Leonidio

Leonidio or else “Agielidi”, in the tsakonian dialect, is the capital of the province of Kynouria. It is said that it took its name from the church of Saint Leonidis, which was built to its beach. It is built in a fertile valley of the river Dafnonas, while on it lie the imposing and impressive red rocks.

It derived from the Doric dialect of ancient Greek language, in contrast with the official Greek language, that derived from the Hellenistic common language.

The Tsakonian language can be classified as completely different language from the Greek and is the most ancient vivid and spoken language in Greece, while it may even be in the world.

In the past the Tsakonian language was spoken not also in neighbouring regions of Laconia, but also in tsakonian colonies in the Sea of Marmara (Turkey).

In antiquity in selected positions on the top of the mountains there were the “fryktories”, which was a system of message transmission at a long distance by using lighted torches.

The tradition says that in this way came the news to Mycenae for the fall of Troy. In the echo of this ancient telecommunication practice the evening of the Resurrection, the residents of Leonidio lit up hundreds of multi coloured large balloons, which leave them to fly on the sky, the moment where the priests chant “Christ is risen”.

In the region of Leonidio grows also the famous tsakonian aubergine.

It is established for years, the last ten days of August to organize the feast of aubergine.

Leonidio is located 95 kilometers away from Tripoli and 210 kilometers away from Athens. It is a 3 hour drive from Athens, it is 1h30 drive from Monemvasia (90 klm) and 1 hour drive from Nafplio (80 klm) . If someone does not have his own car, he can come with one of the daily three bus services of KTEL (Interurban Bus Station) of Arkadia  from Athens. If, on the other hand you have your own ship, you can “berth” to the port of Plaka.

CAR DRIVES

Leonidio – Paleochori – Elona – Kosmas

Time: 70 minutes

Road surface condition: Good

Leonidio – Paleochori

 (15 minutes drive until the crossway of Eloni and 15 minutes drive until the Paleochori)

 Before arriving to Elona, close to the ghyll if you follow the road that you have to your right hand, you arrive to Paleochori which is a traditional settlement with ancient history at an altitude of 850 meters which is appropriate for daily escape and with Leonidio as the base. The natural environment is rich with ghylls, firs, cedar trees, springs, streams, caves and cave precipice that you can visit (Tristomo, Alikousi, Propantes).

Όμορφες καλοσφαλισμένες διαδρομές από 2a+ έως 9a, με εύκολο ξεκίνημα και σταδιακά αυξανόμενη δυσκολία στο Λεωνίδιο.