Greece – Filiatra (En)
Filiatra is a small town rebuilt after the devastation of the 1886 earthquake and surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Its most emblematic monument is the reproduction of the Eiffel Tower, located at the city entrance. Its attractions include the town square, where the fountain and the Town Hall clock attract attention, as well as its ecclesiastical monuments. It was a shame that when we were there, the square was under construction, so you couldn’t get close to see the fountain or the town hall clock.
Where to stay
We parked for free at the Ktima Tavern parking lot (37.153201, 21.597137 lat, long), a 5-minute walk from town. The parking lot is between olive trees, so it’s difficult to park. We were lucky that no one was there, and we were able to park without any problems. The tavern doesn’t open until 6 pm, when you can use the restrooms and ask for water if needed. There are no other services, but it’s free, and the food is very good and inexpensive. There’s live music on weekends.
What to see
The first thing we saw upon entering the town was the scale replica of the Eiffel Tower. It is 26 meters tall and was built in 1960 by the doctor and sculptor Charalabos Fournarakis and rebuilt by the City Council in 2007.
After parking, we walked to the village, where the first thing you come across is the Byzantine church of Panagia Vlacherna, in the park of the same name, a space for cultural events in summer.
We continued exploring the town until we reached Kapodistriou Square, where there was construction, and we couldn’t get near the fountain or the town hall. We took the best photos we could of the clock tower, which we loved.
As we were returning to the tavern, we noticed a sort of chapel next door and went to see it. A very kind man opened the door for us so we could look inside. He explained something about the painting, but since he only spoke Greek, we didn’t understand anything.
What to do
We went to the tavern for dinner and saw if they had live music. We asked the owner if there was live music since it was Friday. He said no, but that there was a birthday party for a group of Albanians who were going to bring their music, and we could dance with them. The owner’s daughter-in-law spoke English and explained that the food was all barbecue. We ordered sausages to try and a combination plate of barbecue chicken and pork. The owner told us we had to have either Greek salad or fries with the meat, so we ordered fries. What he didn’t tell us was that everything came with salad and fries. We had enough food for three days! Ben ordered a beer, and I ordered a rosé. The birthday celebrants arrived and, after dinner, they put on music and took us dancing. They treated us to cake and beer for Ben. We stayed until the wee hours dancing and drinking with them. We had a great time!
The next day, with a hangover and our feet aching from dancing so much, we went to Methoni, a picturesque coastal town, world-renowned for its imposing 13th-century Venetian fortress, which you can see in the following blog posts.
