Kalavrita, Monastery of Mega Spilio, Cave of Lakes.

At 32 km from Patras towards Corinth, the road branches and one of its branches, which leads to the right, points to Kalavrita - a beautiful town hidden in the low mountains of the Peloponness. It was founded by the Crusaders on the site of the ancient city of Kinefa, who decided to return to Western Europe after campaigns for the tomb of the Lord.

Then the Byzantines, the Turks lived here, and in 1821 Kalavrita retreated again became Greek.

In the 15th century, the last representative of the Byzantine imperial family of the Paleologians, Catherine Paleolog, lived here in a tall and beautiful castle. It was she (as local rumor claims) who hid in the mountains an invaluable relic – the icon of the Mother of God, written by the evangelist Luke. This icon was discovered only recently and is now kept by monks of the high-mountain monastery of Mega Spilio (Great Cave), hidden on the slope of Mount Helmos (2,340 m) at an altitude of 924 meters. The monastery was founded by Macedonian monks Simeon and Fedor in the 4th century. He survived several sieges and fires, but each time he was restored by the will of God. Now it is a cozy Garden of Eden, guarded by monks and their faith.

In a small temple (by the way, "temple" in Sanskrit means "garden") in the right corner is kept the icon of the Mother of God. It is made according to the technology of encaustics (encaustics (Greek enkaustiké, from enkáiō - burn, burn), wax painting, performed in a hot way - melted paints.) and is a rare example of early Christian painting. Moreover, it is relief and energy has the strongest, the influence of which not everyone can withstand.

After visiting Mega Spilio, our way lies in a chalet-style tavern that is famous for its hospitality, baked trout, doughnuts in honey, pink jam and yogurt.