Mainalo, Mountain summit in Arcadia, Greece
Mainalo is a mountain range in the heart of the Peloponnese, in the Arcadia regional unit of Greece, with its highest peak called Ostrakina. The slopes are thickly covered with Greek fir and Crimean pine, giving the area a character that feels more alpine than typically Mediterranean.
Until the late 20th century the range was widely known as Apano Chrepa, a name that replaced the ancient one during the Ottoman period. It regained the name Mainalo as part of a wider movement in Greece to restore classical place names after independence.
Herds still graze on the open slopes, and the forest paths are used daily by locals from the surrounding villages. The mountain takes its name from Mainalos, a figure in Greek mythology and son of the god Pan, which connects the landscape to the stories once told about Arcadia.
The mountain is easily reached by road from Tripoli, and the network of routes through the surrounding villages stays open through most of the year. In winter, the ski center on the upper slopes draws visitors, but road conditions can change quickly, so checking before you go is worth it.
Mainalo appears in ancient Greek texts, including the writings of Pausanias in the 2nd century, who described it as a place inhabited by gods. This makes it one of the few mountains in Greece whose ancient literary reputation outpaces its modern tourist one.
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