Just as he is untying the boat, we jump into the small boat that is about to set sail for Troizonia. Our journey doesn’t last long. In less than 5 minutes the launch covers the narrow sea channel, which separates the islet from “Glyfada”, the coastal settlement of Sterea.

We set foot on the waterfront, which follows the curved shape of the harbour in the natural bay of the island. “Poseidon”, “Calypso”, “Porto Troizonia” and “Ostria”, four tavernas all arranged in a row, with different colours and chairs to distinguish one from the other. No noise, no wheeled vehicles, just the gently rocking fishing boats and the chatter of the patrons enjoying their ouzo with fresh fish and octopus.

Early July in Troizonia, in this miniature island, the only one of the small islands of the Corinthian Sea that has life on it. A life with relaxed, calm rhythms, just 5 minutes from the mainland and only 25 km from Nafpaktos. The change is so striking, it takes us by surprise. Just a few hours ago we felt like a small cog in the self-propelled mass, which was initially pushing along the Ionian coast from Ioannina to Antirio and then from Nafpaktos to here. And suddenly we felt redeemed from all the evils: trucks, buses, agricultural machinery, crowded cities and settlements, traffic police and speed limits and many unscrupulous drivers who consider the asphalt as a field of competition.

-Here, I feel as if I am in another world, in another era, Anna says excitedly.

And she’s not wrong. We load our modest luggage and in three minutes we arrive on foot at “Drymna”, the only hotel on the island. We are greeted by a wonderful taratzaki and two kind hosts, Kostas and Voula.

-What does Drymna mean?, I ask Kostas.

-It is the name, in the old nautical charts, of the island of St. John. It was original, and we adopted it for the name of the unit.

Starting its operation in 1988, the hotel completes almost 20 years of permanent presence on the island, contributing decisively to the development of its tourist infrastructure. Completely renovated 3 years ago and equipped with all modern amenities, it is a remarkable accommodation, offering floating and dining. The terraces, as well as the balconies of the rooms, dominate a large part of the island, the sea horizon, the mountains of the Peloponnese and the opposite coast of Sterea. One of the most picturesque views is of the large marina, in the nearby inner and well-protected bay of the island. Many yachts, yachts and speedboats, are tied up at the piers, one next to the other. Many of them are owned by foreigners who choose the tranquility of the Troizonians for long holidays. Property as it is on the uncharted water looks like delicate silhouettes empty of life, as if suddenly marbled in time. Construction of the marina began in 1989 and was completed in 1993 with a total berthing capacity of about 120 boats. However, despite its very good harbour facilities, it still lacks the necessary electricity, fuel and water supplies that would transform it into a modern and profitable marina. Inexplicable? Unacceptable? I do not disagree. This is just another one of the small, unseen details of tourist Greece, of “12-month tourism”!

After the last taverna, a rudimentary beach is formed, which can offer the coolness of the sea to those who are unable or do not want to walk. We, of course, hurry to discover the two unseen beaches of the island. And first the famous Pounta, with its reddish sandy beach.

We start our course on the wonderful dirt road around the marina. Within a few minutes we see the whole variety of the island’s vegetation. First fig, almond and prickly pear trees and then dense sycamore and cedar trees, olive trees, holly, wisteria and eucalyptus. Here’s a vineyard with a rowan tree, laden with sweet as honey yellow suckers. Further on, another vineyard with a pear tree, laden with short ones, unfortunately still unripe.

The road goes uphill for a while, some old olive trees appear. The small island of Planemi, with its low, overgrown slopes and clear waters, looms low. A tongue of sea of only 50 meters separates it from Troizonia. The road climbs uphill for a while. At a signposted driveway we turn left for Pounta (on the right the road leads to the “Maravitsa” site). Next to us stretches a small almond grove and then an olive grove with many old olive trees. It is a narrow valley with dense vegetation on both slopes. In between is a bare area and immediately afterwards the sea with the opposite Peloponnesian coastline is revealed. In the background of the south-western horizon, between Rio and Antirio, the impressive outline of the Bridge, like a supernatural cobweb, stands out above the surface of the water.

Half an hour after our departure (40 minutes at a leisurely pace) our feet leave their first footprints on the smooth sandy beach of Pounta, which is painted by nature in a dark brick red colour. The coastline is less than 100 metres wide. All around it are inhospitable rocks. A solitary tufted cedar, only 4 meters from the water, sheds a thick, beneficial shade. In front of it a severed trunk from a larger one, resembling a coffee table that has emerged from the sea. Over the years and with salt it has hardened incredibly, not unlike stone. Solitude and absolute peace. The only sounds are the flute and the constant cicadas, which have not left us for a minute.

A rhythmic sound approaches from the sea. It is a boat and in it the lovely family of 5 members of Spyros Drosos, reader of the magazine, who conclude their visit to Troizonia with a swim on the wonderful coast.

But if in the SE part of the island the undisputed dominant is Pounta, in the W part is the coast Aspra Chalikia (“White Gravels”). Starting again from the marina, we ascend westwards. The vegetation is always the same, varied and dense. After the climbs the ground becomes flat and gradually lowers towards the coast. We cross an extensive olive grove with some scattered holiday homes, cypresses and old olive trees. The good dirt road has been transformed into a sweet path. It is so pleasant to walk through this peaceful nature of the island. In 20 minutes, Aspra Chalikia appear before us. It is an exquisite beach paved with colourful pebbles that will delight collectors. Its opening does not exceed 80 meters and the waters are cool and clear, giving us the perfect swimming experience. In fact, if it were not for the piles of reeds and other debris washed away by the winds of the west, the Aspra Chalikia would be a real paradise. With a little interest from the local authorities the overall appearance of the coast would be worthy of its natural beauty.

THE ACROPOLIS OF ANCIENT GLYFA

A steep, conical hill dominates opposite Troizonia on the coast of Sterea. From below it looks ordinary and unremarkable. But at the top of the hill lies a part of the history of the place, from the ancient past. A discreet sign, between the spectacular beach of Strogoula and the seaside settlement of Glyfada, shows us the uphill route to the Acropolis of Ancient Glyfa. After 500 metres we leave the car in an olive grove at the foot of the hill. A little further down from the top we can already see a massive section of fortifications. We spot a narrow and indistinguishable path through the holm oaks. In 12 minutes we are in front of the remains of the ancient fortification. The masonry is impressive. It is preserved at a height of at least 4 meters with a megalithic construction of large limestone blocks. The assembly between them is amazing, bringing to mind cyclopean walls, which we have occasionally admired in the most famous ancient citadels. Some of the spears exceed 1.50m in length, while the width and height vary between 70 and 80 cm. The position of the fortification is strategic and dominates the entire surrounding area. The W – NW part of the hill is steep and completely inaccessible.

We discover a rudimentary path, which, between holly trees and stone walls, leads eastwards, around the hill. Gradually the ruined fortification with a ruined bastion unfolds before our eyes. A little later the fortification continues with excellent masonry and a second bastion in excellent condition, with perfectly carved curved beams. A few metres later a new bastion appears in excellent condition. Next to it, the gate of the citadel is revealed, a rectangular opening 1.75 m high, 70-80 cm wide and a tunnel of about two and a half metres leading to the interior of the castle. The upper part of the gate is covered by carved megaliths.

But the fortification does not stop here. It continues with a height of 4 – 5 meters to another bastion and proceeds in direction D around the perimeter of the castle to meet, among rough bastions, another destroyed bastion.

We admire from above the north side of the Troizonians, overgrown and salted, with a coastline that is straight and long, inaccessible and rocky along its entire length. It ends at Cape Kochlias or Monolithos, an inhospitable cape.

The acropolis encloses the upper part of the hill, a flat area of a few acres at an altitude of 180 meters. Shells abound throughout the whole area. Unfortunately, during this morning’s approach, only the NE – E part of the wall is well lit. The south-west bastion and the gate are in shadow. In a fit of professionalism – and perhaps masochism? – we decide to return in the afternoon. A misjudgement of the time robs us of the last rays of sunlight and so the second visit proves fruitless. The next day we return in time for the third time! At last, we are lucky enough to photograph the gate and bastion in afternoon light. Of course, on our three ascents to Ancient Glyfa we did not meet anyone. After all, how many people know what this hill is hiding! In an advanced European country there would be a widened and marked path and signs with brief multilingual information about the identity of the monument.

West Locris, the country of Hesperians of Locris, stretched along the northern coast of the Corinthian Gulf, from the bay of Kirra in the east to the cape of Antirio in the west. According to the excavation evidence, the settlement of Locris began in the Early Helladic period, flourished most in classical times and began to decline gradually in the Roman period. The fortifications of western Locris are typical examples of small towns in mountainous terrain, whose inhabitants lived from livestock farming, piracy and robbery. The findings of the excavations constantly shed light on the topography of the towns and the life of their inhabitants, who, although they did not play a leading role in the important historical events of the ancient Greek world, left us remarkable examples of their civilisation. The walls of citadels with towers are preserved in the following locations from west to east: Evpalios, Glyfa, Tolofonas Beach, Malandrino, Agioi Pantes (Vidavi), Penteoria, Galaxidi, Agia Efthymia, Amfissa, demonstrating a kind of urbanization and an attempt to protect the inhabitants from enemy raids.

After our wanderings on the rugged but fascinating hill of Ancient Glyfa, we relax with a nice coffee at the beach of Sergoula, a lovely pebbled shore with peaceful and crystal clear waters, perhaps the most beautiful beach in the area.

THE COUNTRYSIDE

At the height of Ag. Spyridon we meet the sign for Kallithea. We start to climb or rather climb the countless closed turns on a road so narrow that in many places there is no room for two cars. At last we finally reach the mountain village. The altitude of 700 meters and the cool breeze mitigate the heat of the day. The view is unique over the strip of the Corinthian Gulf, the mountain ranges and the Peloponnesian coast.

-This is why it was named Kallithea, says Mrs. Zoe Tripsa, who buys us a coffee. The village used to be called – what a name – Xylogoidara. But once the queen came – it must have been Amalia – she was impressed by the view and said they should call it Kallithea.

-And how many people live here?

-Only two families permanently, says Mrs. Georgia Zoitou. But in the summer we reach 50.

Nice houses, built amphitheatrically, most of them with stone. Some retain tiled roofs. The old ones are built with hewn stone, cornerstones and arches over windows and doors. Some are dated 1931, but there are many older ones. The church of Agia Paraskevi is built on a top viewpoint, with excellent masonry of hewn stone but with a bell tower of inferior architecture. In the square of the church, built with chipped grey stone, is the old school, an impressive building that remains unused. Next to it, almost disappearing behind dense mulberry trees, is another excellent building, ravaged by time. It was once a café, as the half-obscured sign indicates.

A few dozen meters towards the interior of the village is the small square with the plane tree. It is colossal, the perimeter of its trunk reaches 10.70 meters!

-Come in the evening, says Kostas Bakas, a farmer, who keeps open the only café in the village. There will be other villagers. And we’ll have local roasted meat.

With this nice perspective we continue on the dirt road after Kallithea. It climbs up to 850 meters. Here are four partridges along the road. They’re moving away at a fast pace and disappearing into the holm oaks. As we descend, the Troizonia appear from the bends of the road in perfect plan view. The place smells of blooming thyme. Among the rough bushy vegetation of thorns and holly are tiny gullies, overgrown with plane trees and flowering oleander. Now and then sweet-sounding bells can be heard. They are from the goats, long-headed, beautiful, in various shades of brown, that roam among the wild bushes, searching for the scarce food the place has.

Our evening is accompanied in Kallithea by the Deputy Mayor of Tolofonos, Kostas Zoitos, who comes from there. We follow another route, over Ag. Nikolaos. It is a reliable dirt road, wide, with gentle slopes, open bends and a view that becomes more impressive every little while towards the Corinthian Sea and its small islands and the panorama of the Peloponnese. The paving of this magnificent route through the lush surroundings of the mountain would certainly contribute greatly to the increase in visitor numbers and the general development of the amazing mountain settlement of Kallithea.

We meet quite a few people on this second visit to the village. Everyone rushes to greet their own Deputy Mayor warmly. We end up at Kostas Bakas’ café. The peculiarity of the plane tree, apart from its size and age, is the circular square that surrounds it like a threshing floor. It is built with chipped stone and elevated above the rest of the square, to prominently host the musicians in the panegyrics.

-The village once had great glory, says an elderly man next to us. Many professions, 150 families and 3 doctors. But the lack of infrastructure made life difficult. The first road, via Elaia, arrived in 1965, electricity and water in 1968. Until then, communication with the lowlands was done on foot. Kostas knows very well what I mean.

-Yes, I owe my life to the feet and hands of four of my compatriots, says the Deputy Mayor. Two of them are sitting next to us. They carried my mother, who had a very difficult birth, by hand to Ag. Spyridon and from there by chartered boat to Aigio.

In the night coolness of Kallithea we all clink glasses with the wonderful local red wine. We taste the delicious lamb and sheep kebab. Before we leave, we take with us a tin of Kostas Bakas’ excellent feta cheese.

The next morning we continue our tour in the mountains of the Municipality of Tolofonos. We cross the indifferent – architecturally – Elaia and ascend the well-known dirt road with the oleanders towards Dafnochori and Makrini. In between we meet the bypass of the road to Kallithea. Already opposite us, Dafnochori looms, perched on its verdant slope. Before we enter the village, a beautiful shepherdess is sitting on the side of the road, in the shade, surrounded by her dogs, large and small. As soon as the dogs see us, they rush to the car barking, but the little girl politely greets us.

We enter Dafnochori. A small square with two old trees, at an altitude of 850 meters. A man greets us from the balcony of the house opposite and invites us for a coffee. He welcomes us to an open-air terrace, with a sheet metal canopy and a vine bed.

-This used to be a butcher shop. Now it’s my summer residence, says Thymios. But drink your coffee, and I’ll bring you some yogurt later.

We try to deny it, but he is unconvinced. He brings a deep plate filled with yogurt. It’s sheep’s milk, whole fat and tastes amazing.

-Drink also water from the spring, says the 78-year-old Thymios. It is very digestive.

His son George joins the group, cheerful and kind like his father.

-Come on, play something on the clarinet for your strangers, he urges him.

Thymios hesitates for a moment, then enters his poor house. A few seconds later, the first sounds of the warming up can be heard from inside. He shows the good man with his clarinet, made of ebony ebon  with his hands, an artifice. In the morning peace our souls are filled with the sweet sounds of the clarinet, the lyrics of our folk songs.

Little by little, Thymios gets drunk, plays and sings, closes his eyes, he is alone now, he and his clarinet. We bless our luck for these rare, so authentic moments.

-My father is an excellent woodcarver, says George. Wood keeps no secrets from him.

He brings and shows us some wonderful almond stick glues, with carvings of holly and wildflower. His father, however, is skeptical. “What shall I give you,” I wonder. He goes inside and returns with two spoons, one large and one small. Excellent form and excellent carving.

-Made of black mulberry wood. Take them to remember me.

At that moment, the farmer Theodor Katis, uncle of the shepherdess Sophia, arrives. His face is dominated by his moustache, well-groomed, proud, bigger than mine and much bigger than that of Thymios.

-You, Thymios, why do you have such a small moustache?, I ask him.

-Because when it gets long, it gets in the way of my clarinet!

We say goodbye to these fine people and continue on to Makrini. The good dirt road climbs up to 1000 meters and after the neck it lowers towards Makrini. The vegetation changes, oaks dominate. The small, overgrown but hardly traditional settlement at an altitude of 650 meters is looming. A little later we pass a forested gorge and climb left to Milia. Bad asphalt road, full of potholes, the dirt road was better.

At an altitude of about 700 meters, Milia is a village with intense amphitheatrics, dense vegetation and many stone houses. The church of Agios Haralambos is outstanding, built in 1911, with chipped stone, ironwork and arches on the windows and an amazing stone relief above the entrance. In the small square there is a plane tree with a spring of cool water and a marble Memorial to the Fallen. We have completed our tour to the mountainous border of the municipality of Tolofon, a circle with a total distance of 72 km. We return to the coast, to the seaside settlement of “Chania”, where the launches for Troizonia start. Here, under the thick shade of dense mulberry trees, is the little tavern of Thanos.

Thanasis is a fisherman, he supplies the tavern mainly with his own fish. Vlita, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, zucchini and cucumbers are from their orchard. Fresh fish, very tasty Greek cuisine and reasonable prices. Exemplary service from the whole family. Thank goodness there are still shops like this nowadays!

Despite the long morning wanderings, there is no rest in the afternoon. The son of Thymios, George, is waiting for us to show us the inexhaustible springs “Polystavri” in Ano Sergoula, from which the beaches and Troizonia have been watered since the early 60s. We start climbing the winding road to Sergoula. From the bends in between, images of exceptional views of the Troizonia and other small islands are revealed.

After the village, a winding forest road descends downhill, which once stops. We continue on foot in a lush gorge. In about a quarter of an hour we reach the water springs, which come out abundantly from the depths of the rock. It is a dreamy gully, at an altitude of 300 metres with giant plane trees, submerged in shade. Around it rises a gorge of incomprehensible beauty and wildness with almost vertical slopes. We bend down and drink from this crystal clear, divine water. A few tens of meters further up is a cave, with a small opening, which requires a torch to approach its interior.

THE TOUR OF THE TROIZONIA

Early in the morning, the long-time community leader of Troizonia awaits us to guide us from the sea along the coastline of the three-island group, which includes Troizonia, Agios Ioannis and Planemi. We set sail in his launch at 8 am and cross the calm waters of the marina among the many moored yachts. We pass by the islet of Planemi and head SE towards St. John. In 10 minutes we arrive off the island. It’s covered in pine trees. Prominent among them is the ruined stone-built house of the Panagiotopoulos family from the late 19^th to early 20^th century. We can also see the chapel of St. John and the house of the then guardian of the family. A reddish sandy beach stretches along the coast, followed immediately by an inhospitable shoreline, with reddish rocks the colour of bauxite. The south side is also steep and completely salted.

In less than a quarter of an hour the circumnavigation of the small island is completed and we are already heading to the long SE cape of Troizonia, “Pounta”. Here too, the coast is inaccessible from the sea, but it allows for the creation of a calm embrace, the stunning sandy beach of Pounta, which we got to know from our first day on the island. Immediately afterwards, the coast becomes inhospitable again, as far as the enchanting beach of Aspra Chalikia. A little further down, another sandy beach with a reddish colour and a width of about 25 metres. The colour of the bauxite alternates with the greyish colour of the limestone, but the bauxite predominates.

Before we reach the western cape, the last sandy beach of the island, reddish and accessible only from the sea, since the land is steep. We are now sailing along the northwestern cape of the island, Cape Kochlias, also called Monolithos, from the reef that protrudes from the surface of the water, 30 meters offshore. The bauxite color of the cape, the limestone color of the sea wall. The rocks alternate as they like.

The northern rocky, limestone coastline begins, with dense low vegetation, which reaches a few meters above the sea like an impenetrable jungle. There is also the cement where the water supply network from the opposite shore passes through. A few pine trees, a private chapel and the first houses of the settlement begin. The walk ends with the church of St. George, the harbour, the new accommodation complex that is being built, a small sandy beach with prickly pear trees. There is also the small quarter “Mahalas”, where a Turkish outpost used to operate and control the area. Here is the house of George Stamatogiannis, with a liotrivi, built in 1840, probably the oldest house on the island.

We thank Kostas and go out to the opposite land. We set off for Eratini, the seat of the municipality of Tolofonos. We follow the very interesting coastal route with the tourist developed settlements and the picturesque islands of Ag. Spyridon and Ag. Nikolaos, a short distance from the coast. The Deputy Mayors Dimitris Theocharis and Kostas Zoitos are waiting for us at the Town Hall for a final tour.

We head first to the coastal settlement of Panormos and then to the homonymous settlement in the interior. At the highest point of the village, the remains of an ancient fortification with large chiseled beams, similar to the acropolis of Ancient Glyfa, can be seen. Besides, the point of the hill has a strategic position in the whole plain and in the sea. The village has many stone-built houses and among them some brick houses!

Our tour includes the settlement of Tolofonos on the mainland. Here, at a top viewpoint, dominates the old mansion of Kournia, stone-built with 80 cm walls. It has undergone several restoration interventions, but its architectural glamour remains unchanged. As a traditional guesthouse it would be ideal. We admire from the settlement the vast solid olive grove of several thousand acres, which reaches down to the sea. In the seaside settlement of Tolofonos, the remains of the Coastal Medieval Tower are preserved, with a strong masonry but preserved at a low height.

At the southernmost end of the coastline, a souwrish nose of land rams the waters of the Corinthian Sea. It is Cape Psaromita with the homonymous lighthouse. We take a well-maintained dirt road through a compact forest of cedar trees and chicory trees. At the end of the road, the impressive structure of the lighthouse stands out, overlooking the town of Aigio to the southwest. The lighthouse is made of chipped limestone, while the cornerstones are made of curved limestone, exquisitely carved. It is the last picture that accompanies us with its peculiarity until our return to Troizonia.