Greece - Korina Miller [177]
AROUND KARPENISI
LAMIA ΛΑΜIΑ
ITI NATIONAL PARK ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΔΡΥΜΟΣ ΟΙΤΗΣ
AGIOS KONSTANTINOS ΑΓΙΟΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ
THEOLOGOS ΘΕΟΛΟΓΟΣ
THESSALY ΘΕΣΣΑΛIΑ
LARISA ΛAΡΙΣΑ
AROUND LARISA
VOLOS ΒOΛΟΣ
AROUND VOLOS
PELION PENINSULA ΠHΛΙΟΝ ΟΡΟΣ
TRIKALA ΤΡΙΚΑΛΑ
AROUND TRIKALA
METEORA ΜΕΤΕΩΡΑ
KALAMBAKA ΚΑΛΑΜΠAΚΑ
KASTRAKI ΚΑΣΤΡAΚΙ
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First-time visitors to Central Greece are often surprised by its rugged and diverse landscape, ranging from rocky sea cliffs and hidden bays to inland river valleys and olive groves, all punctuated with dramatic reminders of Greek history and mythology, oracles and muses, warriors and centaurs.
The ruins at Delphi, where Alexander the Great sought the advice of the famous oracle, remain one of Greece’s most inspiring archaeological sites and are also the starting point for hikes that retrace ancient footpaths that overlook the Corinthian Gulf.
In the northern region of Thessaly, the surrounding flatlands and hills suddenly give way to breathtaking outcroppings of rocky towers, the sheer monastery-topped cliffs of Meteora. These spectacular columns of rock are not only a mecca for Greek Orthodox pilgrims, but also home to world-class rock climbing. Away to the west, river-rafting and hiking opportunities abound in the South Pindos mountain range, its high alpine meadows perfect for breezy summer hikes.
Facing the northern Aegean Sea lies the Pelion Peninsula, criss-crossed with historic cobblestone paths that link lush mountain hamlets with coves and beaches that rival the best islands, but without the crowds. According to Greek mythology, it was in nearby Volos that Jason and the Argonauts set sail in search of the Golden Fleece, in a boat made from timbers of the Pelion forests.
It is no coincidence that this dramatic landscape was the setting for heroic struggles among gods and mortals, or that a resilient and good-natured people endure and thrive here still.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Together at Last Joining the evening crowd for outdoor summer cinema in Volos
Riverside Dining Feasting on fresh trout from mountain streams near Karpenisi
Go with the Flow White-water river rafting in the Tria Potamia area Click here
Walk this Way Following the cobblestone trails to the sea on the Pelion Peninsula
Don’t Look Down Climbing the monastery-topped rock pinnacles at Meteora
Historical Meditation Catching the last light of day at the Sanctuary of Athena, in Ancient Delphi
End of the Road Spotting Dalmatian pelicans skimming over Klisova Lagoon
POPULATION: 1.9 MILLION
AREA: 37,042 SQ KM
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STEREA ELLADA
ΣΤΕΡΕΑ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Greek mythology and history seem to mingle in the rugged and scenic landscape of Sterea Ellada. On the slopes of Mt Parnassos, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth, sits Delphi, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the centre of the world. Beyond Delphi, the lands stretch east to Attica, where legendary King Oedipus met his fate, and west to Messolongi, where British bard Lord Byron died of fever during the Greek War of Independence. In fact, the region acquired the name Sterea Ellada (Mainland Greece) in 1827, as part of the newly formed Greek state.
Sterea Ellada is bordered by the narrow gulfs of Corinth and Patra in the south, and Epiros to the north. Much of this mountainous region is known as the Agrafa or ‘Unrecorded’, so named during the Tourkokratia (Turkish occupation), when the hard-to-reach mountain villages were written off for tax purposes as uncollectable. Today, these same mountains are prized for their beauty, and explored by hikers and river rafters alike.
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THIVA (THEBES) ΘHΒΑ
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Thiva, the birthplace of Hercules and Dionysos, was a powerful city-state in 400 BC during Greece’s golden age, occupying a strategic position between northern Greece and the Peloponnese. The tragic fate of its royal dynasty, centred on the myth of Oedipus, rivalled that of ancient Mycenae. Although present-day Thiva has few vestiges of its past glory, the tragic fate of its royal dynasty, centred on the myth