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The Fokida region is located in central Greece and includes 2 municipalities: Delphi and Dorida. 4 of the highest mountains of the country are located here - Ghiona, Parnassos, Vardousia and Iti, as well as Morno dam which supplies Athens with water, the largest olive groves in Amfissa and an interesting coastline.

Western Fokida, Dorida Municipality (http://bit.ly/15MzNFu), consists exclusively of villages, of which the main one is Lidoriki, and also includes Vardousia alpine landscapes, the spectacular lake, enchanting shores of Efpalio and the island colour of Tolofonas.

Mountain villages and Lidoriki

Lidoriki, the capital of Roumeli, is located at the foot of the western part of Ghiona and looks over Morno Lake, Vardousia and the peaks of Ghiona. During the Ottoman rule it was a refuge of many captains and rebels from Roumeli, and during the German - Italian occupation the village was burned completely on 29 August 1944 by the Nazis.

The church tower is the trademark of the village, which until recently was the most important commercial and economic centre of mountainous Fokida because of its natural location.

You can visit the old village Varosha with its extraordinary architecture and history, or the Archaeological Museum, where findings from excavations of ancient Kalipolis are kept.

Above the mountain road Lidoriki - Amfissa you will find the village of Kaoutes, at an altitude of 1,040 metres, in a forest of fir and pine trees. It has been burned 4 times by invaders, and many of its inhabitants were killed. There you can find the church of St. Nicholas.

Other villages that you can enjoy visiting in the area include Sikia, under the mountain chain of Gihon, Dafnos - built amphitheatrically on the west side of Vardousia at an altitude of 1,050 metres, the settlements of Pentagiou (www.pentagiou.gr), with picturesque chapels and a church, the beautiful village of Krokilio (www.krokilio.gr), Malandrino, Artotina and many other small villages.

Morno Dam

Morno dam was built in 1979 with the construction of a dam on the Morno River, in order to cover the increasing water needs of Athens.

It is the ninth largest dam in Greece and gathers water not only from the Morno River, but also from its feeders that flow directly into the dam. It is worth taking a walk around it, in order to enjoy the unique landscape there. The fact that the village of Kallio had to be vacated for the building of the dam is very impressive – the village was transferred to another location and when the level of the dam falls during droughts, houses of the old village can be seen.

Coastal villages and Trizon

Descending from the mountain villages of Fokida, you will reach the shore of the Corinthian Gulf and just a few kilometers away we can see a completely different landscape. To the west, you will find Hiliadou with its beautiful sandy beach, beach bars and cafes; Efpalio with its high sycamore trees, springs and underground waters, as well as the picturesque coastal village of Nobastiraki, which resembles an island.

Moving east you will see the villages of Matthias and Skaloma with beautiful beaches and tourist sites, as well as Glyfada, with the Trizon Island opposite it - the only inhabited island in the region. It has a natural harbour, a marina for luxury yachts and many tavernas on the beach, restaurants and cafes from which you can enjoy the magical landscape.

In the eastern part of the municipality you will see Tolofona and Eratini. Tolofona’s olive groves consist of thousands of trees, many of which are over 100 years old.

Tastes from Roumeli

In the mountain villages of Roumeli you will find many taverns offering grilled meat and it is worth trying local meat dishes such as lamb skewers, oven roasted lamb, ‘kokoretsi’ and many others, as well as local cheese pies, pumpkin pies and many more.

In coastal villages, you will find fresh fish and seafood.

More information can be found on http://www.fokida.gr/site/en_US/index.csp and www.dorida.gr.