About 20km southeast of Lamia is the narrow pass of Thermopylae where, in 480 BC, Leonidas and a band of 300 brave Spartans managed to temporarily halt the invading Persian army of Xerxes. There's little here now, except for a statue of Leonidas, honouring the heroic battle site where the Spartans ultimately perished against overwhelming odds. Nearby (when open) are some hot-spring baths where you can relax in water that reaches up to 40°C.
