISTARCHOS, the largest telescope in the Balkan countries.
Along the highway Athens-Korinthos in the direction of Patras.
By train from Athens, Corinth or Patras to Diakopton station and then by mini tourist train to Kalavrita station.
