Arachova - Atractions
Built at an altitude of 980 metres, Arachova is a traditional picturesque town nestling high on the southern slopes of Parnassus mountain leading to a ravine at the bottom of which flows Pleistos river. It is located 160 km away from Athens, 24 km away from the ski centres of Parnassus Mountain and 9 km away from Delphi, also known as “the navel of the earth”, an ancient Greek town where there was once the most renowned oracle of the ancient Greek civilization. Just 27 km away from the beaches of Itea, 25 km away from the beaches of Antikyra and 35 km away from Galaxidi Arachova has become one of the most popular winter resorts in our country but can also be characterized as an ideal destination for cool summer vacation.
Atractions:
The “Ora” Clock Tower:
A real gem for Arachova is the steep cliff on which it is located the Ora Clock Tower.
Church of St. George (patron saint of Arachova):
The Church of Saint George is one of the two parish churches in Arachova and it is prominently located onthe top of the village, on the foothills of Parnassus Mountain.
The Monument of Karaiskakis:
At the western part of the village, there is the figure of George Karaiskakis standing on 300 stones that
symbolize the heads of the fallen Ottomans General Karaiskakis had asked to be collected right after the
winning battle of Arachova over the Turkish, in order for a monument to be erected.
The Monastery of Hosios Loukas:
The monastery of Hosios Loukas, one of the most important Byzantine monuments in Greece, is located just a breath away from Steiri at the site where there used to be the ancient temple of Steirida Demetra. The monastery, known as “The Church of Saint Sophia in Roumeli”, was built in the 10th A.D. century following the byzantine architecture of the church of Saint Sophia in Istanbul. The monastery has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
"Museum of Nazi Victims" It is also worth paying a visit to the “Museum of Nazi Victims” and the “Folklore Museum”, both housed under in the same building in Distomo, featuring reconstruction and archive materials that record the holocaust of the civilians during the Nazi occupation.
On Kannales hill, in Distomo, a monument of significant importance, the “Mausoleum of Distomo”, was
erected in honor of the civilians massacred by the Nazis on 10th June 1944. During June weekly events,
organized by the Municipality of Distomo- Arachova- Antikyra in collaboration with the Cultural
Association of Distomo, are held there.
The Kleisoura gorge:
Kleisoura is a fordable 6 km long gorge with steep rocky chutes. However, it is a relatively easy and
enjoyable hike. From antiquity up until the 1950s it was the main route connecting Steiri and the Monastery of Hosios Loukas with the Corinthian Gulf. At the entrance of the gorge, the one that lies in Steiri, you can admire the “Stone Bridge of Leondiou”, possibly built during the Byzantine period, with two arches. The bridge has been named after its constructor, some Leondios who was a monk in the Monastery of Osios Loukas.
