Acheron River

The Acheron is the river of mythology — one of the five rivers of the ancient Greek underworld — and the one whose mouth lies at Ammoudia. The lower stretch is broad and slow, flanked by tall reeds and small fishing boats; further inland, in the foothills around the village of Glyki, the water becomes ice-cold and clear and runs between high cliffs.

Small boats from the Ammoudia harbour run hour-long trips up the navigable lower river through the protected wetland; the price is modest. For the upstream gorge you need a car: the Glyki section is roughly 35 minutes inland, with parking, restaurants, and pebbly paths along the banks for wading. The water is shockingly cold even in August.

things to do sight
A story
Homer placed the Acheron in the geography of the Underworld in the Odyssey, and the Greeks believed its mouth at present-day Ammoudia was where Odysseus reached the entrance to Hades. The Hellenistic-era Necromanteion on its banks was built so that pilgrims could consult the spirits of the dead — Plutarch refers to it; Herodotus mentions a tyrant of Corinth sending priests to question his late wife about a missing treasure.

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