Leonidio and Tsakonia
Leonidio, at the foot of the Parnon cliffs, is the main gateway to Tsakonia, one of the most singular territories of the Peloponnese. Between stone villages, the Tsakonian language, perched monasteries and small ports, the region blends mountains, traditions and sea.
In the south-east of Arcadia, between the slopes of the Parnon and the sea, Leonidio is the main town of Tsakonia, a small historic territory that has long preserved a strong cultural and linguistic identity. Set in the fertile Dafnon valley, the town spreads out at the foot of the impressive red cliffs of Kokkinovrachos, which today form one of the major climbing sites of the Peloponnese.
Leonidio and its region have one of the most original faces of Arcadia: a region where traditional architecture, an ancient language, mountain villages, monasteries and small ports meet. Leonidio is also a good base for reaching the beaches of Plaka and Tyros.
Leonidio, capital of Tsakonia
Classified as a traditional settlement since 1977, Leonidio preserves an old centre of narrow lanes, stone houses and the mansions of notables built notably in the 18th and 19th centuries. Several tower houses recall the prosperity of Tsakonian merchant and seafaring families, including the Tsikaliotis house of 1808, restored and opened as a cultural space. The Tsakonia archives and the Factory of Culture also offer an insight into local traditions.
A few kilometres away, Plaka is the port of Leonidio. Its small seafront, tavernas and beach make it the natural extension of the town for swimming. Further south, Poulithra, and to the north Sampatiki and Tyros, continue this coastline of small ports, pebble beaches and coves at the foot of the Parnon.
Prastos, Kastanitsa and the Tsakonian villages
Tsakonia is not limited to Leonidio. In the mountains of the Parnon, Prastos was for centuries its main centre and historic capital. Prosperous in the 18th and early 19th centuries, it had numerous churches, monasteries and tower houses before being destroyed in 1826 by the troops of Ibrahim Pasha. A few fortified mansions and churches survive in a landscape that is now very quiet.
Further north, Kastanitsa, clinging to the wooded slopes of the Parnon, is one of the best-preserved traditional villages in the area, with its whitewashed houses covered with stone roofs. Together with Prastos, Tyros and several neighbouring villages, it belongs to the territory where the Tsakonian language and traditions have been maintained the longest.
The Elona monastery and the landscapes of the Parnon
On the road to Kosmas, the Elona monastery★ is one of the most spectacular sites in the surroundings. Built beneath an immense rocky overhang above the Dafnon gorges, it seems to hang from the cliff. Its history goes back at least to the post-Byzantine period; destroyed in 1770 and then rebuilt, it also played a role during the Greek War of Independence and remains an important place of pilgrimage today.
The hills around Leonidio are crossed by trails linking villages, monasteries, gorges and the coast. The region has become a recognised destination for climbing and hiking, while retaining a characteristic agricultural activity: the plain of Leonidio notably produces the Tsakonian aubergine, a mild variety protected by an appellation of origin.