Fam Trip of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce under the auspices of the Municipalities of North and South Kynouria.
Starting from Tyros Beach, a beautiful settlement refreshed by the sea breeze of the Myrtoan, our journey began through unique Kynouria.
*Sunrise at Tyros Beach
Visit to Agios Petros, a mountain capital of North Kynouria, immersed in greenery.
With the first stop at Agios Petros, which boasts excellent tourist infrastructure—hotels, taverns, shops with local products—we discovered that it is a perfect destination for every season of the year, catering to all preferences.
Key attractions we visited included the Trikalitis Tower, the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul at the square, the renovated stone school (an excellent architectural example of its time), Aga’s Tower dating to the 18th century, the old carpet factory, and beautiful shops selling local goods.
At the same time, we had the chance to observe the making of handmade pasta at the traditional “MALEVOS” workshop.
*Traditional pasta “Malevos”
Passing through the village of Agios Ioannis, we reached the village of Platanos.
Platanos is a picturesque, small village on the southeastern side of Mount Parnon, 450 m from the sea and 180 km from Athens. The village is traditional and truly famous for its water. We visited the old watermill and the stone fountain. The region also nurtures the Cave of the Saviour and the Lepida Gorge.
Visit to the Tyros Cultural Center
At the Tyros Cultural Center, a presentation of the South Kynouria destination was delivered by the Mayor of South Kynouria, Mr. Charalampos Lysikatos, Deputy Mayor of Finance Mr. Michalis Sotiropoulos, Deputy Mayor of Tyros Mr. Kostas Manousos, President of the Tourism Department of the Arcadia Chamber Mr. Yiannis Sambrakos, President of DIKENK Mr. Christoforos Douzenis, Representative of the Tyros Trade Association Mr. Nikitas Englezos, founder of the social cooperative “A Chora Namou” Mr. Dimitris Lalousakis, and Eleni Manou.
Discovering the local cuisine of Kynouria
The meal at Zaritsa, the traditional “Tasos” tavern, was a gastronomic journey into the local cuisine with traditional and authentic flavors that thrilled our senses.
Visit to Leonidio and the “Melitzazz” Festival
Leonidio is a historic place and a traditional settlement within the protected Natura 2000 area. It is home to the recognized PDO product “Tsakonian eggplant of Leonidio,” and its residents still speak the endangered Tsakonian language.
In Leonidio, three of the most magnificent pre-revolutionary monuments of the Peloponnese still survive: the Trikaliotis Tower (1808) and the Polytimos Mansion (1816), both listed buildings. The third important structure is the Katsikogiannis Mansion (1807), located to the north of the settlement (Skaliotis Tower).
In Leonidio, we had the opportunity to discover and experience up close the unique Tsakonia festival “Melitzazz,” now in its ninth year.
As part of “Melitzazz,” a twinning event took place at the “Fabrica Politismou” venue between the Municipality of South Kynouria and the Italian town of Martano. The event included the unveiling of a sculpture gifted by Martano to South Kynouria and the naming ceremony for Piazza Martano.
Next, at Merikaki Square, the progressive duo Kadinelia offered a musical journey where the timeless sounds of Greece transformed into something new, through the captivating melodies of acoustic guitar and their harmonious vocals.
Their music identity is the enrichment of Greek traditional music with elements of blues and rock, in a unique multicultural soundscape where East meets West.
This was followed by a DJ set on Leonidio’s main road with rhythmic and dance tunes from DJ Christos Arestis, which turned the central street into a large open-air bar.
Visit to Paralio Astros and city tour by Giorgos Karagiannis, member of social cooperative “5ENTE”
Paralio Astros is one of the best-known summer resorts of the Peloponnese, with developed tourist facilities for every preference, kilometers of pristine beaches, and possibilities for sea activities.
It stands out for its picturesque natural harbor and the area nicknamed “Nisi” by locals, offering amazing views of the Argolic Gulf.
Notably, during our visit to Paralio Astros, there was a presentation of the North Kynouria destination at the “Astros Beach” hotel.
The presentation was given by the President of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Yiannis Troupis, the Mayor of North Kynouria, Mr. Giorgos Kampylis, the President of the Eastern Arcadia Accommodation Association Ms. Vivian Manolesou, and other local officials.
Final stop at Xiropigado
Xiropigado beach is a place of tranquility, with pebble beach and crystal-clear waters, and the area features a developed tourist infrastructure, including hotels.
Referring to the familiarization trip promoting Arcadia as a destination, President of the Arcadia Chamber Yiannis Troupis stated:
“In this Fam Trip, we confirmed once again the excellent cooperation between the Arcadia Chamber and the Municipalities of North and South Kynouria. We are fully aligned with our municipalities on the view that joint actions to promote Kynouria’s tourism products create growth and social benefit for all of Arcadia. We are doing a lot and will do even more. Our vision is for Arcadia to become a world-class tourism brand name.”