Follow us to five beautiful villages perched on the lush green slopes of Mount Parnon, ideal for spring getaways.
Spring is the ideal season to exploreParnon,the lush mountain that separates Arcadia from Laconia. Lovely traditional villages, verdant forests, chestnut, walnut and cherry trees, firs and plane trees, impressive gorges, waymarked trails and Byzantine chapels provide the perfect setting for revitalizing mountain escapes. Below we’ve selected five picturesque villages on Parnon that are ideal for peaceful spring weekends.
Ano Doliana, Arcadia
Amphitheatrically built at an altitude of 1,050 m., near the road that leads from Tripoli to Parnon and just two hours from Athens, Ano Doliana is a picture-perfect village with lovely cobbled lanes, well-preserved stone-built houses and wonderful views over the Tripoli plain, Mount Mainalo and Mount Chelmos. Set in a lush green environment, with chestnut, walnut and plane trees dominating the landscape, it offers an ideal backdrop for escapes into nature’s embrace. An idyllic spot, wrapped in greenery with panoramic views over the settlement, is that of Ai-Giannis, in the chestnut forest just outside the village, where there is also a tiny chapel of the same name.
Kosmas, Arcadia
Kosmas, known as the «balcony of Kynouria», is a quiet traditional settlement hidden on the southeastern slopes of Parnon at an altitude of 1,150 m., in a lush landscape with plentiful water and magnificent fir forests. The village is reached either via Leonidio or via Sparta. It has stone-built houses and a beautiful square with huge plane trees, at the center of which stands the imposing church of Agioi Anargyroi. The setting is ideal for relaxing over coffee, mezedes and traditional galaktoboureko. At the foot of the village, the wonderful chestnut forest offers opportunities for exploration all year round. Don’t miss the impressive Monastery of Elona, wedged into a towering sheer rock, between Kosmas and Leonidio.
Kastanitsa, Arcadia
Stone-built houses whitewashed with lime, wooden balconies and roofs made from local slate, together with the whitewashed cobbled streets, give this village—perched on one of Parnon’s steepest slopes—an idyllic and at the same time Aegean look. Close to the border between the prefectures of Arcadia and Laconia (72 km from Tripoli and 65 km from Sparta), Kastanitsa is one of the most beautiful listed traditional settlements in the Peloponnese. Here, the older generations still speak the Tsakonian dialect. Wander the narrow alleys to admire the authentic architecture of houses that are up to three centuries old. Around the village spreads a dense forest of fir and chestnut trees. In the northern part, the ruins of the Byzantine tower stand out, commanding the hill with panoramic views over the village and far away to Parnon’s peaks and the Argolic Gulf.
Vamvakou, Laconia
TheVamvakou, Laconia isa small and picturesque village, built at an elevation of 900 meters on the western side of Parnon, just a few kilometers from Sparta and Tripoli and 2.5 hours from Athens. Vamvakou has a very interesting story. A group of young people, with roots and strong ties to the village, wanted to write a new chapter in Vamvakou’s story. The once-abandoned village came back to life thanks to the group’s initiative, which founded the organization Vamvakou Revival, with the moral and financial support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Vamvakou is an ideal destination for families with children in all seasons. The village has a beautiful traditional guesthouse, «Rouga of Vamvakou», a restaurant-café and a traditional kafeneio, while the varied educational and cultural events that take place as part of the Vamvakou Revival initiative complete the travel experience. Activities for children include workshops, games, creative activities and walks in nature. See detailed information and Vamvakou’s events program here.
Tsinzina, Laconia
Hidden among the firs, in the heart of Parnon, with traditional stone houses built amphitheatrically on three slopes, the village of Tsinzina (also known as Polydroso) gives a sense of sanctuary and is ideal for getaways in every season. The settlement is perfect for those seeking relaxation and tranquility, and thanks to nine waymarked trails of various difficulty levels it is a hugely popular base for hikes on Parnon and nature-loving excursions in general. If you’re in the mood for exploration, around Tsinzina you’ll discover caves, springs and picturesque little chapels. Among the village’s most significant sights are the Monastery of Agioi Anargyroi and the church of Ai-Vlasis with frescoes by Fotis Kontoglou.
