The city of fairytales and history

A Forest Between the Sea and the Low Hills

The Mysterious Charm of the Wetlands

The area of Figaleia is one of great natural beauty; it is the point where the regions of Arcadia, Messene and Ileia come together to form the deep gorge between Mounts Minthi and Tetrazio.

Kaiafas Lagoon is only separated from the sea by a narrow strand, and surrounded by a forest of fragrant pines.

The oak forest of Pholoe, the only flat forest in Greece, stretching over 218,000 square kilometres, was named after Pholos, the leader of the Centaurs, slain by accident by Herakles on his way to capture the Boar of Erymanthus.

The Beauty of Small

The neighbourhood is rather interesting: the 9-metre stone tower of the lighthouse was built on Mount Katakolo in 1865.

Originally called Beauvoir (French) or Belvedere (Italian), the castle was built by the Franks in the 13th century, on the acropolis of the ancient city of Pheia.

More than a Pretty Façade

The namesake tower of the town (pyrgos is Greek for 'tower'), which once decorated one of its seven hills, stands no more; built by wealthy landowner Tsernotas in the 16th century, during the Ottoman rule, it was demolished following the Greek War of Independence, as the inhabitants did not want to be reminded of their years in servitude.

Probably named after the Frankish nobleman Gaston, Gastouni is a rather typical example of village-turned-industrial-town. It is situated 28 kilometres north of Pyrgos, the capital of the prefecture of Ilia, and is perhaps the least touristy option for visitors.