The mountain Mainalon occupies the center of the Peloponnese and a large part of the prefecture of Arkadia. It stretches from the plateau of Tripoli to Lousios River in the west and from Megalopolis until Ladonas north, in an area of approximately 1,000,000 acres. The pure mountain zone (contour of 1,000 m.) Is over 700,000 acres and makes it one of the most extensive mountain ranges of Greece. The constant changes of tens of peaks and ravines with hundreds of mountain pastures and plateaus, give an impressive relief. The very fact that most of the plateau show a negative slope (dolines, Goupata, lacquers) makes Mainalo unique geomorphological formation throughout Greece.

Gortynia is perhaps the most magical place of Arkadia. The mountainous territory, difficult access to places, wonderful nature, isolated but picturesque villages, create those conditions that encourage prospecting and exploration away from secularism and mass tourism. It is no coincidence that the region will meet many historical monasteries and hermitages, which fit perfectly in the conditions mentioned above.

Stemnitsa is one of the most beautiful and historical villages in the prefecture of Arkadia, and is located between Dimitsana and Karytaina. The village is built onto the slopes of Mount Mainalo, near River Lousios, ancient Gortyna and numerous renowned monasteries amidst cherry, walnut and plane trees. During the Turkish domination, Stemnitsa evolved into a major hub for metallurgy and its -mostly itinerant- craftsmen (goldsmiths, silversmiths, blacksmiths, bell and cowbell manufacturers, coppersmiths, etc.) created exceptional works of art, even beyond the borders of Arkadia.

Vytina lies in a valley at the foot of Mountain Mainalo, at an altitude of 1.033 meters. It has an excellent climate and it’s a very popular winter holiday destination. In the past, Vytina was the place people with lung and thoracic diseases were choosing for a full recovery. After World War II most of its population migrated, but today it’s a bustling, scenic village with an excellent tourism infrastructure and exceptional local products (dairy, pasta, honey, wooden carvings), constituting an ideal holiday destination and a great starting point for touring the beautiful mountainous Arkadia. Vytina is very close to the Ski Center of Mainalo, it has a lovely picturesque main square, the impressive church of Agios Tryfonas, a renowned Forestry School and an interesting Folk Art Museum. There are many notable nearby destinations that surely worth a visit, like Methydrio, Pyrgaki, Elati, the historic Alonistaina, ancient Orchomenos and the Monastery of Aghioi Theodoroi.

On the road between Stemnitsa with Dimitsana, built at the foot of Klinitsa mountain is the historical. Monastery Emialon dedicated to the birth of Mary.
Founded in the late 16th and early 17th century and today consists of two buildings that form a “T” in the cavity of the rock on which it is built. According to the two dominant versions it was named by the snails that are in abundance in the area, which in Mani called “Emialon” either was named from the place of origin of its founders, who came from Emialon Messinia.

It is a traditional building in which a group of greek agonists died.

Open Air Water Power Museum is located just outside Dimitsana. Created in 1997 after renovating derelict pre-industrial facilities. The buildings were restored and all the mechanisms, operated entirely with water power were fixed. Among them one mill that grinds grains, a fulling mill that processes textiles, one tannery hides, one cauldron for raki production, one gunpowder mill and the houses of the tanner and the mill’s worker.

Timiou Prodromou monastery is build on a huge vertical rock inside Lousios river gorge and offers a thrilling enthusiasm to the visitors of this historical Greek region. In addition to its architectural specificity, this monastery has played a very important role during the Greek revolution against the Turkish occupation in the 18th and 19th century, as it served as a medical station for the injured Greek fighters and as a supply station for the Greek soldiers. Bullets from the Turkish guns on the main entrance door are indicative of the fights that took place a few centuries ago!

The church of Nea Moni Philosophou (New Philosopher’s Monastery), which today is a dependency of the Monastery of John the Baptist, is dedicated to the Assumption. It was built in 1661 and has been completely harmonious cruciform shape, with major art paintings and exquisitely decorated wooden iconostasis, created by the painterVictor while dominating the image of St. John the Baptist.