Description
Year-round mountain resort, from hiking to skiing
For every Athenian, the mountain resort town of Arachova is synonymous with skiing. Well-to-do city dwellers flock to this picturesque village every winter and stay in its gorgeous wooden chalets, which serve as a base to ski and snowboard on Mount Parnassus, including easy access to its ski center. Yet Arachova is so much more than a ski resort town, with rich architecture, history, gastronomy and tradition. While it lies very close to magical Delphi, which is very popular with foreign visitors and often overrun by tourist busses, Arachova has a more authentically Greek identity that offers fabulous accommodation all year round. It therefore becomes a smarter choice to stay in if you want to visit Delphi and its small yet noteworthy Archeological Museum. From an ecotourism perspective, there are many opportunities to go hiking around Arachova, as well as mountain biking and rock climbing in the area known as Kouvelos. The E4 hiking trail passes through nearby Mount Parnassus, and with its undulating altitudes, opens up a world of vistas and stunning nature with complex biodiversity.
From a gastronomic perspective, because Arachova is popular with more affluent Greeks with demanding palates, you will eat very well here. A couple of restaurants on the main road have stunning views of the valley and serve daily dishes made from fresh ingredients. Arachova is even known for its semi-hard gourmet cheese known as Formaella, which is served grilled and tastes amazingly good. The little shops on Arachova’s main streets offer a lot of local fare, and there’s even a patisserie that is definitely one of the better ones in the region. Add to this some of the regional wines, and you’ll be enjoying the Greek rural lifestyle like a true local.
