PELOPONNESE: The birthplace of the Olympic Games!

General

The region of Ilia is criss-crossed by roads, each one leading to something interesting: an ancient temple, a Byzantine monastery, a Frankish castle, a splendid mountain, an endless, sandy beach or equally to the unique Aldemar Olympian Village hotel.
Ilia is situated in the western part of the Peloponnese and is famous for its important archaeological findings, above all the site of Ancient Olympia. In addition, scattered mountain villages each one splendid with unique legends and traditions, are to be found everywhere. With its endless fields and fertile soil, it is as if the land has been blessed by an ancient spirit. Every piece of land has been cultivated with vineyards, olive groves, orange trees, etc. And when it comes to the sea…its coastlines boast kilometres of fine white sand blend with clear, azure waters.

History

Ancient Olympia

The ancient site of Olympia is located in the woody area at the foot of Kronion Hill. The area has been inhabited continuously ever since the 3rd millenium BC and later, during the Mycenean period, it became a religious centre.
As legend woyld have it, the Olympic Games were said to have been held for the first time in 776 BC in honour of Zeus by Pelops, the king of the Peloponnese, who first founded the Games. Thereafter, panhellenic contests were held every four years, attracting athletes from all over Greece. Gradually, these events were enriched in both number and variety and prizes consisted of crowns made from wild olive branches. The ancient Olympic Games came to an end in 393 AD.
Fifteen centuries later, in 1896, the Olympic Games were revived. Since then, for each year the Games are held, the torch-bearer starts out from Olympia to carry the sacred flame to the place where the games are being held.
Excavations in Olympia were started in 1829 by French archaeologists, and followed 45 years later by German archaeologists. Further excavations and research continue to date.

Contemporary Ilia - Travel Tips!

On seeing Olympia, visitors from all over the world are astonished by its impressive series of monuments: ruins of buildings, sacred groves, temples and statues, and not to mention its archaeological museum. The museum hosts many exhibits of finds from the area such as stone heads, marble statues, terracotta pots and bronze figurines.
Very close to the ancient site lies the modern village of Olympia with its unique Olympic Games museum. A series of postage stamps as well as momentoes linked to the history of the games are on display.
Not far from Olympia are a number of other places also well worth a visit: beautifully preserved landscapes, ancient buildings such as the temple of Apollo, Epikourios; traditional settlements such as Lambia and traditional villages like Andritsena; well-known spas like Kaiafas with its life-giving natural springs, picturesque villages by the sea such as Skafidia, and towns built amid emerald green fields and valleys like Zacharo and Amaliada.
The region's capital, Pyrgos, sports exquisite neo-classical buildings, paved squares, small tavernas, and grills serving local delicacies and savoury snacks, all prepared with produce from the fertile soil of Ilia.
This part of Greece seems blessed by the Gods. Hospitality here is not just a word, it is a virtue, a tradition, a way of life!
Only 35 km from the ancient site of Olympia and 8 km from the town of Pyrgos, near the village of Skafidia, lies Aldemar's new "jewel", the Olympian Village hotel. Visit our pages and you will feel you are already there!