In the district of Nafpaktia in western Greece, where the regions of Aitoloacarnania and Fokida meet at the southern end of the Pindus mountain range, the visitor can find authentic traditional villages in an alpine setting untouched by mass tourism.
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This is an area full of fir and chestnut trees, north of the historic and picturesque town of Nafpaktos on the northern coast of the Gulf of Corinth. Game is plentiful here, including wild boar and rabbit, and attracts many hunters.
The area has two main poles of attraction. One is centered around the villages of Limnitsa, Terpsithea, Elatou, Ano Hora, Kato Hora and Ambelakiotissa. The other is the beautiful village of Platanos, on the western side of the mountain ridge.
Limnitsa, one of the few dozen villages in the area, is the first one you come to driving from Nafpaktos, a lively base for hunters with rented houses painted in vivid colors and tavernas with delicious grilled meats.
The road then winds up to Terpsithea at 800 meters, with a stunning view of the valley and surrounding mountains and two 19th-century water mills. Seven kilometers on is Elatou, at 1,050 m, where the fir forest starts becoming really lush, and at an equal distance further on, Ano Hora, the biggest of the villages, with 400 inhabitants and the most extensive tourist infrastructure in the area. Kato Hora and Ambelakiotissa are short distances from there, at lower elevations but still in a tranquil alpine landscape.
Several ancient paths starting from Ano Hora have been restored in recent years, one leading to Ambelakiotissa in about three hours, and another returning to base via Kato Hora in an hour and a half.
Platanos is 53 km from Nafpaktos, via Simos and Pokista. With many stone, tile-roofed houses and cobblestone streets, it has a uniquely beautiful square surrounded by houses and shops. The village also has a magnificent church, a folk museum and a Museum of National Resistance. The area, which is ideal for trekkers and mountain climbing, was a center of resistance both during the Greek War of Independence against the Turks and the German occupation. There are two summits above 1,700 m, Grammeni Oxia and Tsakalaki. Throughout, the roads are winding and rather narrow, so caution should be exercised. Nafpaktos itself is 216 km from Athens via the Rio-Antirio bridge (8 km away) and has plenty of evidence of its long history. Its strategic position, which commands the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth, made it the target of innumerable invaders in ancient times and later. In the 15th century the Venetians, who called the town Lepanto, built the imposing fortress which still encloses the old part of the town. The heart of the fortress, which bears evidence of ancient fortification, is on the steep hill above the town. Two long walls run down to the sea, enclosing the old town between successive parallel lines of ramparts.
The fortress affords superb views of the town, the gulf and the northern coast of the Peloponnese across the strait and the road up is ideal for a brisk walk. The defensive walls end at the small harbor, the town’s most picturesque spot and ideal for a coffee stop. The harbor front is adorned with a statue of “Don Quixote” author Miguel de Cervantes, who distinguished himself in the famous Battle of Lepanto, in which the Venetian-led navy defeated the Turkish fleet in 1571.
The clock tower occupies a prominent position on the lower ramparts, near the historic center, where narrow cobblestone streets and staircases amid neat, flower-filled courtyards complete the picture.
The town, of course, has spread beyond the walls, along a stretch of some 5 km by the coast, but construction is subject to numerous restrictions. On both sides of the historic center there is a fair number of Western-style mansions built before 1930, as well as neoclassical buildings.
Beyond the harbor is a 5-kilometer long beach where you can sample fresh fish in one of the tavernas under the old plane trees. Nafpaktos’s mild climate, extensive tourism infrastructure and liveliness attract visitors all year round.
Transport & useful info
The fastest route to Nafpaktos from Athens is via the highway to Patras and the Rio-Antirio bridge, which is 8 kilometers away. Crossing the bridge costs 11.20 euros for cars and the total journey takes less than three hours. The much more scenic northern route, via Livadia, Distomo, Itea and Galaxidi will add an hour to your journey. Alternatively, there are two intercity bus connections every day, at 7.15 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. Local area telephone code: 26340; health center: 23690/1; police station: 27258.
What to see & activities
A walk up to Nafpaktos castle is a must; take a drive around the artificial Mornos lake; see the superb cave of Drakotrypa, 2 km from Katafygio village, north of the lake, with a subterranean river and numerous stalagmites and stalactites; visit the the restored 11th-century historic Monastery of Varnakova, a few kilometers east of Nafpaktos. Nature lovers will find plenty of trekking routes, but also options for rafting, canoeing and kayaking on the Evinos River, as well as mountain climbing in the area of Varasova.
info: By Haris Argyropoulos kathimerini.gr
