For eating out, don’t miss the “Tou Taloumi” taverna, where in a very beautiful and cosy environment you will be able to eat kid with lemon and oregano or cockerel with homemade pasta. Directly opposite, Georganta Elias’ traditional taverna with its own house specialities and excellent wine will offer you immaculate and friendly service. If you would like to enjoy a drink outside your hotel bar, Dimitris, in his friendly local cafe “To Elliniko” right in the village square, will provide anything you need and will play whichever kind of music you prefer. And if you are not a drinker, ask for his hot chocolate… For the more traditionally minded there is also Yiota’s little cafe which has mezedes (delicious snacks) with ouzo or tsipouro.
In the stone built village of Elliniko, on the central square with its beautiful paving and the memorial to Kolokotronis, you will find Taloumi’s taverna, a friendly and comfortable space where stone and wood predominate, and with a genuinely warm Arcadian atmosphere. Going back to 1937, the taverna has a great history and provides a point of reference for the whole of Arcadia and its taverns, and has welcomed notable visitors and famous celebrities, as you can see from the many photographs that decorate its walls. Continuing in the long tradition of the taverna, the owners will offer you unique culinary delights and tasty dishes from the Arcadian cuisine. To begin with, the visitor may sample delicious appetisers such as zucchini balls, local sausage, sheep’s offal with oregano or cheese and ham straws. To follow, along with a luscious salad or cooked wild greens you may choose to eat local cockerel with homemade pasta, lamb in an oregano and lemon sauce, rabbit in tomato sauce, exceptional game such as venison or spiced pork with walnuts. For gourmands who enjoy traditional food there is a large variety at the taverna’s grill including exceptional lamb cutlets, lamb on the spit, “youlbasi” (roast meat), tenderloin of pork, and veal.
The younger generation have taken over their father’s old taverna, and it is evident in the dishes and the design of the restaurant. One thing that has not changed is the quality of the meat from the family livestock. The lamb with oregano and lemon is a hit, and the delicious fry-ups pass the test with flying colours.
If you want to enjoy a coffee or a drink in a warm traditional cafe, “To Ellinikon” right on the square of the village will bring you anything you need and play the music of your choice.
If you are a sports fan you may also try :
Elliniko is the centre of operations for Eco Action on the Lousios river. Using the village as a base, the company organises many activities such as rafting, kayaking, river boogie, mountain biking, expeditions into the gorges, jeep safari, outdoor games, etc. Equipment is provided by the company, and the facilities include changing rooms, toilets, showers and parking.
In the mountain ranges of Mainalo at a height of about 2000 metres on the peak of Ostrakinas you will find one of the most beautiful ski centres in Greece. The Centre has four superb pistes suitable for beginners and advanced skiers. It also has a modern refuge, guest house, visitors centre and two ski-lifts. It is one of the few ski centres that is set among fir trees and the nearest to Athens, only two hours away by car.
