It has a small port which is the main port of Pyrgos, a school, restaurants, a church and a town square. Most impressive is surely the visit to the Municipal Museum of Ancient Greek Technology which holds 150 operating reconstructions of mechanisms and inventions of the ancient Greeks covering the period from 2000 B.C. to 100 A.D. A railway called the Katakolo-Pyrgos line goes to Katakolo. Small hills with forests surround Katakolo.

Katakolo is situated on a peninsula and has a lighthouse founded southwest. The Lighthouse Katakolo (Faros Katakolo) was first opened in 1865. The port is also a frequent stop for cruise ships on tours of the Ionian and Mediterranean seas, offering an opportunity for passengers to visit the site of Ancient Olympia. Consequently, many of the shops in the town centre are geared toward foreign tourists. The other main industries includes agriculture and services.