My previous weekend, which was extended by my day away from work commitments on the Monday, was perfect, if not a must, for a road trip combining nature, culture, and gastronomy. The desire for such a trip certainly existed but my means were not up to standard. Unfortunately, I did not have a suitable car for the voyage. But a suggestion made by a friend, to rent an SUV from Avis, ended up being a terrific idea.
This option offered departure-time flexibility as it enabled my travel partner and I to pick the vehicle at the time of our liking. The car we were given was spotless and the entire rental procedure was safe – both the reservation and choice of vehicle were made online, easily – important factors, given the pandemic and its special conditions.
We ended up on the Athens-Tripoli highway, heading down the Peloponnese, a lot faster and easier than we could have imagined. Along the way, we took the opportunity to marvel at the landscape of Artemisio, a village 18 km from Tripoli, where he made a short stop at a service station. A plain stretched out before us. The temperature here was definitely colder than in Athens – sunny but chilly. We were not surprised as we had checked the weather forecast for our road trip’s conditions ahead.
We made our first longer stop after three hours of driving, at Labia, or Divri, a village in the Peloponnese’s Ilia region. Though not a very well-known place, it is beautiful. The village is spread over various levels, each neighborhood situated at a different altitude and with its own cemetery. The houses, two and three-storey constructions with wooden balconies and red roof tiles, are built in traditional style. The village is filled with trees, mainly firs. A Byzantine-era church, Agia Triada, at least 800 years old, is situated at Groustades, one of the village neighborhoods. Its walls inside feature superb murals.
After enjoying a coffee and the mountainous landscape, we carried on for the Foloi forest, the only oak tree forest to be found in the Balkans. The route leading us to the forest was one of the highlights of our entire journey. It is a very scenic area, but the road is rugged and demanding. The car we had secured for ourselves made the driving easy. If in the area, make sure your smartphone battery is fully charged, or even better, have a camera with you.
We reached the Foloi forest, stretching back to antiquity and named after the centaur Pholus. According to legend, the centaur hosted Greek divine hero Heracles at this location when he was hunting for the Erymanthian boar, the hero’s fourth labour. Pholus offered Heracles some wine, which prompted a conflict with other centaurs, during which one of Heracles’ arrows accidentally killed Pholus.
This forest is imposing, making clear the reasons behind its significance during antiquity. Locals support that some five million trees exist over 4,200 hectares. We explored the area – not counting trees, of course – initially driving along dirt roads that cut through the forest, feeling safe and secure in our SUV. We then explored on foot from a certain point onwards.
The Foloi forest is one of Europe’s biggest, one of the reasons behind its extensive size being its ability to survive wildfires that have occasionally impacted the Peloponnese as oaks, referred to as kapeli trees by locals, are a far less flammable tree. Most recently, the Foloi forest, which is included in the EU’s Natura 2000 network of nature protection areas, survived wildfires that ravaged the wider area last summer. The view offered from beyond the forest area is magnificent.
Ancient Olympia was the next and final stop of our road trip’s first day. We reached this location, where we had dinner and spent the night, after driving along a road surrounded by dense greenery.
The next morning, we visited the archaeological site. It took us about three hours to see the impressive monuments, such as the ancient stadium; the temples of Zeus and Hera (where the Olympic torch lighting ceremonies take place); the palaistra; the workshop of sculptor, painter and architect Phidias; as well as the museum with the renowned collection of sculptures and ceramic pieces. The lush greenery in the area is as impressive as the ancient monuments and discoveries. Visiting ancient Olympia in spring is highly recommended.
We were off again. After driving for an hour or so, along a route that offered us a view of the sea for the first time, we reached Kyparissia, a picturesque location and our road trip’s first seaside stop.
We spent the second night at its elevated Ano Poli district, featuring stone houses, a medieval castle, and grills serving the area’s signature dish, delicious pork. The next morning, we enjoyed coffee down at Kyparissia’s Nea Poli port area, while shaping our itinerary’s return trip.
On the way back, we took the regional road linking Tripoli with Kalavryta and reached the Achaia mountain area, or, more specifically, Zarouhla, a picturesque village dominated by greenery and stone, used to construct shops, houses and roads.
After enjoying coffee at a traditional café we headed for the last stop of our road trip, Lake Tsivlou, an alpine lake at 750 metres. It was a sunny day and the water was calm. It is hard to believe that this marvellous setting is the result of a catastrophic landslide that obliterated an entire village, Silvaina, in 1913.
We returned to Athens feeling a little tired but extremely satisfied, and were already looking forward to our next escape when we returned the SUV to Avis, where we were informed of an even more tailor-made option, a leasing service named Switch by Avis, offering flexibility as its basic feature.
Switch by Avis enables you to have the car of your choice over a month-long period, arranged simply and swiftly, online, without commitments or deposit demands. You may choose a fuel-efficient model from the economy class category at times of higher fuel costs; an electric car; an automatic, for easy driving; or a small SUV for driving comfort both in the city and on longer journeys.
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