Lagadia An Off-the-Beaten-Path Traditional Mountainside Village in Greece

The Peloponnese Mountains in Greece

Do you love the mountains?

 Did you know Greece is 80% mountains?

Everyone thinks Greece is islands, 

and it is. 

But it is also mountains! 

You get a workout in a mountain village! 

The traditional village of Lagadia (spellings vary)

is situated on the side of a mountain 

in the Peloponnese, 

a little over and hours ride east of Olympia.

One main street divides upper and lower parts of the village. 

Considered a masterpiece of stone, Lagadia

was built by stone craftsmen centuries ago and

many of their descendants still own the homes, 

but do not live in them.

The owners have moved on, but send funds for upkeep.

This gives the village a rather abandoned feel. 

The 70% incline requires terraced cemeteries. 
And check out all that stonework! 

With only 600 residents,

the draw to Lagadia is it's off the beaten path vibe

offering both resort and dining options. 

Traditional Greek Dance

If you're in the Peloponnese and need a place to spend a night, 

Lagkadia is a peaceful option. 

This cat escorted us for our entire walk through town. 

If you have time to explore, check out 

Church of Taxiarches

House of Deligiannis

The Gymnasium

Holy Apostles Church

If you enjoy hiking 

be sure to trek along the Menalon Trail 

as Lagadia is an ending/beginning point of the trail.

The Full Menalon Trail

from Stemnitsa to Lakadia
Length 75.2 km
Altitude 420 – 1550 m

In ancient times, 

the road to the Olympics passed through Lagadia. 

Olympia is a little over 1 hour west by car.

While there isn't a lot to do here, 

it is a refreshing stop 

and worth it if you are in the Peloponnese. 

To stay overnight.

Lamb entree at Maniatis

Our room at Maniatis

Off the Beaten Path in Seaside Kardamyli

How to spend an entire day in Kardamyli, Greece. 

Seaside Kardamyli is not your typical tourist town, 

it's where the locals hang out. 

And that is so refreshing. 

We spent an entire day just relaxing here, 

which being married to a very active person 

isn't common on our vacations. 

We began our day with an early walk to 

Old Town Kardamyli Museum.

The Old Town was built in the 18th Century 

on the side of a mountain. 

Old Kardamyli is one of the oldest towns in the Peloponnese Mountains.

Old enough that Homer referred to it in the Iliad.  

From the Old Town 

we continued hiking up the mountain 

to the Church of Sophia. 

And even a little higher we found a little village 

with great views and some houses in need of new owners. 

Tempting...the views are worth it. 

Hiking back down and through the town to our hotel, 

 we freshened up and readied ourselves for some beach time. 

Ahhhh.....

Ok, you need shoes on these beaches, 

even though they consist of rounded stones 

they are hard on your feet. 

You can take a seat and a waiter will present himself 

from one of the local eateries 

and take your order. 

 ✅ Bucket List - Being served beverages while relaxing on the beach.

Then back to the hotel for Happy Hour 

followed by dinner along the water's edge. 

Tikla Cuzina and Wine Bar

For me, this is a perfect vacation day, 

but there is so much more of Greece to see,

so tomorrow we are on the road again. 

My relaxing day was 

climbing 39 floors and 

walking 20,071 steps. 

He's lucky I love him

because it was a relaxing day for us. 

The house he wants to renovate for the view. 

Kardamyli is small.

A long weekend here is plenty of time to relax 

visit the shops and restaurants, 

and explore.

** You can also rent Kayaks and take a tour of the caves, 

but because of a kayaking event there were no tours while we were there. 

Bummer. 

Visiting Delphi: The Center of the Ancient Greek World

Delphi is a two-in-one town. 

The new town is a modern day village.

The ancient town 

which the ancient Greeks considered to be the center of heaven and earth,

is an archeological site. 

The residents of the ancient town 

were transplanted to the new town 

to make way for archaeological excavations. 

The new village is dissected by several one-way,

narrow, terraced streets.

In an hour or so you can walk through the whole town. 

I had no idea Greece was so mountainous. 

We certainly burned a lot of calories climbing up and down steps. 

Climbing up high anywhere in Delphi provides beautiful views. 

And with a short walk we are taken back to ancient times....

In the Delphi Archeological Museum -

note the detail remaining on this ancient bronze statue,

"The Charioteer," 5th century BC. 

This treasury along The Sacred Way was reconstructed in 1903-6.

The theater commands an impressive view. 

The people came to Delphi to consult with the oracle, the priestess of Apollo.

The pillars and some of the foundation 

from the Temple of Apollo are all that remain today. 

The Ancient Path was used by those visiting the Oracle of Delphi.

Delphi is located about a 2 hour drive from Athens 

and can easily be visited in one day

unless you want to explore the area in more depth. 

Most people come to visit the archeological site

 and museum set in a mountainous environment.  

But there are also hiking trails and ski slopes

in close proximity.

APOLLO | The ancient god of oracles. The most Greek of all gods. 

ORACLE | A person through whom a deity speaks.

THE SACRED WAY | The main path leading from the entrance 

to the temple of Apollo. 

Discovering Alleys and Passageways in Arachova, Greece

What do I love about Arachova, Greece?

So many twisty-turny passageways to explore.

This awesome little village 

is no sleepy town. 

Situated on the side of a mountain 

makes it a fine location for a ski resort 

(Yes! Skiing in Greece!)

offering a lively nightlife. 

It's close proximity for those who wish to visit Delphi 

also makes it a great place to spend the night. 

The people we met here were very friendly as well. 

One woman told us how to get inside this church. 

This little guy welcomed us too. 

Being on a mountainside 

means there were plenty of steps. 

I lost count climbing these steps 

when I stopped to catch my breath, 

but google says there are 264. 

The steps lead up to this church. 

Do you love all those arched doors?

I LOVE them!! 

There is one main street that runs through Arachova, 

the rest are the small side streets. 

The main street isn't very big either 

but it is lined with 

shops, bakeries, cafes, and restaurants.