Who would have thought the fishing village of Katakolon would become a major cruise ship destination!
It’s all thanks to the town’s richest son, multi-billionaire shipping, oil, construction and banking magnate, Ioannis “Yiannis” Latsis. He realised the village’s proximity to the historic ruins of Olympia presented a great opportunity.
In the 1940’s he invested in the necessary infrastructure to accommodate large cruise ships and the town was transformed.
As you would expect, the locals were quick to capitalise and the village expanded. After all, you need quite a few restaurant seats for the many hundreds of visitors each cruise ship disgorges.
Katakolon is now well equipped with up market souvenir shops, posh restaurants and conveniently, a large marina. It’s not without attractions: There’s a large beach, the highly rated Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and just outside town, a winery.
But the main reason for stopping off here is to visit Olympia. Most people take a taxi though car hire is possible. There is a train but when last I looked, the timetable was poorly suited to a worthwhile visit duration.
Mooring in Katakolon
The marina is a good size, taking about 140 yachts. There is water and electricity on the quay. And compared to Croatia or Italy, it’s cheap. A night’s stay should cost most yachts under 20€ (in 2023).
Fuel can be supplied by tanker but beware. There have been complaints of overcharging. So make sure you know what you are paying per litre and take the meter readings before and after filling up.