Ancient Theatre of Epidavros

Leaving Nafplio, we headed west about 35 kms to Epidavros (or Epidaurus as it is also known as).  We knew it was a big tourist attraction but pulling up to the entrance late morning we hadn't expected to see as many as 5 coaches already parked up.  For 6 euros you get entrance to the theatre, museum and sanctuary.

Epidaurus has a stunning ancient theatre, built around 330-320 BC.  It was constructed with mathematical precision and near-perfect acoustics. We read that you can stand on the circle in the middle of the stage area and drop a coin and hear it in the highest of the 54 tiers - we didn't see anyone demonstrate this though. With a seating capacity of 14,000 it has some fantastic views across the landscape and although it has been repaired in places you can’t fail to be impressed with the size of it, especially when stood at the top.

Along with a Japanese coach tour - spotted with all their selfie sticks, we were joined by a large group of Italian students.  Their teacher demonstrated on stage the acoustics best by doing short bursts of clapping all around her body.  Funny to watch but got the 'acoustic point' across well.  Then a lot of the students decided they wanted to be 'wanna be Pavarotti's' and started standing on the spot trying to do their best impersonation.  The embarrassed teacher told them to shut up and sit down - well I think that is what she said because they soon did as they were told!

They're not very comfortable these ancient theatre seats!

Mel ready to perform to anyone who will listen!

Every year the summer festival of Epidaurus presents tragedies and comedies written by the most famous ancient theatrical authors although with the funding cut, these have apparently become less and less.  The small 2-room museum houses very little.  Some figures/statues, which are nearly all plaster copies (most originals are housed in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens) and some parts of the sanctuary, but again most of the original parts are missing and filled in with plaster.  So for us it kinds of defeats the object of being a museum.  There are a few rusty surgical instruments discovered in the Sanctuary and a couple of original stone tablets of who had been cured there, so that just about claws back the museum status.

The museum of missing parts! There are a few brown bits (originals) and the missing parts filled in with white plaster. Mel, stood in the middle is mostly original by the way!

Alongside the theatre is the Asclepian sanctuary, known as the most important healing centre of ancient Greece.  Dedicated to Asclepios (the god of healing), patients used to lie and wait for a visit from the healing god believed to assume the form of a serpent - his (Asclepio) symbol of the staff and serpent are still seen today on ambulances and on the logo of the World Health Organisation.  There are information boards around the site to tell you what it was in the day – Temple of Asclepios, Greek baths, gymnasium, healing rooms, guest houses and a stadium.

The Temple - more restored white bits than original brown!

A round building known as Tholos, with its inner foundation walls formed a labyrinth that is thought to have been used as a snake pit.  Theories are that the snakes were used as a primitive kind of shock therapy for the mentally ill who visited here for a cure. 

Some restoration work has been carried out but stopped around 2010 – scaffolding still remains up though which is a shame!

It was also known for hosting ancient games.  Today controlled school track and field events take place here.  A fusion of modern and ancient athletics.

The site is as large as that of Olympia and Delphi but having visited both of these sites this one unfortunately didn't hold any fascination for us.  A short drive of 11kms took us to the small fishing village of Palaia Epidaurus, where we parked up. (N37.63705 E23.15731).  Arriving at the village we were surprised to see signs to another Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.

A 10minute walk through the village and around the orange/tangerine groves took us the small theatre.  It was all fenced off and nothing on the scale of the Theatre of Epidavros, however, there was a little purpose built stage so guessing they hold performances in the summer.

Little theatre of Ancient Epidaurus

It never fails to amuse us that the Greeks like to put ‘Ancient’ in front of a lot of things to attract the tourists and we stumbled across this sign - 'Ancient Staircase. What the heck is one of those!

Out of curiosity we follow it up 20 metres or so, only for it to come to a pile of stones on the floor.

Mel making his way up the 'ancient staircase'

Getting back to the motorhome, we spotted another motorhome further round the port so we decided to moved.  It turned out to be an English one but there was nobody home.  We parked up for the night (N37.636906 E23.16189) and it wasn’t long before we were joined by a Dutch camper and Belgium motorhome.

Great view from Sonny’s window

This morning we woke up to a very grey, wet and windy day.  We sat and had breakfast and coffee in bed and eventually dragged ourselves out of our pit about 10ish.  We moved back to our original parking spot, closer to the village.  

The grey clouds remained all day over Sonny!

After showers we had a mooch around to get a few provisions in.  There is a local supermarket and 3 bakeries - no idea why they need that many in such a small village!   We managed to get in a couple of more walks in between the rain and enjoy a few cheeky wines in the local taverna.  Well, what else is there to do on days like this haha!

Sally x