Zarmpanitsas Canyon was created by the amount of water of the Vrasiati river. It is a very big gorge that starts from the castle of Zaggolis and ends up to Agios Andreas. In order to cross it, you need knowledge and equipment because it has two difficult and dangerous spots that cannot be passed by easily. To the Zarbanitsa gorge, you can reach from Platanos through Spilakia. The scenery is impressive, since both left and right there are high rocks. In summer the visitor can view the waterfalls and small lakes and why not swim.
Platanos Canyon is located in Platanos village with plenty of water and the waterfall in the south entrance has the famous Spilakia gorge that has dense growth and ends up to the Vrasiati river. The gorge is suitable for trekking and walking close to nature – there is also the cave of Sotiras. The gorge leads to one of the greatest gorges of Parnonas, the one of Zarbanitsas. You can visit it in September, when the local club organizes gamble competitions, after the unforgettable experience of the gorge.
Lepidas Canyon, even if it is not particularly big, it has natural beauty. To reach the gorge you can go either from Kato Doliana or from the villages of Kastri. It has 2 waterfalls, the big one of 70m and the small one of 45m, that impress the visitor. Apart from the view, the walker can admire a variety of flora and fauna that are in abundance in Parnonas. It is actually said that you can count 80 species of herbs and plants. The gorge is suitable for extreme sports and canyoning. For those who want to try the gorge, it has two impressive waterfalls, jumps and slides in clean water. You need 6 hours to cross the gorge, good knowledge of swimming as well and previous experience.
The great waterfalls are in the gorge at a distance of 4km from the village Agios Ioannis of Parnonas. The big waterfall has height 70m and the small one 45m. The climbing clubs organize canyoning and rappel there. These unique waterfalls are some of the most beautiful, but unknown miracles of nature of Parnonas. The rocks around the waterfalls are brown and the waterfalls harshly on them. There are smells of oregano, sage as the small plane-trees make a picturesque scenery. In summer there is a pond for swimming.
Mazias Canyon is one of the most beautiful gorges of Parnonas that offers unique experiences to the visitor and expects to discover it. The gorge starts after Kastanitsa and is crossed by a river, surrounded by green, mostly plane trees, and huge rocks. Through the gorge, you can reach the Monastery of Kontolinas. Walking through the gorge is really hard, but nature is brilliant and the area is really interesting because of the variety of herbs, as during the route you can see a lot of half-destroyed watermills.
Undoubtedly, Leonidio is a place inextricably linked to its impressive 250-meter high slope and to its Leonidio Climbing Park. The Kokkinovrachos, as the locals call it, towering over the city center and attracts the gaze unintentionally. The first climbing attempts on red rock, by D. Sotiraki and A. Theodoropoulos the route “Pillar of Fire”, the 80s were in the limelight among residents.
After 27 years of absence, frequent visits of famous Swiss climbers Claude and Yves Remy, in order to seek appropriate fields to open new climbing routes, were successful! During their stays in Leonidio thrown some 25 new routes amounting to 25-40 meters with difficulty 5 to 7c and follows and then!
The traditional town still offers a pleasant way of life and is the perfect place to choose for a relaxing and/or active vacation!
In Leonidio Climbing Park, currently, there are more than 1000 routes across a wide range of grades, and there is still potential for many more.
Moustos Wetland is one of the two wetlands of Eastern Peloponnisos – the other is the one of Fokianos. It is 4km far from Astros and it is a shelter of migratory birds. The flora of the region is also extremely important. The lake is supplied with water of springs and lead to the gulp of Astros through two canals. Moustos Wetland, with the ecological park of Parnonas, it has been placed to Natura 2000 and it is a preserved region. The environmental importance of the lake is huge as it is said that there was the old port of Astros. The water of the lake is brackish and has healing properties because of the sulfides that contain it. This water is suitable for those who have rheumatic and other diseases. Apart from the Lake of Moustos, there is a smaller lake of Herronisiou, that extends in 20m and its water gushes from the hill. The lake leads directly to the sea.
It is 8km from Astros to the villages of Parnonas. At this point there is an inscription of the archaeologists that leads to a rural road and after 2km the visitor arrives at a valley, that is the start of a 15min route that leads to the top of the hill. There you can see ruins of walls, buildings and underground cisterns of Ano Thireas or Niriidas. North of Elliniko, at 500m there is a stone-made shed of Barlas, that was built over the ruins of an ancient temple, probably of the Apollon.
Villa Herodes Atticus is one of the most important monuments of The Roman Times is situated in the ancient village of Kynouria, Eva, whose remains are rescued. The place of the Villa is extended to 20.000km2, a little far from the village Kato Doliana and opposite the Monastery of Loukous and it is one of the richest findings that where discovered initially by the traveler Leake and later by the archaeologists Theodoros and George Spyropoulos. The latest archaeological find was the pillar with the names of the victims of the Marathon Battle. This finding proves the relationship of origin between Herod and Marathon and it was about his later creation. Herod of Attica was a philosopher, politician, and lover of works of art and extended his father’ s villa to Eva with aqueducts, baths, statues. The villa compromises the greatest monument of the Athenians hero-worship as it is located in a great landscape with fertile ground, several quarries and was a museum of ancient art. The villa, sample of special architecture and construction has an atrium, artificial ditch-river, three paths, mosaic floors, and pillars. The State is planning to build a shelter to protect the findings.
Memorial Foundation “Angeliki & Leonida Zapheiri” is run by a 7-member Board of Directors with George Papageorgiou as its President.
It is a member of the International “Arcadia” Network of the International Arcadian Society.
The Memorial Foundation “Angeliki & Leonida Zapheiri” was established on the 20th of November, 1980, and its main aims were and still are the educational and cultural development of Astros. In the Astros Cultural Center building there are all kinds of cultural and artistic events, local clubs are housed, various lessons are held, a cinema club and a library.
The Foundation has published the books of “Thireatis Gi”, “Library of the School of Karytsiotis”, “Sculptures from Thyreatida of Kynouria” and “Archaeological Museum of Astros”.