Aegina Ancient Olive Grove

Location: Pachia Rachi

The Ancient Olive Grove in Aegina: Just 8 kilometers from the port of Aegina, in the area just south of Pachia Rachi, lies a hidden gem whose existence is a secret to most visitors, and even to some of the locals: the majestic Valley of Eleonas, an ancient olive grove with hundred or even thousand-year-old trees, each one being a living sculpture.

Located at the foothills of Mount Ellanion, an extinct volcano and the highest mountain on the island, the Ancient Olive Grove is inseparable from the terrain and the myths surrounding it. On top of the Mountain stands a temple dedicated to Ellanios Zeus, while Aiakos, the mythical first king of the island, is said to have lived in the area around the mountain.

Though not that numerous, the existing olives are indicative of the size and grandeur of the ancient grove. In some, the outer bark alone is around 400-500 years old, while the age of the oldest ones has been estimated at no less than 1500-2000 years! Suffice it to say that one of the largest trees measures 13 meters around its trunk, with an internal cavity of 2.5 meters in diameter. The diversity in the appearance of the olives is simply astounding; some of them are slender, with masses of green-leaved branches, while others, gnarled and deeply grooved with huge cavities, allow views of yet other trees beyond them. Taking fantastical shapes that often resemble faces or figures, they are the raw material of primeval archetypes, fairy tales and art.

The whole landscape is of rare natural beauty, with lentisks, Greek horehounds, thyme and thistle, while countless squills crop up here and there from the rocky ground like dainty white brushstrokes on a canvas.

Thanks to its distance from the sea, the place has remained virgin and unspoiled, with waters running down from the surrounding heights as they try to find their way to the nearby Marathon Bay. Besides, Eleonas is also renowned for its fauna. As you stroll along its paths, you will come across wild rabbits, partridges, tortoises and horses, while herds of cows, goats and sheep blithely graze close by.
There is also a wildlife rescue center not far from there. Three whitewashed chapels, the churches of Agios Georgios, Agia Kyriaki and Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) add to the beauty and sacredness of the scenery. Some prehistoric drakospita (dragon houses) have also been spotted in the wider area.

Bonus info: The ancient olive grove was chosen by the French fashion house Hermes for the shooting of its 2005 collection.

How to get there

Various paths descend towards Eleonas from the mountain villages of Pachia Rachi (1.3 kilometers, 45 minutes), Kapotides, and Aiginitissa (around 30 minutes), while a dust road leads there from the second Marathon Beach (2 km, 50 minutes). The path is of medium difficulty and the whole hiking route takes about three hours to complete.
If you feel up to it, there are also various paths leading from the grove to Mount Ellanion.