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ARCADIA

The Land of Pan and the Arcadian Ideal

Arcadia (former Prefecture of Arcadia) is located in the center of Peloponnese. Its eastern part has an outlet to the sea, the Argolic Gulf and the Myrtoos Sea.
Its name once became a synonym of haven (“et in Arcadia ego” was the name of a famous Renaissance painting) and this says a lot about the greatness of the biggest prefecture of the Peloponnese. Actually, it says it all.

Arcadia has it all: Doll-like villages hang like colorful balconies from green mountain slopes and snow covered summits , cosmopolitan destinations fully booked for the weekends, and secret villages stopped in time, undiscovered routes and one of the biggest and most well organized hiking routes in Greece, secluded beaches with crystal clear waters and picturesque coastal dwellings.

Arcadia’s nature is by far the best ace on its sleeve. You can go rafting in Lousios and Alfios Rivers, go hiking in mythical gorges like Kastoras Gorge, go skiing at Mainalo Ski Resort, go climbing at Leonidio, canoeing at Ladonas River and cycling at its banks. You won’t find quietness here, unless you want it.
[allaboutpeloponnese.com]

Products
In the prosperous lands of Arcadia are produced many famous throughout Greece products such as the Tsakonian eggplants, apples and potatoes from the plains of Tegea, honey from the covered in fir trees slopes of Mainalo, chestnuts from the forests of Parnonas, Moschofilero wine from the many times sang vineyard of Mantinea, handmade pasta and cheese from its mountainous villages

Geography
Most of the region of Arcardia is mountainous, apart from the plains around Tegea and Megalopolis, and the valleys of the Alpheios and Ladon rivers. To the north, it borders Achaea along the ridge of high ground running from Mount Erymanthos to Mount Cyllene; most of Mount Aroania lay within Arcadia. To the east, it has borders with Argolis and Corinthia, stretching up to the Argolic Gulf. To the south, the borders with Laconia and Messenia run through the foothills of the Parnon and Taygetos mountain ranges. To the south-west, the border with Messenia run along the tops of Mount Nomia, and Mount Elaeum, and from there the border with Ilia to the west run along the valleys of the Erymanthos and Diagon rivers.

Important cities of the prefecture are the capital Tripoli (25,500 inhabitants), which is also the seat of the Peloponnese Region, Megalopolis (5,100 pop.), Leonidio (3,250 pop.), Astros (2,700 pop.), Tyros (2,100 kat.), the mountainous Levidi (1,200 kat.); the mountainous towns of Dimitsana, Lagadia and Vytina have been booming in recent years due to increased tourist traffic, mainly in spring and autumn.
The most important ports of Arcadia are Paralio Astros, Tyros and Plaka Leonidio.

Rivers of Arkadia
There are several rivers which begin, end or run through Arkadia. Some of these rivers are popular in the summer for their walking trails. In the rainy season when the rivers are full kayaking, rafting and fishing are popular activities.
The Alfeiós is the longest river in the Peloponnese, about 110 kilometres long, flowing through Arcadia and Ilia. Its source is near the village Dorizas, about halfway between Tripoli and Megalopoli  and flows southwest toward Megalopolis, where it has been diverted around open pit lignite mines. At Thoknia it meets the Elissonas tributary, and continues north towards Karytaina. Below Karytaina the Lousios  flows into the Alfeios, and the Alfeios continues northwest, passing north of Andritsaina. Near Tripotamia the rivers Ladon and Erymanthos flow into the Alfeios which then flows west past Olympia and empties into the Ionian Sea south of Pyrgos.

The Lepidas River begins with an 25m waterfall that empties into the Lepidas Gorge which is located southwest of Astros. There is a parking area close to the falls.
The Vrasiatis River starts in the mountains of central Arkadia and empties at Paralia (beach) St Andrea just south of the Mostou wetlands.
[Matt Barett’s Guide]

Explore Arcadia
A great way of discovering Arcadia and making the transition from civilisation to the wonders of nature, is to take part in activities out in the heart of nature, such as mountain biking around Tripoli and its villages, as well as hiking along easy or not-so-easy footpaths, or rafting, kayaking, hydrospeeding (wearing fins and holding onto just a board), monocrafting (in a one-seater inflatable craft) and abseiling (crossing the gorges with special ropes) on the Alfeios, Lousios and Erymanthos rivers. One of the most important attractions in the area, in Ladonas, is the hydroelectric dam on the river and the manmade lake covering 6.000.000 m², with the medieval bridge known as the Lady’s Bridge, visible only during the summer months.

Among the most important natural attractions in Arcadia are the protected Gorge of the Lousios River, the Parnonas Gorges, covered with Syrian juniper (unique in Europe), the Lepidas Gorge, Lake Taka and the Kapsia Cave, one of the ten most significant caves in the whole of Greece.
[mythicalpeloponnese.gr]

History & sights
In its fresh mountain landscape, Arcadia gave birth to the myths that personified nature and her various expressions. Passing from myth into ancient history, the visitor has the chance to see many settlements and monuments, such as the archaeological sites of Ancient Gortyna, Ancient Mantineia, and Ancient Tegea, the Archaeological Museum of Lykosoura at the archaeological site dedicated to the goddess Despoina, as well as the palace of Herod Atticus. The most iconic among these is the Temple of Apollo Epicurus, which was the first monument from Greek classical antiquity to be included amongst UNESCO’s World Heritage Monuments. The Arcadians are mentioned as taking part in the Trojan War with 60 ships, led by the king of Tegea, Agapenor.

But Arcadia does not have just ancient monuments. Byzantium and the Frankish occupation  left behind many ruins, of early Christian basilicas and impressive castles (Akova, Karytaina, Mouchlio, Paralio Astros). During the Ottoman occupation, many great Byzantine and Post-Byzantine monasteries and churches were destroyed. Many, however, survived. The Filosofos Monastery in Dimitsana, the Kalteza Monastery on the border with Laconia, the Monastery of Aghios Ioannis Prodromos near Stemnitsa, the old and new Monasteries of Kalami in Atsilochos, the church of Aghios Andreas in Gortyna, the Monastery of Kalami and many more, were spiritual centres that rallied the Greeks and kept the faith alive.
[mythicalpeloponnese.gr]

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