Built on a lush green hillside of mountainous Ilia, embraced by stunning nature, Andritsaina is one of the most picturesque villages in the Peloponnese.
A stately town built of stone on the lush green slope of the mountain. Old mansions, cobbled lanes and stone fountains. A mountainous landscape that captivates. These are the scenes that greet you upon arriving in Andritsaina,the historic chief village of Ilia.
Built amphitheatrically on the western side of Mount Lykaion, near the borders of Ilia and Arcadia, Andritsaina is one of the most picturesque mountain villages of the Peloponnese. Those who discover it enjoy absolute tranquility and mountain beauty.The wider area lends itself to getaways in nature and many interesting activities, while the famed Temple of Apollo Epicurius is a short distance away.
Andritsaina: The noble village of mountainous Ilia
Walking the cobbled alleys of Andritsaina you will admireits stone mansions and enjoy the view from the main square, where three tall plane trees dominate. On the main street, directly opposite the central church, St. Nicholas, stands the Trani Vrysi, which is likely the oldest in the entire Peloponnese, as it was built on 10 August 1724, as the inscription above its four spouts informs the visitor.
After enjoying your meal in the village tavernas (the restaurant «Συνταγές Μαγειρικής» and the taverna «Πέτρινο»are two good choices) and shopping for local products, it is worth making a stop at the Andritsaina Folklore Museum which is housed in the mansion of Georgios Kanellopoulos and hosts an original collection of about 4,000 exhibits: from the chest of the Filiki Eteria member Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos bearing the initials P.A.1832 to local costumes, rare documents and paintings.
At the western entrance of the village stands one of the countrys most significant, most historic and richest libraries, the Andritsaina Public Historical Library.It was created in 1840 and its collection numbers over 40,000 volumes of books. Here are housed rare manuscripts of the 16th and 17th centuries and important documents of the Greek Revolution.
Nearby excursions
At a distance of 14 km from Andritsaina, at the location Vasses, lies the renowned Templeof Apollo Epicurius, one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. It is the first of the Greek monuments to be included in the UNESCO network in 1986.Known as the «Parthenon of the Peloponnese», it is the only ancient temple that combines all three architectural orders.
Also, using Andritsaina as a base you can visit Neda. The best-known river in Greece with a feminine name, it is a «treasure» of natural beauty on the borders of the prefectures of Ilia and Messinia. Along its course, it traverses a beautiful gorge with narrow passages and spots with wonderful waterfalls where small natural pools with blue-green waters are formed. Due to the exceptional beauty of the landscape, hiking inNedais a unique experience for nature lovers.
From Andritsaina you can reach Karytaina and then the rest of the villages of Mountainous Arcadia, following a beautiful route along the slopes of Mount Lykaion.
