Description: The Acropolis is to be found up a hair-raisingly steep dirt track halfway out of Sami towards Antisamos beach. Like Sami, it too is a huge disappointment. Okay – there’s not much anyone can do to avert the ravages of time but this looks like the local tip. A walk down a couple of stone steps confirms my suspicion for here we spy a discarded double mattress accompanied by a selection of household junk. Would anyone do this at Stonehenge I wonder?
Once again, we abandon the jeep and clamber up and over the huge piles of rubble and rock that at one time formed the impressive Acropolis and medieval castle that defended Sami and this section of the east coast from sea-faring marauders.
There is another couple up here; they appear to be German and although I know nothing of their language, it’s clear to see that they are as unimpressed as we are. We head across the heaps of spoil until our patience is at last rewarded. If nothing else, the Acropolis offers a superb view across the sea to Sami and further north to Karavomilos.
Deciding that enough was enough, we stroll back towards the jeep and stumble across some huge, shaped stones that form an ancient doorway, with the arch still intact overhead so I take a photo to prove that a) we were here and b) this is as good as the Acropolis gets. Ascerbic criticism maybe, but why oh why doesn’t the Greek government take a bit of pride in it’s archaeological heritage?
Antisamos beach is just a few hairpin bends away so off we trot. This is a bit more like it. We come around the headland and there before us and 300 meters below is the narrow crescent of the beach, used as the Italian base in the film. The road was built for the film crew to access the beach; prior to this it was boat or helicopter.
We zig-zag down the hill and turn on to the beach. Of course it’s mid October and it’s almost deserted but we stay awhile just to recall the film and to fill our lungs with bracing, saline air. A few brave souls are body boarding but the swell is minimal and they’re lucky to get five meters or so.
This is the last stop on our east coast trip, so we saddle up, tackle the hill and point the trusty steed in the direction of Argostoli.
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