Ruins of Paleo Chora - Aegina, Greece
The ancient town of Paleo Chora sits high on the island of Aegina, a small island about an hour off the mainland from Athens. The town served as the island's capital from the 9th to 19th centuries, however today all that remains are ruins including about 20 byzantine churches in various states of disrepair.
The town today is a shadow of its former self, but is well worth visiting - a few hours spent hiking the trails around the town reveal an incredible richness of intimately scaled chapels and ruins. The site is freely accessible and nearly always deserted - a refreshing change from many of Greece's congested and highly controlled top-tier archeological sites.
Ruins of Paleo Chora - Aegina, Greece
The ancient town of Paleo Chora sits high on the island of Aegina, a small island about an hour off the mainland from Athens. The town served as the island's capital from the 9th to 19th centuries, however today all that remains are ruins including about 20 byzantine churches in various states of disrepair.
The town today is a shadow of its former self, but is well worth visiting - a few hours spent hiking the trails around the town reveal an incredible richness of intimately scaled chapels and ruins. The site is freely accessible and nearly always deserted - a refreshing change from many of Greece's congested and highly controlled top-tier archeological sites.