PeloPonneseAr
KADIAPeloPonneseGET TINGT
HE
rE & AWAYPeloPonneseCENTrALAr
KADIArary guesthouse perched above the village.
You can even sleep in the former ‘donkey
basement’. Breakfast includes homemade
organic produce and is served in a beautiful
room with an open fireplace.
Xenonas Tsarbou BOuTIQuE HOTEL €€
(%27950 81406; http://www.xenonas-tsarbou.gr; d
incl breakfast from €60; pW) This delightful
guesthouse is a happy merging of a convert-
ed historic stone building with contempo-
rary decor, its compact rooms trimmed with
gold and velvet. There’s a cosy bar with fire-
place for post-hike relaxation, and hospita-
ble hostess Christina prepares an extensive
breakfast spread.
Gerousia GrEEK €
(mains €7-12; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner) A din-
ing establishment since 1870, this appealing
cafe on the square is a good place to linger
over a coffee, glass of wine or an assortment
of traditional Greek dishes.
8 Getting There & Away
There is one bus in each direction on weekdays
between Tripoli and Dimitsana via Stemnitsa
(€4.10, one hour). A taxi to Dimitsana costs
around €10, to Prodromos Monastery €15, to
Ancient Gortys €25 and to the Philosophou
Monasteries €20.
Dimitsana Δημητσάνα
POP 340
Built amphitheatrically on two hills at the
beginning of the Lousios Gorge, Dimitsa-
na, 11km north of Stemnitsa, is a delightful
medieval village. This small place played a
significant role in the country’s struggle for
self-determination. Its Greek school, found-
ed in 1764, was an important spawning
ground for the ideas leading to the upris-
ings against the Turks. Its students includ-
ed Bishop Germanos of Patra and Patriarch
Gregory V, who was hanged by the Turks in
retaliation for the massacre in Tripoli. The
village also had a number of gunpowder fac-
tories and a branch of the secret Filiki Eteria
(Friendly Society), where Greeks met to dis-
cuss the revolution. Today, this sleepy village
is hiker central in summer and full of skiing
weekenders in winter.
1 Sights & Activities
Open Air Water Power Museum MuSEuM
(%27950 31630; http://www.piop.gr; adult/concession
€3/1.50; h10am-6pm Wed-Mon) This excel-
lent little museum is an entertaining romp
through the region’s pre-industrial past. It
occupies the old Agios Yiannis mill complex,
1.6km south of town (signposted), where a
spring-fed stream once supplied power for
a succession of mills spread down the hill-
side. The lush grounds are criss-crossed
with channels alive with rushing water that
power the fully operational fulling mill, flour
mill and gunpowder mill, the last having
provided ammunition during the Greek War
of Independence.Trekking Hellas OuTDOOrS
(%27910 25978, 6974459753; http://www.trekkinghellas.
gr) Trekking Hellas offers various activities,
including white-water rafting (€50 to €80)
on the Lousios River and half-day guided
treks along the Lousios Gorge (€20 to €50).
Contact them in advance.4 Sleeping
Kazakou Guesthouse B&B €
(%27950 31660; http://www.xenonaskazakou.gr; d/tr
incl breakfast €51/60; W) This rambling stone
house above central Dimitsana features
spacious rooms with wooden floors, a vast
breakfast served in the vaulted lounge and
friendly owners. Wi-fi only works in the
lounge and the location is either a boon or
a bane, depending on whether you enjoy the
sound of church bells.oAmanites BOuTIQuE HOTEL €€
(%27950 31090; http://www.amanites.gr; d/studio incl
breakfast €65/80; pW) This lovely place, a
converted historic home, has seven elegant
rooms with heavy drapes and tasteful fab-
rics. Four rooms have front-facing balconies
overlooking the gorge; others have kitchen-
ettes. Delightful English-speaking owner Pa-
nos goes out of his way to be helpful.Enastron Guesthouse B&B €€
(%27950 31684; http://www.xenonasenastron.gr; d incl
breakfast €65; W) This appealing guesthouse
is distinguished not just by the friendliness
of and helpfulness of its owners, but also
by the meticulous attention to detail. The
spacious wooden-beamed rooms come with
contemporary fittings and excellent bath-
rooms, and the extensive breakfast buffet
comprises fresh local produce.5 Eating & Drinking
Most of the village tavernas serve typical
mountain fare, such as game casseroles or
roasts, rooster in red wine and fasoladha
(bean soup).