Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The central mainland
The central mainland of Greece has long been thought of as the Greek
heartland, the zone first liberated from the Turks. In fact, its most central
province Stereá Elládha means literally “Greek Continent”. For the visitor its
most stellar attractions are the site of the ancient oracle at
DELPHI
, and,
further north, the other-worldly rock-pinnacle monasteries of
METÉORA
.
Close to Delphi is Ósios Loukás monastery - containing the finest Byzantine
mosaics in the country - and, to the south, the pleasant port resorts of
Galaxídhi and Náfpaktos along the north shore of the Gulf of Kórinthos.
3
North of Delphi is the vast agricultural plain of
Thessaly
, dotted with mostly drab
market and industrial towns, but also boasting the mountainous
Pelion
peninsula
, with
its enticing villages, beaches and hiking options. On the east side of Thessaly lie the
remote monasteries of the Metéora and the imposing
Píndhos Mountains
which once
formed the barrier with the eastern province of
Epirus
,
the last region to shake of
Turkish rule
.
The Píndhos range makes for scenic hiking opportunities and features the
dramatic
Víkos Gorge
, reputedly Europe's deepest. The Epirot capital, lakeside
Ioánnina
,
still evokes an exotic past. Nearby lies ancient
Dodóna
, the majestic site of Greece's first
oracle, presided over by Zeus. Finally, the
west coast
is sprinkled with some good
beaches and resorts along the Ionian Sea, as well as with more historic sites from every
epoch. With your own transport (highly recommended) and careful planning, you can
take in the central mainland's main sights and pleasures in a couple of weeks.
Delphi and Stereá Elládha
The inevitable magnet of the central province of
Stereá Elládha
is
Delphi
, 175km
northwest of Athens. If you have your own transport, there are ample rewards in
approaching it along the old road to
Thebes
, and you could also easily include the
Byzantine monastery of
Ósios Loukás
. Legendary
Mount Parnassós
above Delphi offers
skiing and walking opportunities depending on the season, while to the south, on the
Gulf of Korínthos
, the port towns of
Galaxídhi
and
Náfpaktos
are good for a seaside
sojourn. Further east,
Áyios Konstandínos
provides access to the island of Évvia, while
heading inland brings you to Lamía and the mountainous
Karpeníssi Valley
.
The Oedipus Road to Thebes (Thíva)
The ancient road from Athens to Delphi began at the Parthenon as the
Sacred Way to
Eleusis
, climbing northwest from there towards Thebes. You can follow this route, almost
The myth of Oedipus
p.204
The world's soothsayer
p.205
Hiking to the Corycian Cave
p.208
Skiing on Parnassós
p.212
The Battle of Lepanto
p.215
Climbing Mount Kaliakoúdha
p.221
Pelion legends and food
p.226
The Pelion trenáki
p.229
Metéora activities
p.237
The Katára pass
p.242
The Vlachs
p.243
Ali Pasha - the Lion of Ioánnina
p.246
Sweet treats in Ioánnina
p.247
The oak tree oracle
p.249
Hiking the VÍkos Gorge
p.251
Byron in Mesolóngi
p.260
