The Alfeiós (Greek: Αλφειός, also Alfiós) is a river in Peloponnese, Greece. Its source is near Megalopoli in the prefecture Arcadia. It flows along Olympia and empties into the Ionian Sea in the prefecture of Ilia, near Pyrgos. The river flows in the prefectures of Arcadia and Ilia and is the longest river in the Peloponnese and the length is 110 km. The Peloponnese or Peloponnesus (Greek: Πελοπόννησος Peloponnesos; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a large peninsula in southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth. ... Ancient Megalopolis, or now Megalópoli (Μεγαλοπολη) is a town in the western part of the prefecture of Arcadia. ... Arcadia or Arkadía (Greek Αρκαδία; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. ... Olympia (Greek: Ολυμπία Olympía or Ολύμπια Olýmpia, older transliterations, Olimpia, Olimbia), a city of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. ... The Ionian Sea. ... For other uses of the word Ilia, see Ilia (disambiguation). ... For other places that have the same name, click Pyrgos (disambiguation) Pyrgos (Greek: Πύργος) is the capital of the Prefecture of Ilia in Greece. ...

A poem called Le fleuve Alphée (the Alpheus River) by Roger Caillois is mainly about this river. Roger Caillois (March 3, 1913 - December 21, 1978), was a French intellectual whose idiosyncratic work brought together literary criticism, sociology, and philosophy by focusing on subjects as diverse as gems and the sacred. ...

The river begins near Davia in central Arcadia, then it flows between Leontari and Megalopoli and the municipal boundary of Falaisia and Megalopoli in a wooded valley and south of Karytaina and flows north of Andritsina and for about 15 to 20 km with the prefectural boundary with Ilia and Arcadia. It later flows with the provincial bountary of Olympia and Ilia for the rest of the length and the municipal boundary of Olympia and Alifeira to the south, it later flows to the municipal boundary of Skillounta to the south and later with the Pyrgos and Volaka boundary and finally for 2 km, into the wetlands with bushes. Karitaina or Karitena ( Greek: Καρύταινα), rarely Carytaina or Carytena, primarily Karytaina or Karytena (Καρύταινα) until 1940 is a townlocated in the western part of the prefecture of Arcadia in the central Peloponnese. ... For other uses of the word Ilia, see Ilia (disambiguation). ...

The ancient highway linking Patras and Kalamata ran along this river for most of the length east of Olympia. Patras (Modern Greek Πάτρα, Ancient Greek Πάτραι Pátrai, Latin Patrae) is the third largest city of Greece, capital of the Achaea prefecture of Greece and of the periphery of West Greece and the first urban centre of the peninsula of Peloponnese. ... There is also a Kalamata in the Democratic Republic of Congo, see Kalamata, Democratic Republic of Congo Kalamata (Greek, Modern: Καλαμάτα, Ancient/Katharevousa: -ai), older forms: Kalamai is a city in southern Greece, on the Peloponnesos, by the Mediterranean. ...

Alfeios is a small village or settlement that has a population of about 39 people and is situtaed approx. 5 miles east of the city of Pyrgos . The main attractions of the village are the church of Metamorphoseos tou Sotiros and the church of St-Raphael built by one of the villagers.The main square is situated in front of the train station. It sits at the crossroads of the railway leading to Olympia,Pyrgos and Kyparissia. The neighbouring villages are Salmoni, Alfeioussa and Varvassena. It is also the birthplace of Archbishop 'Anthimos', former archbishop of Alexandroupolis'.

The village is also famous for its yearly gay pride parade which attracts hords of people from all of Peloponisos.

External links

• http://arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr/arkadia/places/alfeios.htm (in Greek)
• http://www.minagric.gr/greek/2.9.3.ALFEIOS.html (in Greek)
• http://www.arcadians.gr (in Greek)