Foloi is a mountain village with picturesque houses. The Foloi Plateau is home to Greece’s only flat oak forest, also known as Kapelis. A long hiking trail starts in the settlement; the museum-exhibition centre has a permanent exhibition devoted to the oak forest and the people of Foloi from 1920 to 2007. If you are interested in nature, local history or hiking, you will find several distinct themes to help plan your trip.
Village and forest landscape
The natural setting is on the Foloi Plateau, home to Greece’s only flat oak forest, also known as Kapelis. The village itself is a mountain village with picturesque houses. Together, these descriptions offer two distinct perspectives—the settlement and the forest landscape. When planning your trip, you can decide whether the village character or the distinctive forest is the main draw.
Exhibition and environmental knowledge
The Foloi Museum-Exhibition Centre houses the permanent exhibition “The Foloi Oak Forest and Its People 1920–2007”. It is located in the Foloi primary school. The photographs document the lives of Foloi’s residents from 1920 to 2007. This time span gives the exhibition a clear social history focus: not only the oak forest as a natural environment, but also the people of the village feature in its title and images. The Foloi Museum also houses a small environmental information centre, founded in 2009 by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature. In the wider travel area, the Environmental Museum in the Foloi Oak Forest provides information about the natural and cultural environment of the forest and its wider surroundings. A prior arrangement with the municipality is required to visit the Environmental Museum or the oak forest information centre; make arrangements for your visit in advance. Also check whether the permanent exhibition is open before planning a visit.
Hiking trails and distances
The 22,167-metre hiking trail starts within the settlement of Foloi and passes the Church of the Resurrection of the Saviour on its way to Lasdikas. Its route and length give you a concrete sense of a hike starting in the village; check local conditions before setting out. Another route between the Foloi Environmental Museum and the settlement of Lampeia is described as planned and is 14,094 metres long. The trail from the settlement is therefore 8,073 metres longer than the planned route to Lampeia. The official route “In the footsteps of Centaurs” lists the Foloi Oak Forest, the village of Foloi and the Environmental Museum - Foloi Oak Forest Information Center as stops.
Plan your stay around your interests
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you want your stay to focus on: the photographic documentation of local history, the oak forest on the plateau or a hike. The permanent exhibition covers a clearly defined historical period, while the routes mentioned differ both in length and planning status.
Discover more destinations: Leventochori, Andritsena, VartholomiĂłn, Kastro, Agios Andreas, Ikaros, Kourouta, Pirgos
For the broader travel overview: Ilia.
