A drive through the abandoned Acarnanian villages

A day trip by car through the Acarnanian villages offers a journey into nature’s untouched beauty. As you drive through endless valleys, lush mountains and streams the landscape unfolds like a painting—vast stretches of greenery, where wild horses run freely, sheeps and cows graze on the hillsides.

Lets do a quick tour around 2 charming abandoned villages.

First, the village of Voustri, located next to Mount Perganti, was one of the oldest in Aetolia-Acarnania and served as a base for the ELAS resistance during the Occupation.

In 1975, it was abandoned due to landslides, with its residents relocating near the village of Tryfos. Today, its houses remain deserted, but the surrounding nature is stunning, with forests and paths that create a peaceful landscape.

The church of Saint Nicholas, which has been restored, is the only building in good condition, preserving frescoes and artifacts from the 20th century

The second stop would be the old village of Achira, a picturesque place with brick-built houses and a rich history. Always small in size, according to a local legend, the village could never have more than 50 houses, as a possessed man cursed it to be flooded by the river “Fountos” if the number of houses exceeded this limit. Indeed, after a great storm, the river swept away the houses in the southwestern part, while the ones near the church of Panagia were spared.

The village is first mentioned in 1521, when it had 14 families, and it is known for its many springs, especially the Kefalovryso spring, which has provided water to nearby villages since the 1950s. The area once had watermills and fulling mills, which were essential to the locals for grinding wheat and washing clothes. The village was connected by a vaulted bridge over the Nissa river. Gradually, it was relocated southwest of Katouna, but the church of Panagia Achiriatissa, dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, remains an important religious site. Today, the monastery has been reconstructed and attracts many faithful each year during its feast.