Best Things to Do in Loutraki Peloponnese

Updated: June 20th, 2022 by Travel the Greek Way

Most Greeks when you mention the seaside resort of Loutraki Peloponnese think of three main things: the Loutraki Casino, the Loutraki mineral water and thermal spa, and summer vacation at the family house. However, there are many things to do in Loutraki Peloponnese, a beautiful seaside area in Greece.

Loutraki is located 80 km far from Athens center (hardly an hour’s drive) towards the southwest in the Peloponnese region on the Corinthian bay. All around the Loutraki area, there are major archaeological sites, lakes, mountains, monasteries, and amazing hiking trails.

In this post, we will explore the beautiful seaside trail in Sterna Loutraki towards the Archaeological site of Iraion, the Melagkavi Lighthouse, and the beautiful Blue or Vouliagmeni Lake where you can swim and have lunch at a traditional tavern. I also provide information on the best archaeological sites close to Loutraki, such as Ancient Corinth.

Some of the best things to do in Loutraki Peloponnese are:

• Hiking seaside Loutraki
• Indulge in Loutraki Casino luxury
• Visit Archaeological Site Iraion
• Go to Melagkavi Lighthouse
• Swim in Vouliagmeni Lake
• Enjoy the world-famous Loutraki Thermal Spa
• Admire the view from Patapios Monastery
• Go to the Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth, Isthmia

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Up next I am going to tell you about the best things to do in Loutraki Peloponnese.

Athens Quick Reference

• Where to stay in Athens: Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens (Doubles from €629 Β&Β) & Ancient Agora Apartments (Doubles from €95 Β&Β), Attalos Hotel (Doubles from €62 Β&Β)
• Heading to the Greek Islands from Athens? Book your ferry tickets in advance with no-hidden-fees FerryScanner or FerryHopper
• Essential Things to Have for Athens Metro: An anti-theft design Backpack, a World Travel Adapter Kit & Microfiber Quick Drying Beach Towel that looks like the Greek Flag!
• Private transfer with English-speaking driver from Athens International Airport to Piraeus Ferries. Check availability and prices on Viator here
• Map of Athens Metro
• COVID INFO FOR GREECE: Ministry of Tourism Official Website

Interactive Google Map for Loutraki Peloponnese

Get your interactive map here of Loutraki, to drive to any of the places listed on hiking Loutraki Greece.

Where Best to Stay in Loutraki Peloponnese

If you like casinos, then you should stay at the Club Hotel Casino Loutraki (Doubles from €111 Β&Β). Club Hotel Casino Loutraki is a luxurious 5-star beachfront hotel famous for its cuisine, both in quality and abundance. If you prefer apartments then the beautifully decorated, spacious Aegean View Villa (self-catering villa from €54), just 4-minutes from the beach and with an outdoor swimming pool, can host up to 9 people.

Best Things to Do in Loutraki Peloponnese

Hiking Seaside Loutraki

If you travel for 16 km (about half an hour by car) towards the northwest of Loutraki, you find a scenic seaside area called Sterna. Sterna is an isolated and unspoiled beach with many small coves and bays with turquoise crystal clear waters, rugged impressive rocks, and sea views that reach the Corinthian gulf.

Sterna is a favorite seaside hiking trail as it combines hiking, swimming, sightseeing, and of course a lot of food in the local greek taverns!

The trail starts at the small settlement of Sterna, you follow the mild downhill between the pine tree forest all the way to the rocky seaside. You start walking towards the Melagkavi lighthouse and the not always easy-to-find, yellow hiking signs.

• Length: 6km
• Estimated Hiking Time: 2,5 hour
• Level of Difficulty: 1/5 but not recommended for young children, there are some tricky slippery spots and cliffed areas. A large part of it is not under shade, so not recommended in the summer heat.

As you are walking, you are amazed by the gorgeous sea views, the open space to the sea on the right, and the wilderness of mount Gerania on the left. Your lungs are filled with gusts of fresh sea breeze and strong smells of wild thyme and mint. In some places, you can even see the sea salt sparkling on the rocks.

Hiking in Loutraki Peloponnese you sometimes walk right along the rocks of the coast and sometimes a little inland, where there is a low pine forest, which does not obstruct the sea view.

While hiking Sterna, you feel like spending some time just gazing at the sea view or at the wilderness of the surrounding rugged landscape, a very exhilarating experience for me. I often feel very happy and alive for just being able to roam the beautiful Greek nature.

The best season for hiking in Loutraki Sterna is late spring (April or May or a very cool June) or late Autumn (October or a warm November).

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Club Hotel Loutraki Casino Greece

Loutraki Casino is one of the largest and most luxurious Casinos in Europe, just an hour’s drive from Athens center (80 easy km by the National Road towards Peloponnese).

The Casino is inside the Club Hotel Loutraki, with a separate entrance door so that privacy and confidentiality are secured. The Casino is open to its guests 24 hours a day, every day of the year with the exception of the Good Friday and Good Saturday of Greek Easter. Read here more about how to visit Loutraki Casino.

Visit Archaeological Site Iraion Perachora

The Loutraki Peloponnese trail ends in the archaeological site of Iraion Perachora where you can freely roam the ancient Greek ruins or have a dive in the nearby sea. The temple of goddess Hera Akraia, is of Doric style and dates back to the late 6th BC. The temple remained intact until 146 AD when it was destroyed by the Romans.

On the same spot, there is also the small Agios Ioannis Greek Orthodox church.

Admire the View in Melagkavi Lighthouse

Just 300-meter off from the Hera Temple ruins stands the impressive Melagkavi lighthouse of Loutraki Peloponnese. The lighthouse first operated in 1897. During World War II it remained closed but went back to operation in 1947, as part of the reconstruction of the Lighthouse Network.

Melagkavi Lighthouse is spectacularly scenic, boasting sublime coastal views and romantic sunsets.

Tip: There is parking close by to visit the Temple and the Lighthouse by car. If you are visiting during the summer take with your hat, suncream and tons of water.

No Entrance Fee is required for any of the sites.

Swim in Turquoise Lake Vouliagmeni

If all those sites around Loutraki haven’t convinced you to visit the place, this Lake will change your mind! Only 3 km away from Iraion Temple, the light blue and green diaphanous water Vouliagmeni lake has been declared an area of exceptional natural beauty with waters that are refreshed through a narrow Canal of the Corinthian Gulf.

You can choose from a couple of taverns to have a meal or drink a Greek beer.

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Loutraki Thermal Spa

Loutraki is built on top of Thermae Springs and is one of the best places in Greece to have a spa and alternative water therapy. The water used in the therapy sessions comes straight from the ancient geothermal springs and has been found that it is enriched with precious trace elements, salts, and minerals.

Check out their website for Loutraki Thermal Spa prices, their therapeutic programs, and treatments. https://www.loutrakispa.gr/en

Monastery of Osios Patapios

A 20-minute drive from Loutraki Peloponnese and towards the Gerania mountains lies the Monastery of Osios Patapios, one of the most important pilgrimages in Greece. The Monastery of Osios Patapios is built around a small cave where the miraculous relics of Blessed Patapios were found in 1904 by Father Constantine Sosanis.

Osios Potapios is perfectly combined with the hiking trail in Sterna or can be visited on a different day. You can call them at +30 2744 022496 to make sure they are open to the public. Normally during the summer, the Monastery is open between 8.00 -14.00 and 17.00 – 20.00.

Walk at the Top of Corinth Canal

Leaving Athens towards Loutraki, the first significant Greek landmark that we find is the Corinth Canal, a real engineering miracle. The Corinth Canal joins the Corinth Gulf to the Saronic Gulf thus reducing dramatically the around the Peloponnese sea travel time. The Canal is very narrow and only smaller boats and yachts fit to cross it.

The nearby archaeological site is the Ancient Isthmia.

Visit the Ancient Corinth and Acrocorinth

Ancient Corinth is the town where Apostle Paul wrote the Epistle to Corinthians while staying there for over a year. In the Ancient Corinth archaeological site, you can see the Bema where Apostle Paul preached Christianity to the local Greeks and Romans of his time. Ancient Corinth is only 15 minutes drive far from the Corinth Canal.

Right above Ancient Corinth, on top of the mountain is Acrocorinth, an impressive ancient castle with a panoramic 360 degrees spectacular view. It is a 10-minute drive from the Ancient Greek city of Corinth.

From Loutraki, you can explore further the region of Argolis, with the UNESCO Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns, the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus, and the stunning town of Nafplion.

Check out those guided tours from Athens that offer the convenience of transport and the local know-how:

How to get to Perachora and the Vouliagmeni Lake

Vouliagmeni Lake in Perachora is a 1 hr 22 min (138 km/86mi) via E94 from Athens. You can get there by:

• Public bus transportation (KTEL), Athens – Loutraki and from Loutraki town you can use the local buses or taxis
• Train to Corinth and take a taxi for the last 15 km
• Rental car
• Get a guided tour, see below:

Luxury Spa Treatment, 3-Course Lunch, Lake, and Temple Included

Enjoy a luxury spa treatment at the Loutraki Thermal Spa, and taste a gourmet 3-course Greek lunch, before heading to the blue lagoon‚ of Vouliagmeni and the ancient temple of the Heraion all on one luxurious vehicle.

Check Viator Website for availability and prices for this fantastic tour in Loutraki here

The top things to do in Loutraki Peloponnese are:

• Hiking Loutraki
• Loutraki Casino
• Archaeological Site Iraion
• Melagkavi Lighthouse
• Vouliagmeni Lake
• Loutraki Thermal Spa
• Patapios Monastery
• Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth, Isthmia

How to Get to Greece

Like most visitors to Greece, you probably need to fly to Athens or Thessaloniki International Airports to get to your final destinations.

I highly recommend you check the KAYAK or Skyscanner search engine site for the Cheapest/Fastest/Best Worldwide Flights. 

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