In the heart of Thessaly, on the verdant slopes of Mount Kerketios, also known as Koziaka, lies the famous “Path of Asclepius”. According to Greek mythology, this is where the god of medicine, Asclepius, collected medicinal herbs to treat his patients. Today, the area is home to approximately 2,700 species of herbs, making the mountain a unique natural pharmacy.
Thessaly has deep roots in the history of medicine. From Olympus, home of the gods, to Pelion, where Chiron the Centaur taught the mythical heroes, and Larissa, where Hippocrates traveled, the region is an integral part of the medical tradition. Kerketio, with the Path of Asclepius, continues this legacy.
The mountain is part of the NATURA 2000 network, which attracts many visitors, especially in spring and summer. The path crosses a landscape of unique beauty, under ancient plane trees and next to the crystal clear waters of Kefalopotamos, which originates in the heart of Kerketio and crosses the villages of Gorgogyri and Xyloparoiko, before reaching Trikala and ending in Pinios. The waters of the river, rushing in winter and calm in summer, add to the magic of the landscape, which changes its appearance with the seasons.
The local community has developed an extensive network of 44 km of cycling, hiking and running trails, making the trail a popular destination For nature lovers. its name was chosen because of the myth that accompanies it, as here, according To tradition, asclepius gathered herbs with healing properties.
Herb collecting was for years a basic means of livelihood for the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. Botanists have recorded 2,700 different species, a number that makes Kerketio the world's first in herb diversity, surpassing even mountains like those of Pakistan. The inhabitants collected linden, oregano, mountain tea, wild rose, thyme, dogwood and other aromatic plants, which they sold to merchants from Evia and Athens.
The history of the area is closely linked to antiquity and Byzantium. Nearby there are archaeological remains from a settlement from the 3rd century BC, while near Gorgogyri there were twelve watermills from the Byzantine era.
Asclepius, son of Apollo and Princess Coronida, was born under dramatic circumstances. His mother died during childbirth and Apollo saved the infant from the funeral pyre. The young Asclepius was raised by the Centaur Chiron, who taught him the art of medicine and the use of medicinal herbs.
Homer in the Iliad mentions him as a skilled physician and the father of the two Greek physicians in the Trojan War, Machaon and Podaleirius. In later times, Asclepius was worshipped as the god of medicine. His cult began in Thessaly and spread throughout Greece, with his most famous sanctuaries in Epidaurus and Rome, where he was worshipped as Aesculapius.
