Thermo Aitoloakarnania – Tour of the Mountainous Trichonida

The Thermo is a historic town, seat of the Municipality of Thermos, Aitoloakarnania Prefecture, built on a hill above the Lake Trichonida.

The old name of Thermos was Kefalovryso, a name it took from the Kefalovryso Spring, which gushes abundantly with water (opposite the Town Hall).

Among the sights is the Folklore Museum, near Thermo Square (daily 9 am - 2 pm and for group visits on Saturdays, by appointment at tel.: 26440 23025.

Thermo is 30 km from Agrinio and 45 km from Nafpaktos (information at https://www.dimos-thermou.gr).

• Lake Trichonida

The Trichonida It is the largest and cleanest lake in Greece. It has a surface area of 95.8 km², maximum length 21.5 km, coastline 51 km and maximum depth 58 m. and belongs to the NATURA 2000 network.

You can walk along the lakeside paths of Myrtias (from Myrtia Thermal Baths to Sitaralonas) and Pamphia, sit for coffee and food at the lakeside centers or swim in the beaches of Fotmos and Sitaralonas, with crystal clear waters.

THERMO – SIGHTSEEING

• Archaeological Museum of Thermos

In the new Archaeological Museum of Thermos, 1 km S of Thermos, you will see findings from the prehistoric habitation of the area up to Roman times. Visiting hours 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., ticket price 4 € or reduced 2 € (in the winter months) and possibility of a single ticket with the Archaeological Site of Thermos (same day), tel.: 26440 23336.

• Archaeological Site of Ancient Thermos – Sanctuary of Apollo Thermion

Ο Ancient Thermos It is located at an altitude of 360 m., on the Thermos plateau, S of Thermos and E of Lake Trichonida. You will see the Sanctuary of Thermio Apollo and the smallest Lyceum Apollo and Artemis.

The Sanctuary of Thermio Apollo, in addition to being a place of worship for the god Apollo, it also served as a meeting place for the members of the Aetolian Commonwealth (from the 4th^th century), also known as the "«Aetolian Community»", which was a state with member cities of the Aetolians, which is why many buildings were found.

• Mega Dendros of Thermos – Father's house of St. Kosmas of Aitolos

Mountain village 3 km N of Thermos, NE of Lake Trichonida. In the historical region of Apokorou, today's Eastern Aetolia, was born Saint Cosmas the Aetolian or Patrocosmas (Mega Dendros 1714- Kolikondasi 1779), the great teacher of the Nation and martyr.

In Mega Dendros you will see the foundations of his ancestral home, with a place of pilgrimage.

• Monastery of St. Kosmas of Aitoloaks, Thermos, Aitoloakarnania, on the Thermo – Mega Dendro route, on the hill.

A relatively new nunnery, in which part of the relics of St. Cosmas are kept. It celebrates on 24/8, the day the Saint was martyred (24-8-1779), with a litany and many events (monastery tel.: 26440 24050).

Ο grave of St. Kosmas of Aitoloaks is located in Albania, at the place where he was martyred, in a monastery of the same name in the Kolikondasi area, 15 minutes from the city of Fieri.

• Myrtia Thermou, the "«nymph of Trichonida» Lakeside settlement, next to Trichonida, on the Thermos - Agrinio road.

On the hill of the great bend of Myrtia is located the Memorial to the Fallen, in the Battle of Myrtia or Gouritsa (10-7-1943), which took place between partisans and Germans, with a victory for the partisans. Events are held here every year in memory of the fallen partisans.

– Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni Myrtia or Presentation of the Virgin Mary Myrtia or Monastery of Myrtia.

A little further outside the village of Myrtia, on the Agrinio - Thermo road, amidst a magnificent natural environment, stands the historic Byzantine monastery of Panagia Faneromeni Myrtia or Presentation of the Virgin Mary or Monastery of Myrtia.

The interior of the monastery with the cells

The first temple was built in the 12th century.^th century and then a new, larger temple was added next to it (15^th -16^th In 1651 the narthex was added, with frescoes (18^th) that survive to this day.

In the Monastery of Myrtia, in a crypt next to the catholicon, during the Turkish occupation, Hidden School.

Men's Monastery that celebrates on 21/11, 15/8 and 1^th Sunday of October - Synaxis of Panagia Myrtiotissa, (more information at https://immyrtias.gr).

• Mandra Thermos – Monastery of St. Paraskevi of Mandra

Mountain village, at an altitude of 450 m, 2 km from Thermo, NE of Lake Trichonida.

The Monastery of St. Paraskevi, Mandra, 3 km NE of Thermos, is a historic monastery (12^th century), with an underground crypt, discovered in 1993 and presumed to have functioned as Hidden School.

The great teachers of the Nation taught here, Saint Eugenios the Aetolian or Eugenios Giannoulis (1577-1682), born in Megas Dendros, and Saint Kosmas the Aetolian (1714-1779), also born in Megas Dendros.

You will see a representation of Hidden School, with wax figures and you will worship the miraculous image of St. Paraskevi.

Entrance to the courtyard of the Monastery is free, but for your entry to the church, which is locked, you must make arrangements with the Municipality of Thermos, tel. secretariat, 26443 60120.

• Petrochori, Thermos

Traditional settlement, with stone houses, 4 km S of Thermos, next to Lake Trichonida, with the most beautiful sunset over the lake, from the location Thea Petrochoriou (on the Thermos-Nafpaktos road, after the Petrochoriou-Analipsis intersection).

• Springs of Agia Sophia – Twin Waterfalls of Mokistianos.

The Springs of Agia Sophia, formed by the waters of the Mokistianos torrent, are located on the Thermos-Agrinio road, just outside the homonymous village. A beautiful location, with running water, plane trees, and a small bridge. From here begins the hiking trail to the twin Mokistianos waterfalls, which takes place inside the gorge (summer months).

• Evinos River – Valtsorema Bridge

You will find the bridge at Valtsorema on the Thermos-Platanos road. Here, on January 6, the Feast of Lights, the ceremony of blessing the waters takes place, with the participation of all the villages in the area.

HOT – LOCAL PRODUCTS & FOOD

In Thermo you will find taverns in the central square of Thermo, in the central square of Petrochori and in the villages of Orini Trichonida.

You will find the local products of the area in the shops around the central square of Thermos and in nearby Petrochori.

What to buy:

• Sausages with leek – pork

The sausages are from traditional recipe from Thermos and you will find them in all the shops in the area such as the Maragiannis butcher shop, in Thermos Square and in the pork trading company "Papasimakis". "Papasimakis" has local pork, from local farms, fresh or packaged, such as sausages, burgers, kebabs, look (or omatias) with wheat or rice, which is a traditional recipe from Thermos (pork intestine stuffed with pork and wheat or rice).

• Ravani, traditional dessert from Thermos – ekmek – spoon sweets – jams.

The Thermos ravani, it is a traditional sweet and you must try it.

For example, you will find local sweets at the Dangos pastry shop and at "Aitoliki Gi", made by the women of the Thermo cooperative, with shops in the central square of Thermo.

• Noodles – trachanas

At the pasta workshop "To Aloni", in Thermos.

• Agrevis Honey also known as Trichonida mountain forest honey.

The apiary is in Petrochori and you can find the honey products in the shops in the area and from the producer, Thomas Agrevis, tel.: 6988576160.

• Wine «Stone Village» – Papathanasopoulos

Award-winning white wine (Gold Medal 2024, annual competition in Lyon, France, vintage 2023), from Malagouzia and Sauvignon black varieties. It comes from the privately owned vineyards of Papathanasopoulos winery in Petrochori, a village famous since ancient times for its wine.

The winery can be visited by appointment only, Papathanasopoulos Kostas, tel.: 6944913337 (free admission).