·

A Day in Karytaina Village

Driving through little Karytaina village was a pleasant surprise. During my weekend away in Dimitsana, I learned about this mountain town and decided to stay for a day.

Karytaina Village in Arcadia

Karytaina village (also known as Karitena) is one of a series of picturesque towns in Greece’s Arcadia region. You could easily drive past it on your way to more known Greek destinations like Dimitsana. If you have time, your shouldn’t.  Take a few hours to peek in and see what’s going on in Karytaina.

One Village Road in Karytaina

Upon driving up the town’s one road, a gorgeous, lush, green view of rolling hills surrounding the hilltop town expanded before us. The 22 C (71 F) temps and bright and sunny fall weather certainly helped us appreciate the crisp and relaxing freshness of the mountain air.

Who would want to drive back to the city after that?! We didn’t.

Castle of Karytaina

What immediately set Karytaina village apart from what I had observed with other nearby villages was its medieval character. Karytaina sat on a steep, green hillside and on the very top of that hill were the remains of a rather large medieval castle.  You can learn more about the Castle of Karytaina from the Kastrologos Castles of Greece website.

A pathway directed hikers up the hill to explore the castle.  It looked like a fun hike. However, I didn’t have time to go up but would have loved to!

Small Town Feeling In Karytaina

The town itself has  about 200 residents. There were a handful of charming little cafes.

The village was a short drive away from the Lousios River which Greeks love to frequent for hiking, rafting and other outdoorsy activities. We were in town for hiking with rooms booked in Dimitsana, another nearby village. In fact, we were supposed to stay the whole weekend in Dimitsana but diverted to Karytaina for one night just because it was such a pleasant and peaceful place to encounter.

If you are ever on a trip going through Arcadia in the Peloponnese, why not stop by Karytaina.  It is a great place to stop for a few hours, have a coffee and enjoy a breathtaking view.

We stayed at Rooms Vrenthi. Small, clean and great for a one night no-frills stay.

We had a coffee at Cafe Vrenthi nearby. It had a top floor balcony where you can sit and enjoy your meal or a drink.

For more on what to do in the Arcadia region check out my earlier post: Top Things to Do in Dimitsana.

Have you ever visited Karytaina village or any villages in Arcadia? I’d love to hear about it.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.