ACHERON, THE RIVER OF WOE

20:46:00

What are you imagining when someone speaks of the passage to Hell? Probably a grim, dark place...Well, ancient Greeks had something very specific in their minds...Maybe the most famous river of ancient Greece was Acheron (greek: Αχέρων). Located in the Epirus region (in northwest Greece), has its springs near the village Glyki and flows into the Ionian sea, near the city of Parga. Acheron was the river of Hades and according to greek mythology the entrance to the Underworld. Charon, the ferryman, guided the newly dead across the river. Each soul had to pay a coin for the passage and those who cannot pay the fee (or the unburried) had to wander the shores of the river for one hundred years…

According to the myth, Zeus turned its waters dark and bitter when he learned that the Titans drunk from it. From Homer to Euripides and from Plato to Virgil and Seneca, everyone wrote about the passage to the Underworld. Orfeas, Ulysses and Hercules have crossed the river while its image has been a constant inspiration for artists.

But do not be afraid…Today the crystalline waters, the rich vegetation and the high cliffs consist a beautiful and unique natural landscape There are water pits, parts of the river where the water flows normal and others where it flows impetuously. Acheron is a perfect destination for those who want to combine contact with nature with various activities (hiking, kayak, canoeing, horseback riding). You can dive into the cold waters of the river too if you dare!!