Achaia - Peloponnese (Greece)

Achaia (Achaea) is located on the northwest coast of the Peloponnese, it is a prefecture with lots of historical sights, there are traditional villages, archaeological sites and religious monuments. It is also an area with lots of natural sights, a region where good wines are produced. One of the best wine regions of Greece is located here, east of Patras.

It borders to the north with the Gulf of Patras and the Gulf of Corinthia, to the west the Ionian sea, to the south the prefectures Ilia and Arkadia and to the east the prefecture Corinthia.

The territory is mostly mountainous, 75% of the area is hilly or mountainous, highest mountains are Chelmos (2355 meters) and Erimanthos (2224 meters). In the northwest of Achaia is cape Araxos located where some lakes and wetlands are.

The prefecture of Achaia has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic era, the first inhabitants were Pelasgians, the ancestors of the Greeks. The Achaeans came here around 1050 BC , they built big cities like Patras and Egion. In 280 BC the Achaian Confederacy was created.

In Agia Lavra in Kalavrita  in 1821 the Greek war of Independence began against the Ottomans. Bishop of old Patras Germanos blessed here the Greek banner at Agia Lavra on the outset of the national revolt against the Turks on 25 March 1821.

The largest city in the Peloponnese is Patras. Patras is also the capital of the department of Achaia and is the main port and industrial city in the Peloponnese. The name Achaea was also given to the whole of Greece by the Romans, in the era that they occupied Greece.

Sights Achaia

• the church of Agios Andreas built in 1836
• the upper town built around a castle which is now a park
• From the terraces in the upper part of the coastal town of Egio you have a magnificent view of the Gulf of Corinth.
• Rio, the imposing bridge which connects Peloponnese with central Greece in Antirio.
• Akrata, a coastal village with clear blue water on the remains of the ancient aigaia
• Byzantine monastery of Agia Triada with well-preserved mosaics.
• The Kalavrita Ski resort, 14 kilometers from Kalavrita in an area calles Xirokambos
• The Cave of the Lakes, near the village Kastria, 17 kilomters from Kalavrita.
• The village Klitoria, a picturesque mountain vilage where lots of monasteries and churches are.
• The Pausanias Vine on the road Klitoria-Kalavrita in the yard of the church of Agios Nikolaos
• The impressive monastery of Mega Spileo (=Big Cave) in Kalavrita
   

Excursions Achaia:

• a trip to Zante and / or Kefalonia;
• day trips to cultural and historical sites such as Olympia and from excavations in the neighbouring districts such as Sparta, Mistras, Nafplio, Argos and Epidaurus;
• a trip to the Canal of Corinth.
   

Beaches of Achaia

Some of the beautiful beaches are Kalogria, Trapeza, Akrata, Egira, Monodendri, Tsoukaleika, Gianiskari, Platanos and Arachovitika.

Beautiful sandy beaches are on the Gulf of Kiparissia, especially the long beach at Kaiafas flanked by dunes and pine forests. The sandy beach of Loutra Kilini also lies in a wooded dune landscape. Elsewhere one finds nice and quiet sandy beaches, such as in the north at Diakofto (Ahaia) or south to Methoni (Messinia).

Η Αχαΐα ήταν ένας από τους 51 νομούς της Ελλάδας, ενώ από το 2011 και μετέπειτα βάσει της Διοικητικής Μεταρρύθμισης «Πρόγραμμα Καλλικράτης» (3852/2010) αποτελεί μία από τις 74 περιφερειακές ενότητες της χώρας. Εκτείνεται στο βόρειο μέρος του γεωγραφικού διαμερίσματος της Πελοποννήσου και υπάγεται διοικητικά στην Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Ελλάδας, καθώς και στην Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση Πελοποννήσου, Δυτικής Ελλάδας και Ιονίου.

Πρωτεύουσα του νομού είναι η Πάτρα, η τρίτη μεγαλύτερη πόλη της Ελλάδας, η οποία χαρακτηρίζεται και ως η κύρια ακτοπλοϊκή πύλη της χώρας προς την Ιταλία και κατ' επέκταση σε όλη τη δυτική Ευρώπη.