Acrocorinth: Queen of the Castle

As we all know, every destination comes with a journey, and thus an inevitable story. As such, I have chosen to share my story of Acrocorinth with all of you, adding in some travel tips along the way.

In April of 2021 I could not have been more ready to travel again. After a long, strict and dreadful second COVID-19 lockdown in Athens, I was seriously feeling the cabin fever. I was also incredibly unmotivated to share our past travels on Y’all to Yamas. As the end of the lockdown approached, I dreamed of my first chance to escape our apartment and the concrete landscape it is situated amongst. Since I am a planner, I totally had an escape plan.

Come May, I was all set to partake in an adventurous volunteering mission on Nikos’s home island of Crete. I even made it to the venue. Finally, I was free! But … as it turns out, the old saying “If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans” is true. Due to unresolved safety issues and lack organization, the plaintiff’s attorney in me decided that this particular adventure was not for me. I headed home with mixed feelings of relief and awkward guilt. This was the first time in my life that I had not finished something I started.

With some reassurance from my parents, Nikos and Nikos’s family, I picked my chin up and decided to seek adventure once again! This experience was reinforcement of a lesson in self-care that I only started to grasp in my thirties — boundaries are good, saying no is okay and respectfully walking away from things that aren’t a good fit does not make you a “quitter”.

So, what do you do when one door closes? You grab a friend and take over a whole castle. Two days after I returned from Crete, my wonderful Greek friend, Nadia, and I did just that. If you haven’t heard, we are now the co-queens of Acrocorinth, the ancient Corinthian castle, located 1.5 hours west of Athens.

Acrocorinth History

Acrocorinth or “Upper Corinth”, occupies an entire plateau atop a steep hill. The fortification walls are almost 3,000 meters long, circling the hill’s rocky brow. The settlement is parts medieval and parts post-medieval. The fortress housed military buildings, fountains, baths, churches, mosques, houses and the 4th to 5th Century BC Temple of Aphrodite.

The castle was considered a last line of defense in southern Greece because it commanded the Isthmus of Corinth, repelling foes from entry by land into the Peloponnese peninsula. If you are interested in more history, you will enjoy reading the many informative signs placed along the castle’s roads. I particularly enjoyed learning how to identify the periods of the castle’s construction by observing how stones were laid. Visitors can identify Roman and Ottoman (to name a few) construction periods by decoding the stone patterns on the castle’s walls and buildings.

Traveling to Acrocorinth

Acrocorinth is located in the city of Corinth. If you have rented a car, you can easily take a day trip to Acrocorinth from Athens. Driving to Corinth from Athens is a breeze. The roads are new and well maintained, with wide lanes of travel. Don’t forget to pack some cash and coins for the tolls. Acrocorinth has a small parking space next to the path ascending the hill.

If you choose to drive and are interested in seeing multiple sights in the area, we recommend spending a night or two in the seaside town of Loutraki, located just near Corinth.

Day tours from Athens are a fast-paced way to pack in several interesting Corinthian sites. Check out this Get Your Guide Group Tour to Acrocorinth, Ancient Corinth, Ancient Heraion and Malagavi Lighthouse.

Inside Acrocorinth

Royals always get in free, and everyone is royalty at Acrocorinth. But for real, entry is free.

We spent almost two hours exploring the castle. The hike to the top of the castle could be made in much less time if you are not interested in stopping to take photos or to read the many historical markers.

We suggest you give yourself plenty of time to explore and document the experience. Every tier of the castle is waiting to greet you with new beauty and mysteries. Some of my favorite memories from the trip are photographing the sprawling wildflowers and imagining what some of the unidentified structures could have been used for.

Make sure to hike all the way to the top of the fortress to access the observation deck on top of the hill’s highest point. You can gain roof-top access by walking up modern stairs inside of the building.

What to Wear

Make no mistake, this should be considered a hiking trip. The castle is built on a steep incline with many slippery rocks waiting to de-throne visitors. Wear close-toed shoes with good support and grip. As always, stay hydrated and pack your sunscreen. When we visited, there were no gift shops or kiosks inside the fortress.

Gelato Fit for a Queen

I could not write this post without encouraging you to eat at Glace Gelato. Located just next to the ruins at Ancient Corinth, this little shop has all the fairy-tale village vibes. It is important to remember that Ancient Corinth and Acrocorinth are two different historical sites. Acrocorinth specifically refers to the hill-top castle, while Ancient Corinth is the historical city at the base of the hill.

This Gelato absolutely has to be the best way to cool down after hiking Acrocorinth. When I hear something is the BEST, I always take the recommendation with a grain of salt. However, the hype on this little homemade gelato shop is all true. The owner is Canadian-Greek and welcomes travelers with a smile and wonderful hospitality. She even gave my dog, McKenzie, a bowl of water!

Thoughts on Acrocorinth

If you are looking for history, great exercise and breathtaking views, Acrocorinth needs to be on your Greek itinerary. Acrocorinth represents that Greece has much more to offer than just beautiful beaches. If island hopping isn’t your thing or if you are coming in the cooler months, incredible sights await you in Greece, especially this one.

In conclusion, this trip was right on time for me. I cannot say enough about this experience. After a bit of disappointment, I was literally on top of the world again upon reaching the Acrocorinth acropolis. Sometimes all we need is a change in perspective to get us back on course.