REGION OF WESTERN GREECE
Location – population
The Region of Western Greece is one of the thirteen Regions of Greece and occupies the NW part of the Peloponnese and the Western end of Central Greece. It is surrounded by the Ionian Sea, the Patras Gulf and the Corinthian gulf and includes the Regional Units of Aitoloakarnania, Achaia and Ilia. It covers 11,350 sq.km., i.e. 8.6% of the total area of the country.
The Region of Western Greece is the 4th most populous Region of Greece with 679,796 inhabitants. Its inhabitants are mainly employed in the service sector, in trade as well as in the industry sector. According to the 2011 census, the largest city is Patras (capital of the Region unit of Achaia) with 213,984 inhabitants, followed by Agrinio with 94,181 inhabitants, Aigio with 49,872, Pyrgos (capital of the Regional Unit of Ilia) with 47,995 and the Holy City of Messolonghi (capital of the Regional Unit of Aitoloakarnania) with 34,416 inhabitants.
Access ways
By car: From the Athens Airport Eleftherios Venizelos: via Attiki Odos and Athens - Patras National Road (Olympia Odos).
Use of the public transport: From the main building of the airport (Gates 4.5) by bus to the Bus Station of Kifissos and from there by bus.
It is connected to Central Greece via the Rio - Antirrio Bridge, but also by using the ferries of Rio – Antirrio.
By ferry: Daily connection with Ancona, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, Venice, Igoumenitsa, Zakynthos, Cephalonia. The port of Katakolo in the Regional Unit of Ilia is a destination for cruise ships, due to its high standards and its privileged location as it is only 33 km from Ancient Olympia.
By plane: During the summer months there are domestic and international flights from the airport of Araxos in Achaia (45km from Patras) and international flights from the airport of Aktio in Aitoloakarnania.
Environment - climate
45.3% of the area of the Region of Western Greece is covered by mountainous land, 25.6% by semi-mountainous areas and 29.1% by lowlands. From the regional units, the most mountainous is Aitoloakarnania (46.4%) and the flattest is Ilia (60%).
Higher mountains: Helmos (2,355 m.), Erymanthos (2,222 m.), Panachaiko (1,926 m.) And Panetoliko (1,926 m.).
Lakes: Trichonida, Amvrakia, Lysimacheia, Ozeros, Caiaphas.
Lagoons: Messolonghi (the largest in Greece), Kotychi and Caiaphas.
Rivers: Acheloos, Evinos, Mornos, Vouraikos, Peiros, Selinountas, Glafkos, Pinios, Alfeios, Erymanthos, Neda.
Climate: Temperate Mediterranean. The lowlands of the Region have hot summers and mild and rainy winters, while the mountainous ones are characterized by colder winters and cool summer nights.
Official language: Greek. Big number of the population speaks English.
Accommodation: The Region of Western Greece has a big variety of hotels of all the categories, rooms to let and camping sites. It has about 10,000 hotel rooms and 28 private campings.
Currency: The official currency is the euro (€).
Information points: In all the Municipalities of the Region of Western Greece there are Citizens' Service Centers whose addresses can be found on the website www.kep.gov.gr or on the phone 1500.
Source: Tourist guide of the Region of Western Greece