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Recreation In the various customs which play a part in their lives, the Arkadians show themselves to be people of stability, determination and the power that comes with inner peace. In the various marriage songs and customs, which are of particular importance in this part of Greece, we can discern the generosity and selflessness with which the family consents to the marriage of a son, admitting the young bride into the family circle with care and affection. This is why in Arcadia new cultures have come and have fertilized the existing ones without displacing them. In one entirely unique instance, that of Leonidio, the local language (Tsakonian) is a direct descendant of ancient Doric. Even the local customs go back a long way, and the Tsakonian dance is held by many to be a re-enactment of Theseus emerging from the Minotaurs Labyrinth. After Kiveri, the coastal road from the Argolid continues to the south to Paralio Astros, a charming resort village with, at Nisi, the ruins of a Venetian castle. The main road continues south west and soon enters Astros. The countryside around Astros is extremely fertile, and trees, flowers and undergrowth are all watered by the spring known as Mana. The area is famous for its peaches, while it also produces olive oil, wheat and other cereals, pears, etc. Astros makes fine rugs, with intricate weaving and pleasant designs. The anniversary of the National Convention is the occasion for a two-day feast. There is also a four-day feast to mark the Ascension, in May. Lake Moustos, nearby, has plenty of fish for the amateur fisherman and is popular with hunters during the winter. Soon, after leaving Astros, the road south comes to a fork. The left turning takes us to the pretty village of Oreini Meligou, on the thickly-forested slopes of Mt Parnon. It also leads to Lake Moustos, and a spring whose water is supposed to be good for sufferers from rheumatism and arthritis. The other fork leads south east to Korakovouni, which hides the ruins of a Venetian castle among its plane trees. The Avourou gorge, near the village, is popular with hunters. We come to the village of Ayiorgitika, where a fine Archaic statue, currently in the Athens Archaeological Museum, was found. We soon pass through Steno, cross the Sarantapotamos river and enter Tripoli. The town stands almost in the centre of the Peloponnese, at an altitude of 650 meters, on the Arcadian plateau. Tripoli itself is an important commercial and administrative centre. Tripoli is an important communications centre, with roads spreading out like the spokes of a wheel to all parts of the Peloponnese. Indeed, it is hard to avoid Tripoli when traveling in the area. A main road and minor road leave Tripoli and cross the plain of Tegea. The main road runs in a southerly direction into Lakonia. Near the Agora of Tegea, in the village of Episkopi, there was a theatre built in c. 175 B.C. by An-tiochus III Epiphanes. Within it were found the ruins of a Byzantine church of the Virgin, which was restored to replace that of the 11th or 12th century which served as the cathedral of Nikliou, as Tegea was called in the Middle Ages. In front of the church can be seen the remains of medieval walls and a mosaic floor (5th century) with symbolic representations of the four rivers of Paradise, the 12 months, etc. Around the church there is a fine park with pines and other trees with a tourist pavilion. A six-day feast around 15 August, with competitions and a market, preserves a tradition whose origins must be very ancient. Thirty five kilometers from Tripoli, we come to Ayios Petros, at an altitude of 940 meters. The village is well-watered and has a wide variety of trees, including apple, pear, plum and cherry trees, chestnuts and planes, as well as bushes and other greenery. Cypresses, pines, firs and oak trees may be seen towards the peaks of Mt Parnon. Ayios Petros is a medieval town, and under the Turks and Venetians it was the capital of a province. Apart from the church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the church of the local patron saint (St Nilus) is also worth a visit. There are interesting feasts at both churches in May and June. Dimitsana lies some 54 kilometers to the northwest of Tripoli. The town stands at 950 meters, in a verdant area, with fine views of the Arcadian mountains, the river Lousios, where Zeus is reputed to have bathed, and the plain of Megalopolis. Dimitsana is an ideal centre for excursions to shady glades and pine forests. A minor road to the west and then south leads to the pretty and verdant village of Zatouna, at 900 meters. Another road, leading north, and before entering the village of Karkalou, where it joins the Tripoli-Vitina-Pyrgos road, has a fork to the pretty and verdant village of Servou. After Vlacherna to the west there is a fork. The right-hand fork soon encounters a minor road to the left, which leads to the Lados valley and its villages, while the main road continues north to Kalavryta. The left-hand fork turns south west, along fir-clad slopes. Soon it enters Vytina, one of the most idyllic and famous Greek mountain resorts, at a height of 1,000 meters. There are modern tourist amenities. The thick forests of Mt Mainalo give Vytina a healthy and invigorating climate as well as providing the raw material for local arts and crafts. Wood-carving is a local tradition. The site was well-known even in ancient times, when it was associated with Pan and other Arcadian deities. A minor road leads north from Stavrodromi, through Vyziki (740 meters) and soon reaches Tropaia, also built amphitheatrically on the slopes of Mt Ayios Yeorgios. As a resort town, it is visited by many Greeks and foreign tourists each year. The man-made Lake Ladonas lies about twelve and a half kilometers from Stavrodromi. The dam at the spot called Pidima has a height of 55 meters, and a length of 104 meters, while the lake is approximately 15 kilometers long and covers an area of 1,500 acres. It is ideal for boating and fishing, while the surrounding hills are excellent for hunting. top
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