Astros

Astros is a relatively large village or small town in the east part of Peloponnese, Arcadia Region. It is located about 4 km away from the sea and its seaside with a large beach strip is more popular and known under the name Paraliа Astros, or Astros beach.

In contrast to the beach area which is mostly a summer resort, the village of Astros is lively even in winter season as it has permanent residents. There are shops, tavernas, cafes, bakeries, banks, pharmacies,schools and a regional medical center. The square with a dozen of benches is in the center of Astros and everything is concentrated around or close to it. The houses are mixture of the traditional for the region old architecture and more contemporary buildings. 200 meters from the center there is one more larger square with a playground for kids, and next to it is the Archeological Museum of Astros and exhibits small artifacts from the area, as well as ancient sculptures.

Places of interest close to Astros are the ruins of the villa of Herodes Atticus (a Greek aristocrat and Roman senator in 2nd century) and the Roman aqueduct close to the villa. Between the ruins of the villa and the aqueduct there is the beautiful monastery of Metamorfosis Sotiros which is open to visitors. Another spot to see is the castle on a hilltop above the harbor of Paralia Astros.

highlights: large village close to Paralia Astros, village in Arcadia Region, Peloponnese, Greece