The place · Kato Trikala
Kato Trikala
The first neighbourhood you meet coming up from Xylokastro, at 900 metres. It is the entrance to the village and the lowest of the three steps.
What you will see
The Church of Agios Dimitrios was built in 1697 and is the first major monument you meet. What makes it special are its 18th-century frescoes, strongly expressionist in character — rare for a church of the period. Among them is the famous “Akra Tapeinosi”.
The place also has a much older layer. Here the ancient geographers place Mysaion, a sanctuary of Demeter, in the same zone as ancient Pellini. Nothing visible survives to visit, but it is the reason the place has been inhabited for so many centuries: the village, according to tradition, was built here in the 10th century by lowlanders who climbed up, driven by raiders.
On the edge of the neighbourhood are the two largest places to stay in the area, with views towards the Corinthian Gulf.
From here the road continues to Mesaia and Ano, and then up the mountain.
What is open here
Six places to stay, two places to eat and two for coffee. “900 Meters” takes its name from the elevation of the neighbourhood.
Because it is the lowest of the three, in winter it gets less snow than Ano — and keeps it for less time.
It is 24 kilometres from Xylokastro, about forty minutes via the southern mountain route.