Route 17 Kaminia - Industrial zone - Soudeneika - Pigadia - Maritsa monastery - Santameri - Ag. Nikolaos Spata - Portes

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At 14 km of the Old national Highway of Patras - Pyrgos we turn left, at the joint with the New National Highway of Patras – Pyrgos...

We keep on straight and in 2 km we will meet a label indicating that by keeping straight, we will end up in Agios Stefanos village and by turning right we will reach Theriano village. We keep on straight and in 4.2 we reach Industrial Zone of Patras (VI.PE).

 

 

At this point there are quite a few labels informing us that if we go left, we will end in Agios Stefanos, Haikali and Isoma villages, whereas if we go right we will reach Achaia’s prison, as well as Santameri, Kalamaki and Fostena villages. So we turn right. In 800 m on our left we see the prison. No need to stop here. At 6.5 klm we reach Kalamaki. The labels here indicate that:

 

 

The road on the left leads to Haikali. The road on the right leads to Lousika and Alissos. Alissos is the seat of Municipality of Olenia. We keep on straight; we end up in Soudeneika, Pigadia and Santameri. The road is always good, although it is a typical regional road, quite narrow. Thus, you should be really careful and you better not speed up. Fostena village is on our right, at 9 km. It is a good chance to stop here, especially if you feel tired from driving.
We keep on straight and in 3 klm we will again meet road signs. The road on our left leads to floka village and the road on our right to Arla, Eleohori villages and Kato Achaia. We go straight to Pigadia and Santameri. Keep driving slowly, in order not to miss the medieval castle called "Gyftocastro". If you get a bit dizzy by the various turns, there is a good chance to rest at 15.5 km of our route. There are a lodge and a spring there. At 17 km we enter Pigadia village. You now see Skolis Mountain in front of you. At 17.8 klm the road splits in two. The road on the left leads to Haraygi and Neohori villages.

We head right to Portes and Agrapidihori Villages, as road signs show us. At 19.3 klm we are given the chance to pass by, in order to visit Maritsas Monastery. If we keep straight to Santameri and Portes, at 22 km we enter Santmeri village, an ideal place for hikers.
Santameri Mountain is impressive, "foresees the weather" according to some old local people. They say that if its peak gets cloudy, it will certainly rain. On our way out from the village, there is a chance for a second bypass leading to Agios Nikolaos of Spata Monastery.

 

If we keep at the main road, at 28.5 klm we enter Portes village, the end of our destination. At this point, road signs indicate that: A road on our right leads to Velitses, Xenies, Agrapidochori villages as well as to Ilia’s Region. A second road on our right leads to Portes Archaeological Site and to Kalfa Community. From this point, you can admire (that is, from some distance) Pinios Artificial lake. If you choose to reach the archaeological site, you d better ask locals for directions, otherwise you might get lost.