Achaia (Αχαΐα / Achaía) is a more greek Regional district in the northwest of the Peloponnese, it belongs to the region of West Greece. It is surrounded by the regional districts Elis in the southwest, Arcadia in the south and Corinthia in the south East. The Gulf of Corinth in the northeast and the Gulf of Patras in the northwest form natural boundaries.
Regions
The district is divided into five parishes Egialia, Erymanthos, Kalávryta, Patras and West Achaia.
places
- Aegion (Egialia)
- Diakopto (Egialia)
- Kato Achaia (West Achaia)
- Kalógria, (West Achaia), tourist town with a wide beach
- Patras, Third largest city in Greece. Port and capital of the region
Other goals
background
language
getting there
mobility
Tourist Attractions
Vouraikós gorge
The small river Vouraikós has its source in the Aroania mountains (also Chelmos Mountains) and flows into the Gulf of Corinth in Diakopto. Hikes in the Vouraikós Gorge in the upper reaches of the river are quite popular. A narrow-gauge cogwheel railway runs through the valley, the tracks of which have only been renovated in recent years, but has now been (temporarily) shut down.
Kalavryta
The place Kalávryta, accessible from Diakopto via a winding country road and the rack railway, is the center of the municipality of the same name. The memory of the mass execution of the German military on December 13, 1943 is maintained by a memorial and by the Kalavryta City Museum
Agia Lávra Monastery
The monastery has the status of a national shrine for the Greeks, the flag of the Greek Liberation Army was blessed here on March 25, 1821. The Greek national holiday on March 25th goes back to this date. The monastery was partially destroyed in World War II and rebuilt around 1850.
Méga Spileo Monastery
The name of the monastery means Big cave. It was founded in the 8th century and stands in a cave under a towering rock wall. The most important shrine in this monastery is an icon of Mary, which is said to have been created by the evangelist Luke. The monastery looks quite modern from the outside, it was rebuilt around 1950 after it was largely destroyed in the Second World War. Opinions can be divided about the architectural style. Photographs should not be taken inside the monastery walls, under no circumstances with a flash. The monastery church has a bronze portal that is well worth seeing, also note the icons and the rather somber-looking painting of the dome from 1653. Liturgical vestments and vessels are on display in the monastery museum. One floor below you get into the cave, the source there is said to have healing effects.
miscellaneous
- Spileo ton limnon (Cave of the Lakes), stalactite cave near Kastría. In the underground bed of a river, several sinter basins have formed one after the other as lakes. The cave is accessible through guided tours (Greek only).
- Lake Zivlou near Akrata. The mountain lake was created in 1912 when a landslide blocked the path of the Krathi River.
activities
kitchen
nightlife
The nightlife in Achaia is mostly from beach bars and beach clubs like the famous "Koursaros". But there are also many bars and pubs in the small villages and towns of Achaia.
