ACTIVITIES
Small excursions
In order to get a complete picture of the Evrytanic landscape and leave fully satisfied, one should go a little beyond the limits of the prefecture's capital. Small excursions to the nearby villages will be a real reversal of the course of time and will bring you so close to nature that you too will become eternal ambassadors and praisers of the enchanting Evrytanic landscape. So if you have time on your hands, we would like to suggest some short tours. Whatever you choose, be sure it will be unforgettable.
Megalo Chorio – Chrysos – Kerasochori – Agrafa – Vrangiana
A truly unspoiled nature, still completely untouched, stretches in the central-western part of Evrytania, between the rivers Megdova (Tauropo) and Acheloos. It is the mountain massif of Agrafa, an area so inaccessible that even today access to it is difficult but it will surely delight you. On the way to Agrinio, and after crossing the iron bridge of Megdova, we turn right at the intersection towards Kerasochori. From there, and leaving behind us the historical Viniana, we reach a new crossroads. From here we will go right towards Dafni and a few kilometers later we will turn left towards Chrysos. Chrysos is a representative Agrafio village with a long history. It is nestled in the northern foothills of Kavki and the road passes through imposing gorges and sheer cliffs that hang over the traveler as if an invisible force is holding them in place. Near the village there is a monument where you can pay tribute to the fighters who on 5-12-43 gave their lives in a victorious battle with the Italians but which resulted in the village being set on fire.
Approaching we admire the beautiful church of Ag. Seraphim Koronis, perched in the natural embrace of a steep rock. Just to our right on the road are the two old single-arched bridges that led to the village. Technical perfection and artistic performance are their characteristics, and the imaginative traveler will be able to reminisce about the caravans of travelers that passed through here to go to Karpenisi at the time when the village was flourishing.
And we finally reach the square. Giant sycamore trees surround it, and the constant murmur of the river that passes directly below becomes a heavenly melody for the astonished visitor. A visit to the village's 7 fountains will transport you back centuries, causing reasonable wonder as to their maker, as they seem to have been influenced by an Arab style, or at least by the art of Mistra with their curious sturgeon arches leading the eye towards sky. After tasting the cool water of the spring, we visit the church of Panagia, whose wood-carved iconostasis has obvious similarities with that of the "Savior" in St. Francis.
Veligekas, who was killed in 1807 in a battle with Katsantonis, who was then active in these mountainous parts of the prefecture, was buried in this village. From Chrysos we head to Kerasochori. It is a capital village that gathers the traffic of all the surrounding villages and is a center on the route to and from Agrafa. Here the flag of the revolution was raised on 10-5-1821 and there are traces of an ancient wall. The village church dates back to 1780 and has very interesting frescoes. From Kerasochori we continue north to Marathos, the village where the cross eagle of the Katsantoni theft came from.
The statue of the hero adorns the village square and the church of St. Brigadier Generals with icons from 1771 is another attraction. Continuing we reach Agrafa, and from there Vrangiana. In this village, in 1662, a school was founded by Evgenios Aitolos, from where great names of teachers and animators of the enslaved people emerged. The small church of Ag. Paraskevi with images from 1647 and near it the "Fountain" source whose cool water cooled that kind teacher of the genus and to which he dedicated a beautiful inscription.
After Vrangiana is Trovato, the northernmost tip of Evrytania, where is the monastery of Panagia, where Eugene the Aetolos learned his first letters. A small church built around 1600 is preserved and has great Byzantine art icons with an inscription of 1644. You will be able to enjoy it better on the route to the villages of Agrafa, if you arrange an overnight stay in one of them, since its total length is about 110 kilometers.
Big village
Perched on steep rocks whose sole purpose of creation is to glorify the Mighty Creator, it is a place of pilgrimage for believers from all over central and southern Greece, especially on the 23rd of August which it celebrates. To go to Prussos we will take the road that continues south in the valley of Potamia. This is the name of the fertile area flowing from Karpenisiotis, "The Evrytanian Temples" as aptly named by the great Evrytan historian and writer Panos Vassiliou.
Drowned in the green winter - summer, and with the bubbling river constantly flowing next to the road, the visitor is isolated from today and feels that he is moving into another dimension, completely improbable. After passing through Gavros, a small village on the road where in the past the pilgrims who came to the monastery on foot from Karpenisi made their first stop, we reach the "House of the River", a place where we must stop to be able to admire the "Typoma" a hole in the opposite mountain top, through which according to tradition the icon of the Virgin Mary passed on its way to the Monastery.
A little further down there is an icon exactly where the "Footprints of the Virgin Mary" are located. These are a curious and for many unexplained, geological phenomenon, as on the vertical rock and embedded in it, six-seven different colored shapes can be seen in the form of footprints. From this point it is said that the Virgin Mary passed to ascend to "Typoma" and from there to Prousos.
Megalo Chorio – Frangistes – Monastery of Tatarna (Route to Agrinio)
Passing by Karpenisi, we head towards Agrinio. After going down the "Bagasaki", we reach the iron bridge of Megdova or Tauropos which, coming from the southern part of the prefecture of Karditsa, crosses all of Evrytania vertically and parallel to its other big river, the Acheloos. Crossing the bridge we begin the ascent, at the beginning of which there is a road that goes to the right and leads to the well-known bridge of "Viniani". Just before we reach East Frangista we will pass by the location "Fterolakka". Here there is a landscaped area where the visitor can rest and enjoy the excellent water of a fountain that for centuries has been watering the roots of the sycamores, oaks and holly trees that flood the area.
At this point also, there is a small church with impressive frescoes, a wooden chandelier of amazing art, and a iconostasis built in 1732 that has an obvious Heptanisian influence. Entering the sanctuary, on our right, the figures of the Holy Fathers are painted, among which is the figure of Saint Gregory Palamas, something that is not usual in sanctuaries. Overwhelming and historical consciousness are two of the many intense emotions experienced by the visitor to the small dark space of "Saviour", an experience that no one should miss. This small church is a remnant of an old monastery that existed in that area and was renovated in 1725, while the first year of its construction must be lost in the depths of the last Byzantine years. From "Sotira" we can fly to "Paliochori" where there are signs of a pre-Christian settlement. West Frangistha, which we then reach by leaving the national road and turning right, is an important capital village, with several inhabitants and pure products. Here the road branches off towards Agrinio and towards the villages of the former municipality of Aperantia. If we continue towards Agrinio we will soon reach the bridge of Episkopi and from there we will find ourselves in Etoloakarnania, while if we turn right, we will take the road to the monastery of Tatarna where we are heading.
Coming to the top of the village, the horizon suddenly widens and as we start to descend again, we face a breathtaking sight: The artificial lake of Acheloos stretches out in front of us, blue-green and peaceful, an absolute expression of the subjugation of the domesticated god to man - Hercules. The beauty of the landscape at the points where the lake reaches, subdues the traveler and gives him a perfect sense of calm. Especially in the spring the whole area, moonlight with a very intense light while the colors of the flowers on its banks, create a very suitable contrast. Dozens of islets form a graceful decoration and complete the picture in an ideal way, especially if you consider that only a few years ago these islets were the proud peaks of the mountains that are now hidden under the waters of the lake. After going down the few remaining turns, we turn left towards the historical monastery of Tatarna.
The monastery was built around 1555, although tradition states that there was a monastery built here as early as 1200. Its strategic location made it an ideal hideout and place of treatment for rebels during the Turkish occupation. A perfect base for the military operations of Karaiskakis as well as the pre-revolutionary movements of Metropolitan Dionysios Trikkis and other fighters, it was many times the atoning victim of the Turkish hordes who unleashed their wild rage on him.
The current monastery is 70 kilometers from Karpenisi and was built a little further from the location of the old one. It is a place of pilgrimage for believers and those who want to admire and feel the greatness of Hellenism. With complete hospitality facilities and a multitude of objects that the visitor could admire, the monastery of Tatarna is perhaps the most important attraction of Western Evrytania.
Megalo Chorio – Klaussi – Aniada – Megalo Chorio
We start from Megalo Chorio towards Karpenisi, but at the crossroads for Klaussi, we turn right. The first village we meet is Klaussi - or Clausion as it says on the relevant sign. They say that the village got its name from the tears that were shed and the "crying" of those who remained after the terrible destruction of the village by the Gauls in 279 BC. Most likely this village was once the capital of Evrytania, and if we judge from the early Christian church of Ag. Leonidas, which is preserved there, was certainly a center during the first Christian centuries, perhaps even the seat of a bishop. The temple dates back to around the 5th century. and its mosaic floor is preserved in a fairly good condition, with wonderful performances, decorative designs and colors.
We continue to Mouzilos where we have the opportunity to admire its ancient churches dating from 1650 and 1700. Our visit to the next village, Aniada, should be combined with an excursion to the "Aetovrysi" area, a site that can only be visited if conquer it one can feel its greatness. The horizon opens majestically before our eyes and the visitor will bless the late teacher Yiannis Vrachas who served this area honorably and tried in every way to make use of it. Of course, it is not necessary to say anything about the gurgling water that springs there, a true source of life and renewal.
Continuing our journey from Aniada, we reach Syngrelos, a small beautiful village and from here we proceed to the intersection that leads right to Krikello and left to Karpenissi, where we will return, following a path through green fir trees, in a forest immortal and proud. On our left as we descend all the way, enjoying an amazing view, we will come across the historical site of "Kokkali". It was named so from the multitude of human bones that have been bleaching there since 279 BC. At this point, the Gauls paid for their barbaric behavior by destroying Kallio, probably today's Clausi. There they were defeated, united by the ancient inhabitants of Evrytania, proving that no one is allowed to take them unchallenged. And from this historical place we take the reverse course for our return or descend towards the ridge of Tymfristos to return to Karpenisi and from there to Megalo Chorio after about three hours, having traveled around seventy kilometers.
Megalo Chorio – Karpenisi – Stenoma – Agia Triada
From here you can see the city spread out before you, smell forgotten spring scents and admire the entire Potamia valley stretching south to the Prussos mountains. We continue our way to the right at the intersection, to reach after five kilometers the location "Margarita". Large meadows spread across an unexpected plateau, which in spring is adorned with a colorful tapestry of wildflowers. If you get here in mid-May you will realize that you don't have enough vocabulary to describe the color and diversity that is spread out before you.
There are quite a few outdoor enthusiasts camping in the area this summer, and the idea of cozying up around the campfire under the starlight and moonlight is really appealing. A little further down is the church of Ai-Thanasis and a pile of stones called "the drums of Katsantonis". Also in the same place is the landscaped area of the "Kara-Amet" fountain, another source of life-giving water. Continuing our journey we reach Stenoma, a green village with a beautiful square and gurgling waters. Opposite the village, is Turla, a round hill, scattered with ceramic debris, evidence of an ancient city. A few years ago there was a large piece of stone in the shape of an ancient temple column.
From Stenoma one can visit the bridge of Megdova or Viniani bridge, an old single-arched bridge built during the Turkish occupation in a stunning location with dense vegetation of tall oaks and plane trees. There, they say, is a haunted bee that protects passers-by and won't let them pass if the river goes down. Next village is Pavlopoulos. A classic Euritanian village with an ancient church of Ag. Dimitriou dated 1666.
Then we reach Papadia. A small village with a history disproportionate to its size. On the south side of the village is Papadia mountain where in May 1809 a battle took place between the Turkish dervenaga Suleiman Totis and Lepeniotis. 80 Greeks attacked 300 Turks and killed the pasha and most of his entourage. In this way, Lepeniotis avenged the death of his brothers Katsantonis and Hasiotis at Ioannina by Ali Pasha. It would be a great omission not to visit the old church of the village which commemorates Ag. John Chrysostom. It dates back to the middle of the 15th century. and in one picture of the iconostasis the date 1757 is mentioned while in another there is written the date 1707. It is worth stopping a little in this village, to feel the passage of History from the proud Korfobunia and to enjoy your coffee in its beautiful square.
Walk in Karpenisi
Every summer and for about a month, from mid-July to mid-August, Karpenisi turns into an island of cultural activities, as the "Forest and Folklore Festivals" evolve year by year into a major cultural event of central-western Central Greece, with theater performances, music concerts, dance performances, photography exhibitions and generally any kind of artistic activity.
D.E.P.A.K. (Municipal Enterprise for Culture and Development of Karpenisi) in combination with the functions of the conference center, as well as the growing conference tourism based on private initiative, predict the positive development in the cultural movement of Karpenisi throughout the year. The intellectual life of the city shows a lot of mobility as literary and musical evenings are organized quite often with satisfactory success. Also typical is the trade fair that starts on July 27 and lasts for five days, giving a special color to the city. Moreover, the multitude of festivals that take place in the summer is another opportunity for the visitor to get to know the local people's way of entertainment in some events that are slowly beginning to become alienated and disappear from other, more "developed" areas.
Strolling through Karpenisi, one should not miss tasting the "immortal water" of the lion in the square, under the shade of its famous old plane tree. He may not see the "Sarakatsana rolling and going to fill" now, but he will feel a distinct sense of peace and insignificance of time. Here the clock is useless, and the tensions of the city seem to lose almost their meaning.
The square is paved with marble, in colors that blend harmoniously with the landscape, with semicircular patterns on which the names of the old municipalities of the prefecture are written. Here is also the statue of Markos Botsaris resting proudly on his laurels. An inscription on the back says that it was erected in 1925 by the newspaper "Paneuritaniki". Behind the church of Ag. In Triada, directly opposite the OTE building, there is a commemorative plaque that points out to the passerby that in that place, the PEEAA School and the Sterea Pedagogical Training Center operated, during the difficult years of the occupation. Exactly in the same place there is a memorial column in honor of Thanasis Karpenisiotis, who was killed fighting in Sculeni, Romania in 1821.
Heading towards the western exit of the city, to visit Kefalovrysos, we see to our right the square of Katsantonis, with the bronze statue of the heroic thief gazing at the eternal mountains of Evrytania, for which he worked so hard and finally gave his life, succumbing to merciless son of Ali Pasha of Ioannina. Kefalovryso is an amazing location, nestled in the green of plane trees with trout breeding facilities. The municipality's facilities, which even have a tennis court, offer full service to the visitor. Another place worth visiting is the hill of Agios Dimitrios. Tradition says that the hill was a part of Velouchi that slid to its current location thousands of years ago. It is probable that there was a castle on top of it and perhaps the citadel of an ancient settlement was located on it, since clay findings have been discovered from time to time. From the top of the hill one can see the whole of Karpenisi at one's feet, a dreamlike view, as Velouchi seems to protectively embrace the city.
Towards the North of the city, as we climb up to "Lagadia" for the Ski Center and as soon as we reach the first big turn, it's worth stopping for a photo: "Sympetheriko" is a long series of stones that divide the mountainside vertically and look like human procession ascending. There was, he says, once a wedding. The bride, leaving home, took with her all her father's possessions as a dowry, leaving her widowed mother nothing but a thread. As the sympathizer left for the foreign land, climbing the slope of Velouhi, the bride remembered the thread and sent someone to take it too, thus completely stripping the old woman of her pores. But as soon as the messengers returned with the thread, and just as the bride was going to get it, the whole procession was stoned, because the bride's mother cursed them to be marbles along with their booty.
So if you have a lot of imagination, you can distinguish the bride with the thread and the other companions who since then have been going up to Veluhi, without ever getting anywhere, fighting all the time, sometimes with the wild North and the snow and sometimes with the merciless capsule of the sun , thus paying for the greed of the ungrateful daughter.
Continuing on this road, after about 11 kilometers, we reach the facilities of the Velouchi Ski Center. The whole route is an apotheosis of the alpine landscape, a continuous ascent of soul and spirit towards the heavens with the Karpenissio basin spreading out peacefully behind us and the city exuding a calm, relaxing rhythm. Of course, no matter how calm the rhythms of the city are, night outs can be just as intense, real life experiences, for those who have never experienced "mountain fun" before!!!
But we believe that nothing can go wrong with the warm embrace of the fireplace with the fragrance of burning resin, and the musical trilling of the snow-covered firs outside. Good company and fun are the only things you have to offer to enjoy a perfect evening after your excursions, an evening that will undoubtedly turn into a sweet memory, indelible no matter how many years pass...
Velouchi Ski Center
The Ski Center is located at an altitude of 1840m, in Velouhi (Tymfristos), in Diavolotopos and at a distance of 12km from Karpenissi. Its operation began in 1974, on the initiative of private individuals, and since then it has been continuously improved. Today, it has 10 tracks of various levels of difficulty, with a varying height difference. Its operation and organized activity inextricably complements the tourist interest of Evrytania, especially during the winter season. http://www.velouxi.gr/
Educational and Outdoor Activities (with a cooperating qualified external partner)
Rafting on the Tauropos River
River Difficulty: Grade 2 (easy)
Duration of descent: 2 hours
Total program duration: 4 hours
Implementation period: from December to May 15.
Ages: from 11 years and up.
What you should bring with you: 2nd pair of sports shoes, swimsuit or 2 underwear, towel and T-shirts.
Services provided: boat driver, transfers from our base to the starting point of the descent, wetsuit, neoprene socks, windbreaker/waterproof, helmet, life jacket, paddle, liability and accident insurance.
Meeting point: at our base, at Gefyra Megdova, 24 km from Karpenissi (1 hour by bus).
Descent base: our base has men's/women's changing rooms, men's/women's toilets, and a dining room with a fireplace.
Cycling
Trail difficulty: Grade 2 (easy)
Route duration: 2 hours (8km)
Total program duration: 3 hours
Implementation period: from March to November.
Ages: from 11 years and up.
What to wear: sports shoes, tracksuit, windbreaker
Services provided: escort per 10 people, mountain bikes, helmet, support vehicle, liability and accident insurance.
Meeting point: in the village of Myriki, 4 km from Karpenisi (10 minutes by bus).
Hiking in Kefalovrysos
Trail difficulty: Grade 2 (easy)
Route duration: 1.30 hours (8km)
Total program duration: 3 hours
Implementation period: all year round
Ages: from 8 years and up
What to wear: sports shoes, tracksuit, windbreaker
Services provided: escort per 10 people, support vehicle, liability and accident insurance
Meeting point: in Kefalovrysos, 3km from Karpenissi (5 minutes by bus)
Flying Fox & Rapel & Archery in Dipotama (for groups of more than 8 people)
Activity difficulty: easy
Program duration: 3 hours
Implementation period: all year round
Ages: from 8 years and up
What to wear: sports shoes, tracksuit, windbreaker
Services provided: escort, the necessary equipment for the activities, civil liability and accident insurance.
Meeting point: in Dipotama, 25 km from Karpenissi (35 minutes by bus).
Rafting on the Trikeriotis river
River Difficulty: Grade 3 (difficult, require prior experience).
Duration of descent: 2 hours
Total program duration: 4 hours
Implementation period: from December to May 15
Ages: from 17 years and above
What you should bring with you: 2nd pair of sports shoes, swimsuit or 2 underwear, towel, T-shirts.
Services provided: boat driver, transfers from the end of the descent to the starting point of the descent, neoprene suit, neoprene socks, windbreaker/waterproof, helmet, life jacket, paddle, liability and accident insurance.
Meeting point: at our base, at the Dipotama Bridge, 24 km from Karpenissi (35 hours by bus).
Descent base: our base has men's/women's toilets, and a coffee room with a fireplace.
River Trekking in "It's Always Raining"
In the morning, our office jeep comes and picks you up from the hotel.
Passing Megalo Chorio, we enter a dirt road and the wonderful fir forest of Mount Kaliakouda. We reach 1700m altitude and from there we descend to Krikelopotamos, where we leave the jeep. This is followed by a hike through the river. We stop for a dip in the natural pools of the river and after 45 minutes of walking we reach the wonderful "Always Raining", with its impressive waterfalls.
Program duration: 5 hours.
No previous experience is needed.
People aged 6 to 65 can take part. Includes chaperones, jeep, necessary equipment, light snack and security.
Canoeing on Lake Kremaston
Meeting point: Episkopi Bridge – Papaioannou Cafe on the Karpenisi – Agrini road, 62 km. from Karpenisi (1.30 hours).
Implementation period: all year round
Degree of difficulty: Grade 1
Activity duration: 2 hours
Ages: 6 and up
Services Provided: Full equipment, experienced guide
What to bring: Second pair of shoes, underwear or bathing suit & towel
Horseback riding
Be 3km outside of Karpenisi, on the banks of the Karpenisiotis river.
Duration: 1 hour
