GET TO KNOW THE MUNICIPALITY > ELATI Elati, a village attracting tourists all through the year, is the first village we meet on the road, 14 km from the Pyli at an altitude of 900 m. The village council of Elati includes also the villages of Vlacha, Aghios Georgios, Xylochiori and Liopota. The population of 700 in the winter rises to 4,000 in the summer, with the main income coming from tourism and secondarily from logging and stock-raising. The rare beauty and the hospitable spirit of Elati combine to make it one of the most developed holiday resorts in the area. Hotels and rooms for rent offer accommodation for short or long term vacation. Trekking, mountain-climbing, horse-riding and mountain-biking during the day give way to the special atmosphere of first-class bars favoured by the visitors. Local cuisine will not disappoint the visitor either : the taverns of Elati are famous for game meat (deer, roe- deer, wild boar, hare etc.) prepared and served in unique ways. Here one can also obtain rare herbs like mountain tea, oregano, lime flowers, musk etc.  Although surrounded by the peaks of Psilo (1700m), Arkoudotrypa (1600m) and Kokkinos Vrachos (1100m), Elati is easily accessible all through the year, being only 14 km from Pyli. Trekking to the wonderful springs of Canalia, Kalogeromandri, Gouves, Itamos, Arvanites and Bey is certainly worth the try. One can visit the cave at Arkoudotrypa and the cave of stalactites near Pialia. A great feast takes place in Elati on August 14-15th and on April 23rd at the courtyard of the church of Aghios Georgios (3 km towards Kotroni). There are ruins of an ancient settlement in the grove of Prophet Elias in the southwest. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES – CHURCHES – MONASTERIES Archaeological sites – findings Traces of an ancient castle and settlement have been found at “Psili rachi”, “Fteri” and “Katofli” places, at the southeast of the village, on the way to Kalogiroi village. They are believed to be part of the ancient city “Petnaio” or “Potnaio” which flourished from the 5th century B.C. till the Roman years. In 185 B.C. Athamanes asked Filippos the 4th to give them back the village and Athinaios. In Petnaios area, a carved tombstone of Echenikos, a warrior or army officer killed in a battle in the 4th century B.C., was found. Broken chamber-pots, tiles, statuettes, coins and two different sized and shaped graves were also found. Churches – Monasteries - Virgin Mary (1958), at the centre of the village. The part of the old wood carved iconostasis, still preserved nowadays, is of historical importance, dating back to 1822 and being created by Epirus wood-carvers. - “Holy Trinity”, first built in 1898 - “Saint Anargiroi”, a country church of “Prophet Ilias”, located at the entrance of the village. Of historical importance is the iconostasis, which comes from the old church of Virgin Mary, located at “Pano Machalas” where “Saint Anargiroi” church is located nowadays. EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL SOCIETIES - Folklore Cultural Society “Koziakas” - Mountain Line Professionals’ Society “Xenios Zeus” - Agricultural Co-Operative Association - Forest Co-Operative Association CULTURAL – TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS - August 15th (3-day fair): A feast in the square follows the Mass and the procession of Virgin Mary’s flower-decorated icon. During these three days, many cultural efstivals take place with the presence of municipal and public groups: music and dance nights, theatrical performances, shadow theatre performances and puppet shows. - April 23rd (Agios Georgios settlement): Doxology and “Diaklisis” (meal served by the church to the pilgrims) take place. These are followed by a fair with dances in the courtyard of the church. - Carnival: The Society, along with the help of the Municipality, holds a festival with public participation: the participants dress up in old clothes and go around the village stores in groups. They bring fun and happiness to the people by singing and reciting satiric verses. - Shrove Monday: A festival takes place in the main square: stalls are put up offering Lenten food and local wine to all the people. A fair with endless dance follows. - Epiphany: Local customs revive: The day before or the same day, the men put on old “skoutina” (woollies) clothes made from raw wool and tie small and big bells round their waist and walk around the houses, in order to scare away the goblins. The dressed-up men are called “Loukantzaria” in the local dialect. The housewives offer them “Fotes”, small round buns, pierced in the middle and tied with a rope. - Christmas and New Years Day: Traditional customs revive ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES Walking - Elati – Vlacha – Korpou – Xilogefiro – Neraidochori (also by car) - Elati – Vrontero – Kalogiroi (also by car) - Elati – Kokkinos Vrachos – Itamos (forest road and path) - Elati – Poulimena – Kalogeromandri (forest road) - Elati – Bei cave (forest road and path) - Elati – Kanalia - Elati – Agia Traida (path with signs) - Elati – Stournareika – Mesochora (dam) (also by car) - Elati – Chrysomilia – Kalambaka (by car) - Elati – Pertouli – Neraidochori – Pyrra – Desi –Agios Nikolaos – Drosochori - Gardiki – Athamania (by car) Climbing: At “Kokkinos Vrachos” there is a climbing ground on a 60m-high limestone which has 6 tracks with different levels of difficulty. Ορειβασία: Mountaineering: - At “Tripio Lithari”, following the E4 Mountaineering Path (European Walking Path E4), on the east side of Koziakas to climb to “Astrapi” and “Arvanites” tops (1,901m), better known as “Koziakas path”. - A complete network of climbing paths has been developed in the area with focal meeting points (accommodation with fireplace, outdoor pic-nic areas, barbecues, fountains), rest areas (fountains, kiosks, sitting places) and “Chatzipetros” shelter, which is available to all climbers (Koziakas’ climbing shelter, 1,738m above the sea level, from EMOT) with a capacity of 16 beds. Para-gliding Gliding and para-pente at Astrapi top Trekking: Walks in old cobbled roads, passable paths and rivers Mountain Cycling: Rides with mountain-bikes, 4x4, moto-cross through forest roads and paths of Pertouli grasslands. Horse-riding: Well-organised routes under the guidance of experienced trainers at Koziakas’ slopes and Pertouli grasslands Hunting: At the borders of the well-known Koziakas reserve, there live hairy games (deer, roe-deer, wild goats, wild boars, hares etc.) as well as numerous feathered games (pheasants, partridges, woodcocks, quails, pigeons, water birds etc.) Fishing: In Acheloos and its tributaries, trout, briana and eel are found during the summer months  BUY Herbs, soft drinks, home made liqueurs, dairy products, honey, sweets, tsipouro, traditional pasta, pot-pouri of dried flowers. TRY Pies made of home-made pastry, plasto, roast meat in a pot and on the spit, prasotigania, shoots, trout and briana.