The Village of Zarouchla, in the prefecture of Achaia, is the most ideal destination to spend a relaxing excursion away from the noise of the city. With a green environment composing its enchanting landscape, this village will fully justify your choice to find yourself in its land. Let's see what you can see and do when you travel to Zarouchla.
It is located on the slope of Mount Helmos. With an altitude exceeding a thousand meters, Zarouchla is definitely one of the most beautiful villages not only of Achaia, but also of the entire Peloponnese. The forest you will meet on the outskirts of the settlement, densely planted with firs and pines, will fill your lungs with fresh air and your eyes with the unobstructed view of the greenery, that extends in front of you. Winding streets made of stone and traditional mountain houses create a scenery flooded with extreme picturesqueness, with the holy church of Agios Demetrios at the entrance point of the village filling the atmosphere with devoutness.
Start your exploration by visiting the tower of Zarouchla, which you will find right next to the monastery of Agia Triada, where you will enjoy the image of the mountain intertwined with the forest. Built in the early 18th century, although today you will see the tower half demolished, it will give you a very good taste of the architecture of the past years of the area, for this reason, it has been officially declared a listed monument since the mid-1980s.
Lake Tsivlou
Just ten kilometers from the village, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the fairytale landscape of Lake Tsivlou, which hides a tragic story behind its creation. Born literally through a devastating landslide that caused the destruction of two entire villages, its unique scenery will leave you completely excited. Surrounded by a verdant environment, flooded with flowering chestnut trees, you will be given the opportunity, apart from enjoying the magnificent view, to indulge in a multitude of activities to fully live the experience with cycling, canoeing, and horseback riding being just some of the options that open up in front of you.
In Zarouchla for hiking and mountaineering
The wonderful place of Zarouchla is the most suitable to discover it by hiking. Follow the path that starts in the heart of the settlement until your final destination, the peak of Livadaki, which reaches two thousand meters altitude. The six hours of hiking required by the route are the least in front of the unforgettable landscape that will unfold in front of you. If you are a lover of mountaineering and have the relevant experience due to the difficulty of the route, climb to the waters of the Styx, the spring where Achilles was baptized immortal by Thetis, and feel the splendor of nature overwhelm you.
Zarouchla: Nearby villages worth visiting
Starting from the wonderful Zarouchla, the opportunity unfolds in front of you to explore the amazing place of other neighboring settlements that will charm you equally with their amazing landscape. The unique Solos with the abundance of flora and fauna that grows in its scenery invites you to walk its paths and indulge in the magic of the forest, which dates back centuries. Reach the mountainous Messorougi to enjoy the dense vegetation that you will see at every step, but also the crystal clear waters of the homonymous waterfall, which fall with momentum giving an element of wild beauty to the place. Do not forget to make a stop at the settlement of Agia Varvara to come into direct connection with its tradition, as you walk in stone streets, with a background of pine and plane trees, which will leave you with a truly unforgettable picture.
How to get to Zarouchla Village: To reach the magical place of Zarouchla starting from the center of Athens you will need to drive around 180 km. After coming out of Athens you will need to take the A8 (the old E08) highway toward Corinth and Patras for a little over 120 km and then you will have to turn on exit 19 for Akrata. Then take the highway to Zarouchla for about another 50km. This trip under normal traffic should last around two and a half hours.
Zarouchla, the village where green is the color that dominates its landscape, invites you to explore it inch by inch and finally fall in love with it. All it will take is just a weekend.
