Katakolon Olympia Greece Cruise Port Guide

Location:

The pier is right in Katakolon or Katakolo, with the town's main (and only) street and plenty of outdoor cafes are a less than five-minute walk away. Duty-free available right on the pier.

Katakolon is your gateway to Olympia, where the ancient Greeks flocked every four years for more than a millennium to celebrate the sacred games dedicated to Zeus. Visit the ruins of the Sanctuary, with its athletic quadrangles, stadium, temples and treasuries; then browse in the modern Archaeological Museum, a treasure house of Archaic, Classical and Roman sculptures, including the famous Niki Winged Victory. Olympia Museum,

Printable map to take along.

Cruise calendar for this port.

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Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers

Port Location on Google Maps

Monthly Climate Averages for Katakolon Olympia Greece

Sightseeing:

Katakolon is a seaside town in western Ilia in the municipality of Pyrgos. The town center is within a gulf overlooking the Ionian Sea. Katakolon is situated on a peninsula and has a lighthouse found in the southwest. The Lighthouse of Katakolon was first opened in 1865 and the town has a population of 612 inhabitants. Some nice beaches close by where you can rent sunbeds.

But the most important sites of Katakolo are the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and The Museum of the Ancient Greek Musical Instruments and Toys.

Tours Excursions Transportation:

to Olympia:

Avis is a two minute walk from the port entrance. Price per day around 40 Euros.

By public transport (KTEL bus) you will first have to go to Purgos and there change buses
to Olympia, same on your return trip.
Katakolon-Purgos is 13 km; Purgos-Olympia 17 km

Taxis are available at the port, but there are also a number of coach companies offering transfers with or without guides to Olympia, beaches and Chlemoutsi Castle. Transfers by coach to Olympia start at 10 Euro return and in general no reservations are needed. The buses stop right in front of the pier. The standard taxi fare is 43 Euros to Olympia (one way).

There are also direct trains from Katakolon to Olympia. Provided your cruise itinerary allows sufficient time at Katakolon, the modern train service is probably the best, and most cost-effect way to travel to Olympia. (about 45 minutes, 10 Euro return)

The train station is at the end of the shopping area in Katakolo, approximately 200 yards from the port gates. If your ship has moored at the longest pier, 15 minutes probably allows sufficient time to walk to and from the station. The Olympic site & Museum is a 5 min walk from the station.

For train and bus schedules http://www.olympia-greece.org/katakolon-train-bus.html

Entrance fee is about 12 euro, museum and ruins.

In Katakolon there are horse and cart rides available for 5 euros per person. The horse doesn't depart until the cart has been filled so you might have to wait a little bit. It is a pleasant ride for about 30 minutes incorporating some of the local streets as well as a beach section.

It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here.

Nearby Places:

Beaches at Katakolon start from the end of the town and stretch in one continuous arc around the huge Kyparissian Gulf for at least 30 kilometers. Some of the beaches are just a walking distance from the port while others are as far as 40 kilometers away from the port. The beaches have couple of decent fish tavernas and beach bars, and the waters are warm and shallow thus making them ideal for small kids.

The Plakes Beach (also commonly known as Reneta Beach) is the nearest beach to Katakolon Port and is found only a short walking distance away - approximately 200 meters. It is a small pebbly beach with nice crystal clear waters which never seem to have jellyfish, and a quiet beach bar with palm-like umbrellas. Some of the amenities offered at the beach include changing rooms and shower. Plakes Beach is a good option if you are in Katakolon for a short visit.

Shopping and Food

If you do not opt to go to Olympia, a leisurely seafront lunch makes for a nice alternative. On the main street the is a good variety of souvenir and other shops.

There is a good duty free shop on the pier, with competitive liquor prices and even better prices on tobacco, better than the prices onboard.

Currency:

Euro.

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Communication:

Greek, English widely understood.

Most of the seafront bars and restaurants offer free and fast WiFi. With a little luck you can connect right from your stateroom balcony.

Opening Hours and Holidays:

Public Services: open Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 2.00pm.
Retail Stores & Specialty Shops: Monday to Friday, 9am – 1.30pm and then again from 5pm – 9pm. Saturdays, 9am – 2pm.
Supermarkets: Monday to Friday, 9am – 9pm, and Saturdays, 9am – 6pm.
Tourist Shops and Convenience Stores: most of these do not have official opening hours and are usually open from dawn to well after midnight during the summer months.

For public holidays click here

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