Just days before the new year, minds are set on favourite winter destinations, places where the cold weather and snow combine to create a special mood for sitting by the fireplace with friends and a hot beverage, or going trekking along any of the country’s many fascinating trails. This is the time of year when friends and family want to spend quality time together, despite pandemic-related restrictions.
As the winter deepens, with just days left in 2021, we present three favourite ski centres, top destinations for 2022, Mainalo, Parnassus and Vasilitsa. All three destinations are ideal for quiet family holidays or one-day escapes for skiing and food, depending, of course, on the location of your home base. Whichever destination you choose to visit, just fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the journey. We visited all three for a report, enjoying the driving experience in a Peugeot 2008.
Mountainous Arcadia, Mainalo ski centre
We took off on a Friday, around midday, and the traffic on the highway towards Corinth was moderate. Behind the wheel of the Peugeot 2008, and making full use of the 3D dashboard over the steering wheel, I had at my disposal all the necessary data concerning the journey. We followed the route offered by the vehicle’s navigating system after having entered, easily and simply, our destination. The anticipated time of our journey to mountainous Arcadia, central Peloponnese, was estimated at slightly less than two hours.
After leaving behind the highway, the Peugeot 2008 continued to impressed with its sense of stability and flexibility, even along challenging roads. We were well on our way to mountainous Arcadia, realising, once more, that this destination always has something new, and certainly interesting, to offer. In the heart of the Peloponnese, on the slopes of Mount Mainalo, we encountered a cluster of lovely villages, rich nature, trekking routes, as well as people with authentic qualities. The villages of mountainous Arcadia are an attraction for travellers seeking relaxation and authenticity in a destination. Vytina, Dimitsana and Stemnitsa are the best-known of these villages, but many more also have plenty to offer in terms of natural beauty, architecture and likeable people. We enjoyed driving along routes that passed through fir tree forests, the Peugeot 2008 handling the bends with safety for a feeling of trust.
I opted for the Sport driving programme, offering greater torque, or force, then, a little further on, returned to my favourite Eco driving programme. Mainalo is mountain full of surprises, which we gradually began to discover. We headed for the ski centre, a 15km distance along an extremely scenic route, featuring tall and dense fir trees that generated a feeling of completeness and joy. We soon reached the ski centre. It was not yet covered in snow, but even so, was a lovely location to be at. The ski centre is situated at the Ostrakina location, at an altitude of 1,600 metres, and offers 10 pistes and 4 ski lifts. We quickly convinced ourselves to return here when the area will be covered in snow.
At Parnassus
Visiting Parnassus is an ideal winter-season getaway. The first signs of snow in the mountain area serve as an incentive for an excursion to Arachova, northwest of Athens, in the western part of Boetia, as well as the Kelaria piste, at the Parnassus ski centre.
It was a Saturday morning, in early December, and the weather in Athens was overcast, the temperature at about 10 degrees Celsius. It didn’t take much effort to decide that this was a good day to drive off for marvellous Mount Parnassus. Along the way, we listened to some great music, connecting the iOS mobile to our car’s advanced multimedia system.
I also activated the vehicle’s Cruise Control system, featuring a speed limiter, while the lane departure warning system, as well as the driver alert control and traffic-sign recognition systems had already been switched on. It took us nearly two hours to reach Arachova. We carried on for the ski centre and arrived about half an hour later. It had snowed there and the weather was bitingly cold, around zero degrees Celsius. To be honest, I had to think twice about abandoning the comforts of the car but stepped out for a walk that helped me adapt to the weather conditions and locale. We soon started thinking about getting some time off from the office for lots of skiing, both at Kelaria and Fterolaka.
We returned to our car and I switched on the seat-heating system. The drive was truly enjoyable as we headed down towards Souvala, also known as Polydrosos, at the northeastern section of Mount Parnassus, where the road runs through fir-tree settings, beautiful and serene. We made a pit stop to buy some local pie and delicious cheese varieties and then ended up at Amfikleia, settling at the square for a hot chocolate and sweets. Nighttime was approaching as we entered the Athens area feeling rested and reinvigorated following this short getaway, already thinking about our next journeys.
At Vasilitsa
We drove along the Egnatia Odos highway, passing a succession of bridges and tunnels, and eventually spotted Metsovo, spread across the mountains of Pindus, northwestern Greece, then continued for the Vasilitsa ski centre. Slightly before Grevena, we turned off the Egnatia Odos highway, taking the route towards the Vasilitsa ski centre. The automatic gearbox made the drive even smoother and more comfortable, while the car’s firmness and reliability was increasingly highlighted as we clocked up the kilometres.
We had time to spare and made a short detour to see the renowned double-arch Ziakas bridge. It was built in 1885 to provide a river crossing for Vasiliki Strata, the road used for transporting goods towards Thessaly, central Greece. The bridge is 41 metres long and passes over the Velonia river. We continued driving towards the Vasilitsa ski centre, passing through one of the country’s most elevated mountain villages, Smixi, at 1,220 metres, on the slopes of Vasilitsa in Pindus. The area’s ski centre and the village’s impressive location have turned the spot into a winter destination.
The dashboard’s 3D instrument panel with exceptional graphics makes the driver want to stay at the wheel, while the overall design of the Peugeot 2008 offers a premium feel. The excellent soundproofing keeps noise out of the cabin, while the vehicle’s overall ambience is pleasant and friendly. The temperature had fallen, along with the fading sunlight, and the car’s instrument panel warned of icy road-surface conditions ahead. The rear lights feature a distinctive striped design, while the front LED lights have a feline look about them. The Peugeot 2008 is undoubtedly an ideal SUV covering all needs. In addition, its special and very modern look, both inside and out, makes this vehicle a true pleasure to drive. We reached the ski centre. The snow was fresh, enjoyed by happy faces all around, including us.
Taking the road back to Athens, our minds were preoccupied by the thought that it really is worth escaping to nature, even if just for a few hours. Nature is the element that brings us closer to the essence of things, a place where we can relax, think clearly and reassess choices we have made.
