 Loutraki is
one of the most important spas in Greece. The town
has been
built on an excellent grid plan,
which includes wide avenues, squares and a well-known waterfront. Hotel
availability is in the vicinity of
5,000 beds-more are offered in
private lodgings. A casino used to operate in Loutraki before World War
II, but its operation was suspended until a new one opened in 1995.Loutraki
is considered Greece’s most ancient bathing
resort. The first written reference to the
city of Loutraki is in the "Hellenica", a book by the Athenian
historian Xenophon (431-351
bc). He referred to "Thermae" (the ancient name of Loutraki which derived from
"Thermia Artemis", the protector goddess of
therapeutic mineral waters), mentioning that
the Spartan king Agesilaos camped there during
the Corinthian war (395-387
bc). Located
in a strategic geographical position (a
connecting point between Athens and
the Peloponnese), at the foot of Gerania Mountain,
the city was first colonized by the
Corinthians in 750
bc. There are also
historical references that around 146
bc, when the Romans took
over the city, General Sulla was cured in its spa waters.
 The
therapeutic properties of the waters of Loutraki were
also
aknowledged
in
medieval times--possibly even before 1345
ad, when Byzantine Emperor
John Cantacuzene built the church of Aghios Andreas, which survives
until today.
The number of churches built during the Byzantine era proves the
importance of the city and its development through the ages.
The saline waters of Loutraki (30-31°C) are used both
internally (drinking and inhalation) and externally (baths) for curing
dyspepsia, arthritis and liver ailments. The bottled water of Loutraki,
with a strong presence of magnesium, is considered the best in Greece
and can be found under several brand names that all feature the word
Loutraki.
Loutraki was officially characterized as a spa in 1925.
The Loutraki- Perachora Municipality was established in 1934. The ancient site of Perachora, with its famous 8th-century
bc Heraion, temple of Hera,
lies 15 kilometres north of Loutraki, at the tip of the peninsula, with
the Lake Vouliagmeni lagoon, another six kilometres out.
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