You start your morning journey from Athens and head to the Isthmus of Corinth, where you make your first stop. You're standing right above the impressive canal, you see the vertical rocks rising from below you, and you feel the energy of this unique technical work. You've got time for photos and a quick coffee before you go.
You gradually leave Corinthia behind and enter mountainous Arcadia. The road gets greener, with mountains and villages that seem to have come out of another era. You arrive at the small forest of Agia Theodora in Vasta and you're immediately enveloped by the sound of water flowing from everywhere. The chapel appears through the greenery, with 17 trees springing from the roof as if embracing it. You go in, feel the sweet tranquility of the place, and when you come out, you can walk by the stream or dip your hands in the crystal clear water.
Then you continue to Dimitsana and enter one of the most impressive places in Greece, the gorge of Lousios. The road descends quietly into the mountain and leads you to the point where you'll walk the small path to the Prodromos Monastery. The view begins to “open up,” and suddenly you see the monastery literally glued to the vertical rock. Upon reaching the entrance, the monks welcome you, and you walk on balconies that hover over the gorge. You enter the church, smell incense, and behind you hear the wind passing through the rocks.
If you continue, you can also visit the Old Philosopher's Monastery – an even more “hidden” experience. You descend the path in dense shade, and when you arrive, you see the tiny monastery protected by a huge natural cave-dome. Time seems to have stopped there. You only hear the river from afar and the birds echoing in the gorge.
After this spiritual journey, you can stop in Stemnitsa or Dimitsana for a bite to eat. The villages are full of stone mansions, smoking chimneys and taverns with traditional dishes – hot soups, meat in the pot, rustic pies. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere of one of the most beautiful villages in the Peloponnese.
The return finds the sun going down, and you have lived a complete experience of nature, faith, history and tranquility – all in a single day.