Central Greece

Central Greece (Greek: Στερεά Ελλάδα Sterea Ellada) is a traditional geographic region of Greece, colloquially known as Roúmeli (Ρούμελη). It includes the southern part of the Greek mainland, excluding the Peloponnese but including the offshore island of Evvia (Euboea).

Map of Central Greece

Regions

From east to west:

Evvia (Euboea) a large island off the tourist trail that has beautiful forest landscapes and traditional villages

Attica The historical heart of Greece is home to the country's capital and metropolis, Athens.

West Central Greece Composed of Boeotia, Phthiotis, Phocis, Evrytania, and Aetolia-Acarnania.

Cities

• 1 Athens — modern Greek culture business and social life flourishes amidst ancient monuments of the birthplace of Classical Greece
• 2 Chalcis — the capital of Evvia is home to the church of Saint Paraskevi, built by the Venetians
• 3 Delphi — site of the famous oracle of Apollo, major archaeological site
• 4 Lamia — a city inhabited since at least the 3rd millennium BC on the slopes of Mount Othrys
• 5 Galaxidi — a small seaside town that is a popular sea resort for travellers that stop on the way between Patras and Delphi
• 6 Itea — the old port-town of the nearby temple in Delphi

Other destinations

• 1 Mount Parnassus — The mount was regarded as a principal abode of Apollo and the Muses.
• 2 Thermopylae — A narrow coastal passage, famous for the battle that took place there in 480 BC

Understand

In English, the area is usually called Central Greece, but the Greek name, Sterea Ellada, means "Continental Greece".

The region is one of the most mountainous in Greece, having some of the highest elevations in the country.

Roumelian dances tend to be slow and controlled. The clarinet is the main instrument in this region. The main dances of this region are tsamikos (in which the leader performs energetic leaps) and kleftiko, both influenced by the Arvanites of the region.

Get in

By plane

There are two airports in central Greece. The biggest one is in Athens.

• Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport
• Aktion National Airport (Lefkada Airport "Aktion").

By boat

Piraeus is the main port for Athens, as it was in ancient times. Ferries from the Greek islands, Cyprus, and the Middle East dock here.

See

Athens is the starting point for exploring Ancient Greek history, from the archaeological sites of the Acropolis, the Roman Forum and the Temple of Olympuan Zeus to the National Archaeological Museum and dozens of other museums and art galleries, history is everywhere.

The archaeological district of Delphi is a UNESCO World Heritage site composed of buildings including a temple, a theatre, a stadium, and an agora, and has a museum of atrefacts.

The archaeological museum at Thebes is one of the most important in the country.

Thermopylae is a narrow coastal passage north of Delphi that is famous for the battle that took place there in 480 BC.

Ossios Loukas Monastery is a historic monastery near Itea, listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Drink

Athens has the best nightlife of the region, if not the country. Hip areas include Gazi, Psirri, Metaxourgio, Exarcheia, Monastiraki, Theseion and Kolonaki. Traditional Greek evenings can be spent in Plaka.