Country Images Magazine North January 2018 | Page 29

Above:
Th e temple of Poseidon or the second
temple of Hera, c. 460–450 BCE
Below:
Th e picturesque bay at Agropoli.
from around 600BC (or if we follow the latest school
curriculum BCE), these three well preserved Doric temples
are surrounded by the ruins of the ancient town. Walking
around the paved roads of this 2500 year old ancient city
and examining the old structure of shops, semi circular
amphitheatre, and gymnasium reveals so much about
the rich history of this settlement. Just touching the 5th
century BCE walls is a treat as we tread and feel the history.
Th ere are steps to climb up, and look down into what
was once someone’s home, communal baths and market
squares. Floor mosaics that are cordoned off show signs of a
settlement that had style and oozed craft manship.
Above:
Th e temple of Athena viewed across the historic site.
Below:
2500 year old mosaic fl oor.
Parking here is tricky and, as a word of caution, don’t believe
the locals who say ‘yes it’s OK to park here’. We did this and
ended up two months aft er our return fi nding that the car
hire company had charged us all on our credit cards around
12 Euro’s each for parking in a restricted zone. Th e big
question rattling in my brain: Was this a scam by the police/
the vendor/the car hire company? Th e jury is out on this one
so beware if you do visit.
Under a blazing sun with hats, purchased from the friendly
(er?) street vendor, umbrellas and bottles of water at the
ready we embarked on our aft ernoons mission. It became
clear aft er three hours that this is a trip that needs a diff erent
plan. It’s a good full days visit to get the best results and
breaking for lunch or Peroni to get out of the noonday sun
CountryImagesMagazine.co.uk | 29