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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Zacharo
Ζαχάρω
A half-day stop for the thermal springs and beach, or a one-night break between Olympia and the southern Peloponnese; not a destination on its own.
Zacharo is a small coastal town in Elis, 18 km south of Olympia. Its draw is the Kaiafas Lake and thermal springs, a long sandy beach and the Lapithas mountain. Most travellers use it as a lunch or swim stop between Olympia and Kyparissia or Kalamata. The town itself is quiet; the springs and lake are the reason to get off the road.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Ζαχάρω
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (cold, many facilities closed)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €40–60 excl. bed · Mid €60–100 excl. bed · High €100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Fire 199 · Ambulance 166 · Tourist police 1571
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (frappé or espresso) | €2.50–4 |
| Gyros pita | €3–5 |
| Beer (500 ml draught) | €3–5 |
| Taxi from town centre to Kaiafas | €5–8 |
| Bus to Olympia (one way) | €2–4 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GPA · Araxos Airport (Patras)
- About 1 h 15 min by car; check
- KLX · Kalamata Airport
- About 1 h by car; check
Typical fares
- Zacharo → Olympia (bus)
- about €2–4, about 20 min (check)
- Zacharo → Kyparissia (bus)
- about €2–4, about 20 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable. For Kaiafas Lake and springs, a car or taxi (about €5–8 from the centre) is needed. Buses run to Olympia and Pyrgos a few times a day (check).
See and do
Known for
- Kaiafas Lake and thermal springs
- Zacharo beach
- Lapithas mountain
- Local olive oil (Koroneiki variety)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Olympia | Bus or car via GR-9/E55, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Kyparissia | Bus or car south on GR-9/E55, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Andritsaina | Car via mountain road, about 40 min | About 50 min |
| Kyllini | Car via GR-9/E55, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Zacharo town centre
- Hotels and rooms near the main square and beach; walkable to restaurants.
- Kaiafas area
- Rooms and a spa hotel by the lake and springs; quieter, 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of town.Rooms and a spa hotel by the lake and springs; quieter, 1.9 mi (3 km) northwest of town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | Γεια σαςyia sas |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώef-kha-ri-STO |
| How much? | Πόσο κάνει;PO-so KAH-nee |
| The bill, please | Το λογαριασμό, παρακαλώto lo-gha-ri-a-SMO, pa-ra-ka-LO |
| Where is the beach? | Πού είναι η παραλία;poo EE-ne i pa-ra-LEE-a |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- Thermal springs hours and opening vary by season; check before going.
- Kaiafas Lake swimming is not always allowed; ask locally.
- Zacharo tomato is nearly extinct; do not expect to find it.
Zacharo is a safe small town. Watch for traffic on the main road (GR-9/E55) and uneven paths near the lake. Summer heat can be intense; carry water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Zacharo yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kaiafas Lake and thermal springs
- Zacharo beach
- Lapithas mountain
- Local olive oil (Koroneiki variety)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Zacharo, revision 4659781 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4659781
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/zacharo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.