This little known region in the Peloponnese is your launchpad for golden beaches, spas, trekking and fun-packed holidays.
Temple of Apollo
In Figalia, on the border between Arcadia and Messinia, rises to an altitude of 1130 meters the imposing temple of Epicurean Apollo, which was built in the 5th century BC and as the architect of the temple is mentioned by Pausanias Iktinos. It is one of the best preserved monuments of ancient Greece and is founded on the rock of Mount Kotilio, where the ancient city of Vasses was located.
Folklore Museum
The exhibits come mainly from donations from the locals and include local traditional costumes, everyday objects, furniture, decorations, agricultural tools and children’s toys. The majority of the items are from the late 19th and early 20th century, while several have been sent from abroad by Ilia immigrants.
Museum of Ancient Ilida
The new Archaeological Museum of Elis now dominates the foot of the ancient citadel overlooking the entire archaeological site. Visitors have the opportunity to admire exhibits that for several years, stacked in warehouses, were not accessible to the public. It includes findings brought to light by excavations and date from the Early Helladic to the Roman era. Vases, statues, sculptures, tombstones, clay and stone architectural members, figurines, bronze utensils, weapons, coins and other small objects are on display.
Pelion Dam
It is located above Ancient Ilida. This is one of the most important land improvement projects in the Prefecture of Ilia. The artificial lake was created in 1960, after the construction of a dam on the river Pinios, and is the largest in the Peloponnese. It is located northeast of Amaliada and is used for the irrigation of the plain of Ilia.
Holy Monastey of Frankopidimatos
It is an Orthodox Greek monastery dedicated to Agios Nikolaos and is located in the Prefecture of Ilia, in the Local Community of Koryfi, at 16.69 km outside the city of Pyrgos and at an altitude of 219 meters. It belongs to the Holy Diocese of Ilia and Oleni. It was founded around the 14th century and got its name because according to the tradition during the Frankish period in the area, a Frankish Knight to escape the persecution of Saracen pirates jumped on horseback without suffering the slightest from the rocky slope of a hill invoking the Saint Nicholas to save him.
Fragkovilas
On the green hill with the dense vegetation that is located about one and a half kilometers from the center of Amaliada southeast, one of the most important pilgrimages of Ilia, the holy church of the Assumption of the Virgin, which was the catholic of the Byzantine monastery of Frangavilla. The church is cruciform with an 11th century dome, built on the ruins of an ancient temple, as it is supposed, and with interesting frescoes.
Neda
Natural border between two prefectures, waterfalls, ponds and paths in a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty, the gorge of Neda with its lush vegetation invites you to explore it!
AT THE BORDERS OF THE PREFECTURES of Ilia and Messinia, very close to the extensive area of Ancient Figalia, at the foot of Mount Lycaeus and in the temple of Epicurean Apollo are the sources of the river Neda with the female name. Neda, after traveling 32 kilometers, flows into the Ionian Sea on its beautiful sandy beaches! According to Greek mythology, Neda was a nymph, a water deity and one of those who raised Zeus. The gorge of Neda, is an incomparable natural beauty attraction of Messinian nature and a popular destination for nature and adventure lovers. The constant changes of the landscape, the rich vegetation, the turquoise waters of the river and the imposing rocks, make the crossing of the gorge an unforgettable experience!
