Kyparissia - Ancient Messina - St. Theodora's Church - Temple of Apollo at Bassae - Kyparissia

The first stop in a chic archaeological complex, undeservedly unknown to the general public. Maybe because the excavations here started relatively recently, about 40 years ago and are still ongoing. The city of mystery, which flourished during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, it surpassed even Athens in area. Numerous public buildings - temples, theatres, stadium, gymnasiums, Asklepios - amaze with their preservation and size. In my opinion, it's fresher and more interesting than Olympia. I can help order a local English-speaking guide in advance.

Be sure to stop at the Arcadian Gate, which consists of outer and inner walls and is built of stone blocks. On the cobbled ancient road inside the gate, you can still see the tracks carved by countless chariots over many centuries.

The tiny church of Agia Theodora, built in the 12th century, miraculously keeps 17 huge plane trees on its roof, which is amazing, the roots are not visible either under the roof or near the walls. A holy spring flows from under the temple. If you want to have lunch, take the same road back to 500 meters, where you will find Neromilos tou Nikola (Mill of Nikola). It is a charming place buried in greenery, a restored water mill and a traditional tavern with a wood-fired stove and home cooking. It is cooked here according to ancient recipes from farm products.

The Temple of Apollo Epikourios was built in 420-430 BC by architect Iktin, who also built the Acropolis. The temple is beautifully preserved. Here you can see elements of all three orders - Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The temple was built at an altitude of 1130 m, which imposes certain conditions. For protection from the weather, the temple is covered with a protective awning from above. It works only in the summer period, from April to October. But also in summer please keep in mind the following. For security reasons the Temple of Apollo Epikourios will remain closed to the public when extreme weather conditions are forecast in the area (wind speeds exceeding 6 Beaufort and wind gusts reaching 70 km/h.) Please contact the ticket office to confirm the operation of the site on the phone (+30)26260-222275.

Return to Kyparissia. The coastal part of Kyparissia is quite modern, with a traditional square in the centre. But there's an antiquity to it, too. On the waterfront, next to the beach of Ai Lagudi, is the source of Dionisiada. Pausanias mentioned in his descriptions that Dionysus knocked his staff and the source of "Dionisiada" appeared at the place of impact. You can have dinner in the fish tavern on the quay overlooking the sea and the port.

Sleeping in the same hotel as the night before.