Olympia Travel Forum

Hi, I am travelling with my parents to Katakolon (via a cruise ship) in October. My dad is in a wheelchair. Does anyone know whether I can take a taxi from the port to Olympia and about how much it would cost (4 passengers)? Is the archaeological museum accessible to wheelchairs? Thanks Pete

Hmmmn, I found this website at http://www.site-seeing.co.uk/places/olympia.htm which states that Olympia has wheelchair access - unfortunately, it doesn't specify whether it means the museum or the site.

I have been to the site, and if you'll look at my photos of Olympia, you'll notice that the terrain is quite flat, so I imagine that a chair with the appropriate wheels for hard-packed dirt would be fine. I have not been to the museum (it wasn't open when I was last there), but look at the photo of the front of the museum at http://www.culture.gr/2/21/211/21107m/e211gm04.html - it looks like there may be only a single step up, and the museum looks like it's just one story.

From Katakolon to Olympia is something like 30 kilometers (20 miles), so I would think that a taxi would be pricey. Plus, Olympia is a pretty small town...when I was there in the 70s, I don't think there was a taxi in town (for the return trip). Also, the ancient site was not in the town itself but rather a short distance away - i.e., there wasn't a taxi stand nearby. Of course, that could have changed in 30 years ;-). Anyway, you may find it preferable to rent a car or arrange for a limo to take you and stay until you want to return. Hopefully, someone closer to Greece will pop in...

Bill

1) The Archeological museum is accessible to wheelchairs: all rooms are on the ground floor. The rooms are very spacious and leave enough room to move around in a wheelchair. As in most museums, the display windows may be too high up for someone sitting down in a wheelchair. However, the most important items of the collection (the Hermes of Praxiteles and the pediments of the Zeus temple) can very easily be viewed from a wheelchair. You will be able to go all around the Hermes statue to admire even his back in detail.
For info on the museum see: http://www.culture.gr/2/21/211/21107m/e211gm04.html
Attention: Oct. 28 the museum is closed.

2) Transport: in general some taxis come to the arrival of cruise ships, however these are usually taken up pretty fast, being accompanied by a wheelchair passenger you may end up with all taxi's gone. Depending on how much time you have before you have to board again, I think it would be good to arrange transport in advance.
Have you tried to locate a taxi company via the Greek Yellow Pages? (They have an English edition); try also taxi companies from Pyrgos (Pirgos).
If this fails, you may want to contact the port authorities of Katakolo and ask for a taxi contact: tel. 26210 41206.
Here is an address for car rental in Katakolo: Dionysios Diplas, tel.: 2621 041727.
If all this fails, contact the tourist office in Pyrgos and ask for taxi/car rental companies in either Pyrgos or Katakolo: 2621-37111, or mail to the regional head office in Patras: eotpa@spark.net.gr.

All this said, I should add one more thing: if time allows and you don't catch a taxi upon the ship's arrival, you can very well go to a taverna, have something to drink and ask them to call a taxi for you. But, of course, in that case it may take some time before it shows up, especially if the driver has to come from Pyrgos. Which would leave you time to enjoy a lunch on the taverna's terras...