Greek Mountain Villages

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Eptalofos

Eptalofos widely known as Agoriani is a beautiful mountain village in the prefecture of Fokida. It is built on the northeastern slopes of mount Parnassos, in a wooded area covered with firs, plane trees walnut trees, chestnuts and cherries, rich in fauna and flora. Its former name was Ano Agoriani until 1927 when it was renamed to Eptalofos. It the recent years it has turned into a winter tourist resort due to the short distance that separates it from the ski resort of Parnassos.

In the beautiful, stone-built square, you can enjoy tasty food under the shade of the chestnut trees and the sound of running water. From the square starts a paved path running along a small river, leading to a beautiful waterfall, the landmark of the village. Its waters fall from a height of about 20 meters and run all the way to the square. Worth visiting is the folklore museum which stands near the square. In the museum you can find exhibits of the everyday life of the past as well as customs and traditions of the area.

The village is well known for its quality local products such as beans, honey, nuts and cheeses. In Agoriani you can hike on trails such as the famous E4, which connects Agoriani with Delphi (a 6-hour walk), and enjoy climbing, mountain biking and of course skiing and snowboarding at the Parnassos ski center.

It is said that if you haven’t seen Agoriani in snow you haven’t seen anything. Snowfall is quite common in the wider area, combined with the dense forest compose an incredible  beautiful scenery. Eptalofos is situated 188 km away from Athens, 20 km from Parnassos ski center and 24 km from the traditional village of Arachova. It is an ideal all year-round destination with different "colors and fragrances" each season.

The village suffered great damage by the Germans during World War II. In October, 1943 it was burned down almost entirely in retaliation for guerrilla action in the area. Of the 184 houses that the village had at the time, 146 were burned and a total of 17 civilians were executed, 7 of whom belonged to the same family.