Necromanteion of Acheron

The Necromanteion stands on a low hill at Mesopotamos, near the mouth of the Acheron river, about half an hour's drive south of Parga. Ancient writers, Herodotus among them, placed an oracle of the dead by the Acheron, the river the Greeks linked to the underworld, and the excavators identified these massive walls and the vaulted underground chamber beneath them as that sanctuary. A later monastery church sits on top.

Be aware that the interpretation is debated: some archaeologists now read the building as a fortified Hellenistic farmstead. Either way, stepping down into the dark vault is memorable. The site is small, so allow under an hour and combine it with the Acheron springs at Glyki, upriver. Check the day's hours before driving out.