Smynos
Encyclopedia
Smynos is a former municipality in Laconia
, Peloponnese, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality East Mani
, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,917 (2001).
It is located in the Mani Peninsula
on the eastern slopes of Mt. Taygetos, and it is named after the river Smynos, that runs through it. The region is also known as Vardounia (and its villages as Vardounochoria), after the medieval Vardounia castle located in the area, now in ruins.
The seat of the municipality was in Agios Nikolaos. The most historic village of the municipal unit of Smynos is the mountainous village of Kastania. It has two towers (pirgi), in which its inhabitants used to defend themselves against the Ottomans. The village has two coffee shops and attracts tourists in the summer. The largest village in the municipality is Petrina, known for the high quality of its PDO
olive oil
.
The most prominent site in the municipal unit is the monastery of Panagia Giatrissa which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and worshipers every year. Other sites of interest include the Vasilitsa forest (on the path of the European walking route E4
), and the network of canyons formed by river Smynos and its tributaries. Traditionally the municipality rarely received tourists, except for visitors to the monastery; in more recent years ecotourism
has been on the rise.
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
, Peloponnese, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality East Mani
East Mani
East Mani is a municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Its seat of administration is the town Gytheio. The municipality is located in the eastern part of the Mani Peninsula...
, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,917 (2001).
It is located in the Mani Peninsula
Mani Peninsula
The Mani Peninsula , also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a geographical and cultural region in Greece. Mani is the central peninsula of the three which extend southwards from the Peloponnese in southern Greece. To the east is the Laconian Gulf, to the west the Messenian Gulf...
on the eastern slopes of Mt. Taygetos, and it is named after the river Smynos, that runs through it. The region is also known as Vardounia (and its villages as Vardounochoria), after the medieval Vardounia castle located in the area, now in ruins.
The seat of the municipality was in Agios Nikolaos. The most historic village of the municipal unit of Smynos is the mountainous village of Kastania. It has two towers (pirgi), in which its inhabitants used to defend themselves against the Ottomans. The village has two coffee shops and attracts tourists in the summer. The largest village in the municipality is Petrina, known for the high quality of its PDO
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
.
The most prominent site in the municipal unit is the monastery of Panagia Giatrissa which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and worshipers every year. Other sites of interest include the Vasilitsa forest (on the path of the European walking route E4
European walking route E4
The E4 European long distance path or E4 path is one of the European long-distance paths starting in Spain at its westernmost point and leading through France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to end in Greece...
), and the network of canyons formed by river Smynos and its tributaries. Traditionally the municipality rarely received tourists, except for visitors to the monastery; in more recent years ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
has been on the rise.