Dimitsana of mountainous Arcadia

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Built in a prominent position above the gorge of Lousios and at an altitude of 950 to 1080 meters, Dimitsana is a beautiful town in the center of the mountainous region . Arcadia with a rich historical tradition.

Dimitsana and the Greek Revolution

Its role during the national liberation struggle of 1821 was catalytic. The ammunition for the revolution came from Dimitsana , thanks to the brothers Spyridon and Georgios Spiliotopoulos who renovated 11 powder mills that worked continuously, thanks to the help of the rushing waters of the Lousios River, for the manufacture of the necessary ammunition.

• Accommodation in Dimitsana
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• Area map

Indeed, in his memoirs Kolokotronis says that “We had baruti, Demitsana was making it…” That’s why it was called the powder magazine of the revolution.(read about the open-air museum of water drive with the powder mill among other attractions, below)

Dimitsana today, although it has lost a large part of its population due to internal and external migration, maintains the vitality that characterised it from the end of the revolution until the beginning of the 20th century, when it had about 2,500 inhabitants. This is mainly due to tourist activities and the arrival of more and more Greek tourists who visit the village for the beauty of the settlement itself and the surrounding area.

Ancient Tefthis

The view from Dimitsana towards the gorge of Lousios, the plain of Megalopolis and Taygetos is awe-inspiring. It is worth walking along the picturesque stone cobbled streets and climbing up one of the hills on which Dimitsana is built to enjoy the special Arcadian landscape and the settlement itself, which stretches amphitheatrically in the beautiful mountainous landscape.

The current settlement is built on the ruins of ancient Tefthis, a city that, according to the historian Pausanias, took part in the Trojan War by sending its own military corps. Ancient Tefthis had an acropolis and a fortified wall, part of which is still forested today.

Sightseeing in Dimitsana

Now, however, neither the walls nor the Acropolis dominate, but the beautiful traditional, sometimes multi-storey houses and mansions, the small but elegant squares, the rich temples and the well-kept guesthouses with their warm cafes, restaurants and taverns.

In Dimitsana you will also find the Ecclesiastical Museum, which was the home of Patriarch Gregory V, as well as a library with more than 35,000 volumes, rare publications and a rich historical archive. As you stroll through its streets, keep an eye on the famous clock next to the church of Agia Kyriaki.

It was a gift from the Dimitsanites of New York, from which it was sent around 1900! The bell of the clock weighs 700 kg and arrived in Dimitsana 10 years later, again from America.

In addition, don’t forget to visit the nearby and beautiful Stemnitsa, which together with Dimitsana are two of the most beautiful villages of Arcadia. Just before you arrive in Stemnitsa you will see signs for the Holy Monastery of John the Baptist, which is definitely worth a visit. See the reasons here.

Finally, don’t miss a visit to the Open-Air Museum of Aquatics(read below) with the gunpowder mill, the moss mill and other very interesting facts about the region, its history and way of life.

Hotels and hostels in Dimitsana

In Dimitsana there are accommodation suggestions for all tastes and budgets. From small and cozy traditional guesthouses to larger tourist units, most of which have kept the picturesque character of Dimitsana.

Because it is a fairly popular destination, there is a chance that you may not find it. But try the neighbouring and equally beautiful Stemnitsa (opens a page on booking.com) with its traditional villages, impressive views of the surrounding mountains and the silversmithing museum!

In Stemnitsa we have stayed twice at the enchanting guesthouse of Nena, Bellaiko and we highly recommend it.

Historical monastery of Filosofos

But the attractions of the area do not end here. Around Dimitsana there are many things that will constructively fill the visitor’s time in one way or another. It is therefore worth making a visit to the historical monastery of Filosofos. Built in 963 AD in a ravine above the river of Lousios, there are the ruins of the old Filosofos Monastery, while very close to them you will find the new Filosofos Monastery.

The monastery played an important role in the preservation of the Greek historical and cultural heritage, since several “secret schools” operated in it and in the wider area during the dark period of the Ottoman occupation.

Lucius River

The river Lousios and its gorge is a natural attraction of the area for which there are several easy access points next to the rushing waters and its beautiful riverside path. The river Lucius is also ideal for several mountain activities and sports such as rafting, trekking and canoe kayaking.

Outdoor Museum of Aquatics

Just above Lousios and just 2 kilometers east of Dimitsana, you will find the unique in Greece Outdoor Museum of Watercraft. It is a thematic museum in which the ways of using water as a source of energy for the production of various products are presented.

The visitor has the opportunity to see how the water mills worked, where clothes were washed, the flour mill, the tannery for the processing of leather and of course the gunpowder mill with choppers for the production of gunpowder.

Photos from Dimitsana Arkadia

Distances and access to Dimitsana

The distance between Athens and Dimitsana is around 200 km. You will go following the Athens-Tripoli highway and a few kilometers after the Artemisio tunnel you will turn right for Mantineia, Levidi and Vytina. From Patras , Dimitsana is 170 km via Kalavryta and finally from Tripoli just 48 km (route through the village of Chrysovitsi)

Map of Dimitsana

Ορεινή Αρκαδία / Mountainous Arcadia prefecture

Μη παραλείψετε μια επίσκεψη στη μοναδική Μονή Αγίου Ιωάννου Προδρόμου.

Σε κοντινή απόσταση από τη Στεμνίτσα και τη Δημητσάνα. 

Μονή Φιλοσόφου, ΕΠ42, Dimitsana Community, Municipal Unit of Dimitsana, Municipality of Gortynia, Arcadia Regional Unit, Peloponnese Region, Peloponnese, Western Greece and the Ionian, 220 24, Greece

Στεμνίτσα στην ορεινή Αρκαδία

Hotels and rooms in Dimitsana Arkadia

Accommodation suggestions for all tastes and budgets. From small and cozy traditional guesthouses to larger tourist units, most of which have kept the picturesque character of Dimitsana.