Loutraki ( el, Λουτράκι) is a seaside resort on the

Gulf of Corinth The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf ( el, Κορινθιακός Kόλπος, ''Korinthiakόs Kόlpos'', ) is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea, separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. It is bounded in the east by the ...

, in Corinthia,

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

. It is located west of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

and northeast of

Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been part ...

. Loutraki is the seat of the municipality Loutraki-Perachora-Agioi Theodoroi. The town is known for its vast natural springs and its therapeutic spas. There are many tourists who visit Loutraki every year (especially in summer) because of its crystal clear sea. The Casino of Loutraki has thousands of visitors every day. The population in 2011 was 11,654 people.

History

In antiquity a town called Thermae ( el, Θερμαί, hot springs) existed on the site. In 1847, an announcement in Italy asserting the therapeutic benefits of bathing in the natural thermal spas found in Loutraki caused an influx of settlers in the surrounding areas, thereby creating modern Loutraki. In 1928 Loutraki was completely destroyed by earthquake and rebuilt. A large park was created by reclaiming sea area using the rubble of the fallen houses. Another strong earthquake hit the area in 1981 with less destructive effects.

Name

The name ''Loutraki'' is a direct reference to the thermal spas of the region. It derives from the ''Loutro(n)'' ( el, Λουτρό(ν)) that means bath, bath-house, spa or

thermae In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...

. The Greek word loutro is directly translated as

in English, which was also the ancient name of the region.

Geography

The town is bordered by the

in the west, while the mountain range of Geraneia dominates north and east. There is a small valley in the southwest that leads to the

Isthmus of Corinth The Isthmus of Corinth ( Greek: Ισθμός της Κορίνθου) is the narrow land bridge which connects the Peloponnese peninsula with the rest of the mainland of Greece, near the city of Corinth. The word " isthmus" comes from the Anci ...

. Although part of

Corinthia Prefecture Corinthia ( el, Κορινθία ''Korinthía'') is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated around the city of Corinth, in the north-eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Geography Cor ...

, Loutraki is situated northwest of the

Corinth Canal The Corinth Canal ( el, Διώρυγα της Κορίνθου, translit=Dhioryga tis Korinthou) is an artificial canal in Greece, that connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the ...

thus not on the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge which ...

Sightseeing

A monastery named Osios Patapios is located about NW of Loutraki on Geraneia mountain, offering great view of the Isthmos area and the

. Loutraki is well known for its

Casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...

(Club Hotel Casino Loutraki), one of the biggest in Europe. The Heraion of Perachora (sanctuary of the goddess

Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; grc-gre, Ἥρα, Hḗrā; grc, Ἥρη, Hḗrē, label=none in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she ...

) is an archaeological site of great significance located at the end of the

Perachora Perachora ( el, Περαχώρα) is an inland settlement in Loutraki-Perachora-Agioi Theodoroi, Corinthia, in the region of Peloponnese in Greece. In Antiquity it was called Peiraion. It is located about 7 km northwest of the town of Loutr ...

peninsula and for the Vouliagmeni lake. Visitors and tourists can visit several buildings of Loutraki. * On G. Lekkas str. there is a two-story house, built in 1928, which bears the hallmarks of his era (single volume and form a solid banister, exciting door). It holds a position in the urban fabric of the region and is an interesting group with other buildings of the street. * Also on G. Lekkas str. is the landmark building of the hotel "Palace", built in 1923 and owned by the George K. Aggelidis Hotel Company SA. This five-storey hotel was repaired in 1928 after an earthquake. The vertical axis of symmetry is predominant. Two marble staircases face each other, passing under the arched openings. The last two floors are unified, with the central part protruding from the building and raised at the end. The decorations are linear. The bearing structure consists of masonry, blocks, reinforced concrete. * One of the old villas of the old town of Loutraki is on Syros str., with an area of 135 sq.m., which was built in 1956 on the site of a pre-1950 house. The bearing structure consists of reinforced concrete. The purchase and renovation was the work of the Cypriot industrialist distiller Kekkos Ioannidis, when he came to Greece from the Congo of Africa. It bears the hallmarks of his era (simple volume and format, high ceilings, mosaics, solid gate and door), has large terraces, and is surrounded by gardens with fruit trees and roses, the latter of which dominate a fountain garden. Today is in the hands of another owner, who erected in the garden a bronze bust of General George V. Papagiannopoulos, who was wounded in the war.

Nearest places

(NW) *

(SW)

Historical population

Notable people

Anna Synodinou Anna Synodinou (Greek: Άννα Συνοδινού; 21 November 1927 – 7 January 2016) was a Greek actress and politician. Born in Loutraki, she studied at the National Theatre of Greece Drama School. She mainly excelled in ancient drama and ...

(1927–2016), actress and politician *

Pantelis Zervos Pantelis Zervos ( el, Παντελής Ζερβός, Born 1908 in Loutraki – January 22, 1982 in Athens) was a Greek theatrical and a film actor. Biography Zervos was born in Loutraki near Corinth in Perachora. He attended the Art Theatre ...

(1913–1991), actor

External links

Municipality of LoutrakiThe official Loutraki Tourism Website
{{Authority control Populated places in Corinthia Loutraki-Perachora-Agioi Theodoroi Seaside resorts in Greece Spa towns in Greece Acropolis Rally