Pan's Arcadia

There is a beautiful stretch of road that runs through the villages of Skotini, Vitini, Dhimitsana, and Stemnitsa. It is the most mountainous section of Arcadia. In ancient times, while the rest of Greece was warring with itself and everyone else, this region remained blissfully isolated. Giddy with brooks, lush forests, and steep mountains, the Arcadians stacked their beautiful stone houses against the hills. Around the hearth in these homes, they spun tales of Pan and Heracles. As you pedal down the road taking it all in, it is easy to feel as though you might still catch a glimpse of Pan chasing a wood nymph through the forest beside you.