Aphrodite’s Spring ~ Tempi Valley

On our way back to Leptokarya from the Meteoras, we stopped for a short time in Tempi Valley. This valley is actually a 10 kilometers long gorge, penetrated by Pineios River on its’ fast way towards the Aegean Sea. It is rumored to be Apollo’s favorite hunting place. There is a spring of fresh water, credited to Goddess Aphrodite, and it is said that if you wash your face with it and drink from it, you will become more beautiful!

Aphrodite’s Spring

There’s also a small church located here called Agia Paraskevi, and also an ancient shrine in a cave dedicated to the same Goddess mentioned above. One can enter the cave and drink or take home some sanctified water. Beware: tourists are practically everywhere! The place that was once a sacred place of religious and spiritual pilgrimage is a tourist-magnet at this time. There are buses stopping every 15 minutes, and thus a lot of souvenir shops were created to “please” the travelers and make them spend even more money. So don’t worry if you didn’t get a chance to buy a Meteora postcard, you still have the seemingly never-ending chance!