Route 7 Kalavryta – Monastery of Agia Lavra – Lagovouni – Priolithis – Aroania – Agridi – Psofida

Route 7 Kalavryta – Monastery of Agia Lavra – Lagovouni – Priolithis – Aroania – Agridi – Psofida – Tripotama

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Set off early for two reasons: the first has to do with time and light. See as much as possible leisurely. The second has to do with the delicious cheese pies and other traditional foods and tastes that are served as breakfast at the cafes of Kalavryta. Start your trip here and reset your distance meter once you get to the Rack Rail station...

On your way to Tripotama you will admire nature’s beauties, while your radio and mobile phone will…desert you only a few times. At 200 metres a sign to your right shows you the way to Agia Lavra and another one at 300 metres shows you to the same place only this time you turn left.

At 3km, to your right, you can see village Skepasto and ahead of you is the imposing Monastery where the Greek fighters raised the flag of the Greek Revolution of 1821. At 4.1km to your left, you see the Christian Youth Centre and the camping site. There are pine trees and hollies on either side of the road and the sight of mountain Helmos to your left. At 4.9km there is one more sign. The road ahead goes to Patras and Tripoli and the one on the left to Agia Lavra (200 metres) You should turn left to visit Agia Lavra and the historic Monastery. You go straight and at 6.3km you are in front of the detour with the winding road that takes you to the Panhellenic Memorial of the Greek Revolution of 1821.

At 1.5km from the detour, you are before the imposing monument with the 50 steps. Behind the monument, you can admire the beautiful land of Kalavryta and capture the moment and the landscape with your camera. Go down to the main road and find the junction at the 10th kilometre. The road to the left goes to Tripoli and the one to the right goes to Kalavryta. Take the road to Tripoli. Do not get worried if you see cows on either side of the road…they are not mad cows!!

In the area of Kalavryta alone, there are about 1,300 cows and sheep, 300 of which are wild. A sign at 14.7 km, points right to the villages of Kertezi and Kallifonio. At 17km to the left, you see the church of Agios Nektarios and in the distance to the right mountain Erymanthos as well as mountains Skala and Prophet Elias (the one with the antennae at the top). You are at an altitude of 840 metres and enter village Lagovouni, at the feet of the mountains. At 20.7km, you see the Temple of Agia Triada and a fork. Turn right and ahead of you, at 21.7km is Priolithos, a typical village of the area of Kalavryta, that welcomes you with its stone spring. The springs of Vouraikos are here, at an altitude of 850 metres. Hill Missoplago is to your right. An Enetian fortress built in a cave is located in Stournarakia.

Follow the winding road out of the village and look at Kandalos. At 25.7 km the Municipality of Lefkasio extends a warm welcome. The road to the left leads to Kato Kleitoria, Tripoli, the Lake Caverns and Kato Drymos, and the road to the right to Drymos, Aroania and Tripotama. Go right. A map of the Municipality of Lefkasio on the road, gives you valuable information. Stop at the fork at the 26th km. The road to the left goes to Drymos. You keep to the right, on the road to Tripotama. The landscape gets wilder and the sight of the mountains is quite imposing.

The ones to your right get rocky. At 29.1km, there is a spring to your right and the view is spectacular and half a kilometre later, a country road to the right takes you to the Monastery of Agioi Theodoroi. You drive ahead to Tripotama, but make sure you are careful with the wild goats that come down to the road you are driving on. At 32.2km to the right, the road goes to Anastassi and the left one to Mavrohorti or Ishmael’s Tomb. At 33.6km to your right, is village Agridi at the feet of the mountains, while at 36.1km you enter beautiful Aroania or Sopoto.

Don’t miss the famous mansion of Ntinos and the newlybuilt church of Agios (Saint) Pavlos who came from Aroania. In Sopotos, a road goes to Alestaina, a traditional settlement with houses made of stone, Seirres, a village with stone houses and the Church of the Ascension, Agios Vasileios and Agioi Theodoroi. You go ahead to Tripotama. At 38.3km, a trail on your left leads to the Temple of Faneromeni and at 39.3km you see the village of Agridi, built at an altitude of 860 metres. There are two watermills that you can visit at the village. Leave the village and at 40.7km to the right, you will see a small waterfall while after 2 km the forest of maple trees begins. At 43.2km there’s a sign to the right, to the villages of Kamenianoi, Drovolovo and Dessino. A new sign to the right at 48.1km, to Leivartzi, Lehouri and Kerassia.

Go straight on the road to Tripotama. The road is good and runs along river Aroanios. Ancient Psofida, one of the most significant archaeological sites in Achaia, is to your right at the 52.8th km. Tripotama welcomes you at the 53.3rd km. It is built at the boundaries of three Prefectures (Achaia, Helia and Arcadia) and it’s the meeting place of three rivers (Erymanthos, Aroanios and Seiraios). It is also the centre of a junction (Patras - Tripoli - Kalavryta - Ancient Olympia). There are trout fisheries in Aroania as well as wild bores. In Tripotama, enjoy the waters of river Erymanthos all yearround. Visit the arched, stone bridge that offers a magnificent view of the place where all the rafting routes begin and end in Anv\cient Olympia. The best route is from Tripotama to Vidiaki. If you visit Tripotama between 31 August and 2 September, don’t miss the annual fair where you can buy traditional food and products. If you love rafting, this is your chance to try the waters of Erymanthos.