Starting from Tripoli, you can explore the lush green slopes of Menalon, which in summer “spreads” its coolness to the traditional villages, the nature trails, the monuments that “unfold” the glorious history of the Peloponnese and the Byzantine monasteries that adorn the peaks and steep places. Admire the power of water at the water drive museum of Dimitsana, travel through time to ancient Madinia, the city praised by Homer, worship Saint Theodora at Vasta Arkadia, with trees rooted in its roof, and follow the greenery that reaches the beaches of Kynouria to discover the hidden gems of Arcadia.
Sounds of clarinet and lute compose the municipal tradition of the area. Songs and music that have their roots in the struggles of the Greeks, when the Kolokotronaians set out from the heart of Mainalon, Limbovisi, to fight for the freedom of the land, in Tripoli, Karytaina and Valtetsi. Let us not forget that this is where bucolic poetry, known as “Arcadianism”, began in antiquity.
Follow the scents of lavender, cedar, oregano and thyme from Mainalon to Parnonas, the villages of Vytina, Stemnitsa and the Arcadian meadows.
Its unique nature is ideal for those who want to “stretch out” from the quarantine, with mountain biking and hiking on the paths of Mainalon, rafting, kayaking and rapelling on the Alpheus and Lousios rivers. To the east, magnificent beaches with crystal clear, calm waters, such as Tyros, Astros, Leonidi and Fokianos, unfold.
The richness of the Arcadian land is reflected in the traditional dishes of the region. The cuisine is simple but special and tasty. Cockerel, spit and rooster pasta are the stars in every tavern and restaurant from Levidi, Vytina to the villages of Kynouria. Taste delicious bread, authentic kayanas and Tsakonian eggplants. Accompany with the famous Mantinean wine and for dessert, choose spoon sweets.
INFO In the picturesque Leonidio, Tyros, Kastanitsa and many villages of Kynouria, the inhabitants speak Tsakonian. A dialect that is believed to have originated from the ancient Dorians. In fact, the German linguist Michael Defner, in the late 19th century, proved that the Chakones were descendants of the ancient Laconians.
