OUR LAND

AETOLOAKARNANIA

Aetoloakarnania is the largest prefecture of Greece. Its main resource is the rural economy. It is a place of natural beauty, with endless lagoons, lush plains, scenic lakes, large rivers, mountains with rare flora, deep gorges, lacy beaches and sandy beaches. It is rich with ancient monuments, places of pilgrimage, traditional villages, while the image is complemented with modern cities and towns, as well as its remarkable tourist and commercial movement.

Aetoloakarnania is an area of ​​outstanding mythical tradition. It is linked to the activities of its two tribes, the Aetolians and the Akarnanians, whose boundary was the Acheloos river. The Aetolians owe their name to the mythical hero Aetolus, son of Endymion and descendant of Zeus, while Akarnanians to Akarnas, son of Alkmaion and Callirhoe. The Aetolians who lived east of Acheloos had always hostile relations with the Akarnanians who lived west. The Aetolians maintained a neutral stance in the Persian Wars and appeared in the historical spotlight during the Peloponnesian War, while the Akarnanians fought on the side of the Athenians both in the Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War. The Aetolian Confederacy – a federation of cities founded by the Aetolians – reached the peak of its power during the 3rd century. B.C. In 279 BC. the Aetolians, along with the Eurytans, crushed the Galats, who headed by Vrenos, raided Macedonia, Thessaly and Sterea Hellas. Aetolia and Akarnania were occupied by the Turks (1450-1451), and since then their fortunes have been interlinked. The heroic Exodus of Messolonghi (April 10, 1826) sealed recent Greek history.