Capital: Messologhi

Overview:

Etoloacarnania is the biggest prefecture of Greece offering impressive historic sites and natural beauty. Its capital, Messologhi lies 244 km from Athens, on three islets at the mouth of Aheloos and Evinos rivers, which were later united forming three lagoons. It is the sacred city where the heroic exodus of the "Free Besieged" during the Turkish occupation took place.

Best  sights:

• the Exodus Gate and the "Garden of the Heroes" at the city entrance

• ancient Kallidon

• Ancient Pleuron, "the Castle of Kira Rhini"

• the Windmill, a Revolutionary monument

• the historic monastery of Agios Simeon, 6km north of Messologhi

• the ruins of the ancient city of Alizea

• "Agios Petros" with ruins of ancient temples and walls

• Angelokastro, with the Byzantine monastery of the Pantocrator, in Agrinio

• the ruins of a 12^th century Byzantine fortress at Melagi Chora, 4 km northwest Agrinio

• the Venetian Castle in Nafpaktos

Places to visit:

• the island of Etoliko, 13 km northwest of Messologi, connected to it by a arched stone bridge

• the Astakos resort, 50 km northwest of Messologi, overlooking the same named gulf

• the monastery of Profitis Ilias, near Karaiskakis village

• Mitikas village at the end of the gulf

• Kalamos and Kastos islands on the opposite side

• the seaside, green town Vonitsa, at the entrance to the Amvrakikos Gulf, built atop the foundations of ancient Anaktorion

• the chapel of Divine Wisdom

• Aktion, 15 km on the road, with the famous "Channel of Cleopatra"

• Museums and Galleries

• Amfilohia viewing on the end of the gulf to Arta

• Lake Amvrakia

• the Klissoura Gorge, with the monastery of Agia Eleoussa, in Agrinio

• the Aheloos dam in Agrinio

• Lake Trihonida in Agrinio

• the Thermo village, in Agrinio, near the ruins of Ancient Thermo, and its museum

• forest villages up to 1000m above the sea level in Nafpaktos, such as Platanos, Arahova, Dorvitsia, Ano Chora, Terpsithea, Elatou, Hrissovo, Ambelakiotissa