Gastouni, the historic town of northwestern Ilia and seat of the Municipality of Pinios, is a vibrant and robust center of the western Peloponnese, built in the heart of the fertile Ilia plain near the mouth of the Pinios River. The city carries a great medieval and Byzantine heritage, as during the Frankish period it was an important administrative center and seat of the princes of Villehardouin, while the region's top architectural and religious jewel is the emblematic, Byzantine Church of Panagia Katholiki, dating from the 13th century. Today, Gastouni is a dynamic town with a rich agricultural tradition, a developed market, beautiful squares and intense daily life, while its strategic location offers direct access to the vast, golden shores of the Ionian Sea, such as the beach of Thini (Bartholomio), the historic Castle of Chlemoutsi and the port of Kyllini, making it an ideal stopover for every visitor.
