Many people are going on cruising holidays these days and one of the stops on many itineraries is Katakolon in Greece. It is the gateway to Mount Olympus and the many wonderful excursions around the area. Yet very little is ever written about the port of Katakolon itself.My husband and I signed up for a wonderful cruise from Genoa back to South Africa via the Suez Canal. A trip of a lifetime! We stayed a few days in Rome en route to Genoa and spent our days on the hop-on, hop-off bus exploring the beautiful city. So by the time we got on the ship at Genoa we were ready for some R&R.
At each port there were organised excursions and as our ship had 2,500 guests and crew members, you can imagine the logistics of getting them on and off the vessel. We had decided early on that we would wait until everyone else had disembarked, then we would take a leisurely stroll around the ports to find what was interesting.We entered the port of Katakolon during the night and when we awoke we were delighted at the sight of the little village nestling against the mountain. Several larger cruise liners were docked in the port and the thought of hustling with all of the tourists at Mount Olympus was just too much. We decided to have a leisurely breakfast and make our way into the village after all the buses had left the quayside. It was a beautiful day and the azure waters of the Mediterranean beckoned.GOING TO MY HEAD
The walk from the ship to the heart of the village took five minutes and although there was a municipal strike on and many large refuse bags lay waiting to be collected, the village still had a wonderful charm. Little houses with colourful pot plants lined the streets and the interesting shops displayed their wares on the pavements. It was bright and beckoning. I felt quite giddy with excitement.We walked around the village feasting our eyes on the many activities to attract and interest the tourists. Train rides, horse-and-carriage tours, restaurants and a very innovative beer and bike pub on wheels - for the price of a beer you got a bar stool attached to pedals, and you then helped the collective effort to pedal the pub around the village.
We found the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology next door to a delightful coffee shop with wifi - it was the most interesting museum tour of our whole trip.
The Ancient Greeks created the most advanced technology of their time and the museum claims to be the most authoritative and complete exhibition of its kind. For example, there was a display of a third-century BC version of motion pictures, in Philon, that used a belt-drive. And the hydraulic clock of Archimedes, from the same period, was the first application of gears and perpetual screws. It was mind-boggling.
For a bit of light relief we enjoyed a lovely cup of real coffee. Although the ship had coffee on tap 24/7, it was not the most appealing coffee in the world and we missed our daily caffeine jolt. We caught up on our WhatsApp messages and e-mails while relaxing.
AND THEN, SHOPPING
During all this time I had repressed the desire to go shopping. However, the bug got the best of me and we set off to explore all the tourist shops. Icons for Africa! Leather goods for Africa!
I was roped into trying on some leather jackets while my husband was placed on a chair outside the shop to watch the passing parade. He thought that was the best idea in the world. More shops should provide husbands with the comfort of a chair and even a newspaper so that wives could spend more quality time shopping.
After a while he got bored and left me to my own devices while he went for a swim at the beach, where I met him an hour later. He looked refreshed and thoroughly relaxed and happy.
The moral is, if your cruise ship stops at Katakolon, don't just drive through it on the bus to visit Mount Olympus. Stop and enjoy what the port village has to offer. It is a gem, with interesting people and places to visit.
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