Top Attractions in Western Greece

Western Greece Essentials

Western Greece centers on the archaeological legacy of Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and the remote, UNESCO-listed Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae. The region’s history is preserved through the Byzantine-era Patras Castle, the multi-layered Venetian fortifications of Nafpaktos, and the Frankish Chlemoutsi Castle. Notable landmarks include the modern Rio-Antirrio Bridge and the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, the largest church in Greece, which houses the relics of the apostle.

Western Greece Essentials — Map

Matěj Baťha / CC BY-SA 2.5

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Olympia

Olympia, officially Archaia Olympia, is a small town in Elis on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece, famous for the nearby archaeological…

AlMare / Public domain

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Temple of Apollo Epicurius

Bassae is an archaeological site in Oichalia, a municipality in the northeastern part of Messenia, Greece.

Holger Uwe Schmitt / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Archaelogical Museum of Olympia

This museum houses major findings from the nearby archaeological site, including the Hermes of Praxiteles, the Nike of Paionios, and the original sculpted pediments and metopes from the Temple of Zeus.

[1] / CC BY-SA 2.5 it

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Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia was an ancient Greek temple in Olympia, Greece, dedicated to the god Zeus.

Matěj Baťha / CC BY-SA 2.5

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Temple of Hera

The Temple of Hera, or Heraion, is an ancient Archaic Greek temple at Olympia, Greece, that was dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek gods.

Eusebius / CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Rio-Antirio Bridge

The Rio–Antirrio Bridge, officially the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge, is one of the world's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges and…

Napoleon Vier / CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Megalo Spileo Monastery

Mega Spilaio, formally the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, is a Greek Orthodox monastery near Kalavryta, in the Peloponnese…

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

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Agios Andreas

The largest church in Greece and a major pilgrimage site, this Byzantine-style cathedral houses the relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle and the remains of the cross on which he was crucified.

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Kastro Naupaktou

A well-preserved Venetian fortress featuring five defensive walls that descend from the hilltop to the fortified harbor. The site played a strategic role during the 1571 Battle of Lepanto.

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Patras Museum

Housed in a contemporary building with a distinct metallic dome, this museum showcases the city's history from prehistory to late antiquity, featuring an extensive collection of Roman-era floor mosaics.

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Kastro Patras

Constructed by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century on the site of the ancient acropolis, this fortress features Byzantine, Frankish, and Ottoman architectural layers and overlooks the Gulf of Patras.

Roman Klementschitz / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Chlemoutsi castle

Chlemoutsi, also known as Clermont, is a medieval castle in the northwest of the Elis regional unit in the Peloponnese peninsula of…

Eusebius / CC BY 3.0

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Roman Odeon of Patras

The recently restored odeon, dating back more than 2000 years is the most beautiful sight of Patras.

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