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.
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.