Soak it all up

By TERRI D. REEVES

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 31, 2000

TARPON SPRINGS -- From graceful Victorian homes on winding bayous to the Greek village and sponge docks, Tarpon Springs is not only the oldest city in Pinellas County but well may be the most unique.

It has been called both the "Sponge Capital of the World" and the "Venice of the South." By any name, this eclectic city at the northern end of Pinellas County is worth the drive.

Here are some highlights:

The Sponge Exchange and Docks: The working seaport and Greek shopping district charm with rows of worn fishing boats, baskets full of brown sponges, old-world boutiques and the aroma of Greek pastries and ethnic dishes wafting through the village.

Tarpon Springs was incorporated in 1887, and its ethnic culture began when Greeks immigrated near the turn of the century to work in the sponge industry. Today there are more than 20 Greek restaurants, most on Dodecanese Boulevard or Athens Street. Some offer not only Greek cuisine such as lamb and grape leaves but Greek music and dance as well. If you're in the mood for baby squid or charbroiled octopus, you'll find it at the renowned Louis Pappas' Riverside Restaurant.

Feel like taking a boat ride? A variety of boat lines offer sponge-diving exhibitions, deep-sea fishing and sightseeing cruises.

And you can see a living coral reef and feed baby sharks and stingrays at the Tarpon Springs Aquarium. Call (727) 938-5378 for information.

Historic Downtown: Just a few blocks south of the sponge docks, at South Pinellas and Tarpon avenues, you'll find the historic downtown area. This part of town makes for a great walking tour with its turn-of-the-century buildings featuring antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and cafes, and bed and breakfast inns.

Later you may want to hop back in the car for a winding drive along nearby Spring Bayou. This area is dotted with many gingerbread-style Victorian homes that at one time served as winter residences for wealthy Northerners.

Today many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral: A Tarpon Springs landmark, this cathedral at 18 Hibiscus St. N was built in the middle of World War II. The replica of St. Sophia in Constantinople features Byzantine architecture crafted from 60 tons of Greek marble. It often serves as the center of the Greek Orthodox religious ceremonies, including the nationally recognized Epiphany Celebration held every Jan. 6. The ceremony is marked by a procession to Spring Bayou, where young men dive for a white cross and a year's good luck.

Parks and recreation: If you're in the mood to picnic, the 150-acre Fred Howard Park west of Florida Avenue features barbecue areas, sheltered pavilions and playgrounds. A mile-long causeway will take you out to a white sandy beach on the Gulf of Mexico. The park is open 7 a.m. to sunset.

Or enjoy Sunset Beach, a favorite for locals at the west end of Gulf Road, where you can swim, picnic and launch a boat. Hours are sunrise until sunset. A.L. Anderson Park, on Lake Tarpon, offers a rolling terrain, boat launches, picnic facilities and a nature trail. It is on U.S. 19, between Klosterman Road and Tarpon Avenue. Hours are 7 a.m. until sunset.

If you enjoy in-line skating, cycling or walking, you can get to Tarpon Springs via the Pinellas Trail, a 43-mile-long corridor that runs all the way down to south of St. Petersburg. It is open during daylight hours. Call (727) 549-6099 for access information.

For more information, maps or brochures, call the Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce at (727) 937-6109.

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