Central Greece

Part of mainland Greece is one of the largest in the country, extending grom the Aegean Sea in the east to the Ionian Sea in the west. In the southi it embraces the Saronic and the Corinth Gulfs and reaches northwards as far as Thessaly.

Central Greece is mostly a mounainous region dominated by the massive ranges of Giona, Agrafa, Tymphristos, Vardoussia, Parnassus and Iti. Several small and fertile plains and valleys lies between these mountains.

Nafpaktos

Only 13 km from Antirrion, Nafpaktos is a bright and open seaside town, better known to many people as Lepanto, the proud name of the great sea battle in 1571, which brought Turkish naval supremacy in the eastern Mediterranean to an end.

The two small castles built by the Venetians on either side of the tiy port, were at one time joined together by a chain which served to shelter ships that sought refuge there. When the Venetians departed in 1700, Nafpaktos became a nest of pirates until its liberation from Turkish rule.

Thebes

Thousands of years of Greek history cover the towns and the places of the area around the two roads from Athens to Lamia.

Thebes, the once powerful city-state that fell along with Athens in the battle of Chaeronia in the 4^th Century B:C: has little to show of its pas glory and wealth.

Arachova

Some 6 km before reaching Delphi, coming from Levadia, the road ascends the slopes of Mount Parnassos winding its way throught a rugged but magnificent nadscape and passes through Arachova.

This picturesque village clings on a rocky ledge on the slopes of the mountain. Its main street is lined with shops displaying a wide range of local handcrafts, including the welll-known "flocati rugs".