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This 2-minute aerial video by Point of View GR takes viewers on a scenic flight over the Heraion archaeological site, the beach, and the Melagavi lighthouse — and shows the wonderful coast and gulf views from the peninsula
Our second stop was the Sanctuary of Hera (also known as the Heraion of Perachora and the Archaeological Site of Herai Perachora), a couple of kilometers past Vouliagmeni Lake.
Occupying a hillside above a small cove on the Gulf of Corinth coast, the sanctuary was dedicated to the goddess Hera, and dates back to the 7th Century B.C. Remnants of two temples, a house, a stoa, dining rooms, water channels, a cistern and an altar have been discovered, as well as numerous wall segments. A chapel, observation decks, pathways and a jetty have been built in recent years. A detailed description and site map of the sanctuary can be found in the Sanctuary of Hera at Perochora entry on the University of Warwick’s archaeological database. The history and culture section of the City of Loutraki website also provides insight into the ruins on its page, The Heraion of Perachora.
There was no entry gate or ticket office, so we were able to enter and wander the grounds at our leisure. Though the sanctuary is interesting to visit, and doesn’t take long to explore, we were more impressed and fascinated by the scenic views than the ruins. Nevertheless, we found it worthwhile to combine it with Vouliagmeni Lake in our daytrip, since they’re situated so close together and easy to reach by car.
The Sanctuary is a truly special spot offering visitors the opportunity to explore the historic ruins, observe gorgeous scenery and gulf views, and then take a dip at the beach directly below the archaeological site. Those feeling adventurous can even cliff jump from points along the rocky coast beside the beach. People who visit the site late in the day can afterwards hike to the nearby Melagavi lighthouse, which was built in 1897, to watch the sunset.
Here are some of our photos of the sanctuary and its scenic views:
A Gulf of Corinth view from the upper grounds of the sanctuary
Above, three views of the lower areas of the sanctuary site
Above, the view from the upper grounds of the sanctuary to a rocky peak where a chapel dedicated to Agios Nikolaos is nestled against a cliff
Visitors snap photos and selfies from a scenic lookout platform on the site
Cliffs of the Argilaos Pensinsula loom above the sanctuary
A peek at the Melagavi lighthouse atop the peninsula. We didn’t hike over to the historic building, so unfortunately we missed out on seeing what is considered one of the most beautiful lighthouses in Greece — and its spectacular, unrivalled views of the Gulf of Corinth.
An aerial photo of the Melagavi lighthouse, from the Visit Loutraki tourism website. You can see more of the lighthouse, its location and its stunning views in the short video at the bottom of this post.
Although the panoramic views from the lighthouse would have been outstanding, we still saw some lovely Gulf of Corinth scenery from a lookout point near the Sanctuary of Hera parking area
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