Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The name simply means “the baths”.
The springs and the town
The thermal spa in the centre uses the springs, and the town’s bottled mineral water is sold across Greece and is the first association most Greeks have with the name.
Loutraki is a long, low seafront town: a pebble beach running several kilometres, a promenade of cafes, and hotels behind it. It is a domestic weekend destination more than an international one, busy in summer and at weekends year round.
The casino is one of the larger in Europe and is a significant part of why people come, particularly out of season.
The Heraion and the lake
The best part is beyond the town, out along the cape:
- Lake Vouliagmeni, a deep coastal lagoon joined to the sea by a narrow channel, ringed with fish tavernas and very calm to swim in.
- The Heraion of Perachora, at the tip of the cape: a sanctuary of Hera on a small harbour, with the foundations of temples, a stoa and cisterns, a lighthouse above, and almost nobody there. It is one of the most beautifully sited ancient places in Greece.
Beside it is a spring the ancients treated as an oracle of the dead, reached down steps into the rock.
The drive out is about 40 minutes from the town on a winding road.
Getting there and how long
About an hour from Athens by road or bus, just past the canal. It is a common first or last stop on a Peloponnese trip.
One night, using it for the Heraion and the lake.
Last checked August 2026. Spa and site hours change - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
What is Loutraki known for?
Thermal springs, which give it its name, along with bottled mineral water, a long pebble seafront and one of the larger casinos in Europe.
How far is Loutraki from Athens?
About an hour by road or bus, just beyond the Corinth Canal.
What is the Heraion of Perachora?
A sanctuary of Hera at the tip of the cape beyond Loutraki, on a small harbour, with temple foundations, a stoa, cisterns and a lighthouse above.
What is Lake Vouliagmeni at Loutraki?
A deep coastal lagoon joined to the sea by a narrow channel, calm for swimming and ringed with fish tavernas. It is not the Athens Vouliagmeni.
Is Loutraki a beach destination?
The beach is long and pebbled and the town is busy in summer, but the better swimming is at the lake and the coves along the cape.
Next
Read the Corinth Canal, Nemea, or Xylokastro.