Trípoli
is a
major
crossroads
of the
Peloponnese,
from
where
most
travellers
either
head
northwest
through
Arcadia
towards
Olympia
or Pátra,
or
south
to
Spárti
and
Mystra
or
Kalamáta.
To the
east
, a
decent
road,
looping
around
Mount
Kteniás,
connects
Trípoli
with
Árgos
and
Náfplio,
via
Lérna. A
second
road
runs
southeast
across
the
Tegean
plain,
then
east
down to
Ástros.
To the
southwest
, a
winding
road
over the
intervening
ridge
leads to
Megalópoli
- and
its
evocative,
scattered
ruins -
from
where a
faster
road
reaches
the
coast
near
Kyparissía.
To the
northeast
, a fast
highway
via the
Artemisíon
Tunnel
links
Trípoli
with
Kórinthos
and
Athens;
at the
time of
writing
it
extended
as far
west
beyond
Trípoli
as Mákri,
and work
continues
to
connect
it with
the next
section
just
south of
Megalópoli.
The
Peloponnese
railway
also
passes
through
Trípoli,
continuing
its
meandering
course
from
Kórinthos
and
Árgos to
Kyparissía
or
Kalamáta.
Those
with
passes
might be
tempted
to use
the
train to
Trípoli
and then
take a
bus to
Spárti,
but it's
not a
good
idea, as
Árgos-Spárti
buses
are not
scheduled
to meet
trains
in
Trípoli
and
furthermore
they
often
pass
through
full;
it's
better
to take
a direct
bus (seven
to nine
daily
from
Athens
to
Spárti,
via
Árgos
and
Trípoli),
or
approach
Spárti
more
enjoyably
via the
hydrofoil
to
Monemvasiá.
The
Town
Set in a
huge
upland
plain,
and
surrounded
by
spectacular
mountains,
the
Arcadian
capital
doesn't
live up
to
expectations
close-up:
TRÍPOLI
is a
large,
modern
town,
and home
to one
of the
country's
biggest
army
barracks.
It
doesn't
overwhelm
with its
charm
and has
few
obvious
attractions,
although
the
Panarcadic
Archeological
Museum
(Tues-Sun
8.30am-3pm;
¬1.50),
signposted
off
Vassiléos
Yeoryíou
and
housed
in a
Neoclassical
building
with a
beautiful
rose
garden,
makes a
pleasant
diversion;
the
collection
includes
finds
from
much of
Arcadia,
from
Neolithic
to Roman.
The
town's
altitude
of 650m
means an
often
markedly
cooler
summer
climate
and
harsh
winters.
Traffic
is
chaotic
and you
may wish
to
escape
to the
quiet
greenery
of
Platía
Áreos.
Medieval
Tripolitsa
was
destroyed
by
retreating
Turkish
forces
during
the War
of
Independence,
when the
Greek
forces,
led by
Kolokotronis
in one
of their
worst
atrocities,
had
earlier
massacred
the
town's
Turkish
population.
Tripolitsa's
ancient
predecessors,
the
rival
towns of
Mantinea
to the
north
and
Tegea to
the
south,
are the
main
points
of
interest
to the
tourist.
Getting
in and
out of
the town
can be
fairly
complicated.
The
major
bus
terminal
,
serving
all
destinations
in
Arcadia
and the
northern
Peloponnese,
is on
Platía
Kolokotróni,
one of
the
three
main
squares.
Services
to
Messinía,
Kalamáta,
Pylos,
the Máni
and
Spárti
leave
from the
corner
café on
Lagopáti,
directly
opposite
the
train
station,
at the
southeastern
edge of
town. If
you need
to spend
a night
here,
there
are a
number
of
reliable
hotels
including
the
Arcadia
at
Platía
Kolokotróni
1 (tel
0710/225
551, fax
222 464;
¬43-58);
the
Alex
,
Vassiléos
Yeoryíou
26 (tel
0710/223
465;
¬34-42);
the very
friendly
Anactoricon
on
Ethnikís
Andistásis
48 (tel
0710/222
545,
roinioti@compulink.gr
;
¬59-72);
the
Menalon
on
Platía
Áreos (tel
0710/222
450;
¬34-42);
and the
Artemis
,
Dhimitrakopoúlou
1 (tel
0710/225
221, fax
233 629;
¬43-58).
Eating
establishments
are
mostly
of the
functional
variety,
but for
decent
food in
more
pleasant
surroundings
there
are a
couple
of
tavernas
,
Neos
Dionysos
and the
more
homely
Klimataria
, almost
adjacent
to one
another
on
Kalavryton,
beyond
the
Aello
cinema
and
about
100m
past the
far end
of
Platía
Áreos.
