Corinthian Gulf, Crossing at Patras, on to Kylini

Our long day travel from Meteora through Trikala and to Distomo left us bus-weary but filled with rich experiences. When we arrived on the Gulf of Corinth resort town of Galixidi and the proprietor of the hotel insisted we eat dinner there our collective relief was audible! The dining room looked out onto the blue Gulf, palm and olive trees and the vista of the Peloponnese mountains to the south; Mount Parnassus to the north is above the city. Galixidi, now a resort destination, was a thriving naval and fishing port, and there is a both Folk and Merchant Museums. Colorful bougainvillea climb rock walls throughout this picturesque little town and its houses boast stone balconies with sea figureheads.  We stayed at the Europa Beach Hotel, where most of us conked out before we could put on bathings suits and head to the poo or a bit further to a private beach. After breakfast we boarded the bus for a three hour drive along the coast,  across the Gulf of Corinth on the longest suspension bridge in the world, the Rio-Antirrio. The bridge connects the northern area of Greece to the Peloponnese. 

Across the Corinthian Gulf lie the mountains of the Peloponnese, the southern "hemisphere" of Greece.

Harbor view of Galixidi looking at St. Nicholas Church on the hill. (photo David Litschel Photography)

Our destination is to drive West, cross the Gulf at Antirrio, continue driving Southwest along the northern coast of the Peloponnese to the port town of Kylini, board a ferry (the bus too) for a 2 hour sea journey to the island of Kefalonia. There were no Byzantine site stops but the coastal drive was scenic and relaxing.

View from our hotel in Galaxidi looking toward the Gulf of Corinth.

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Above - fish farms along the Gulf coast.

Approaching the Rio-Antirrio bridge where we will cross to the Peloponnese side of Greece.

This magnificent cabled suspension bridge, the Rio-Antirrio, connects the mainland to the Peloponnese. It is 9,449 ft. long and was completed in 2004. Engineers had to contend with deep waters, seismic movement, the possibility of tsunamis, and difficult sea bottom anchoring.