KymaTravel
EN
Which island are you? Enquire
Plan a trip
An arched stone bridge over a dry riverbed among cliffs

Mainland · Ζαγόρι · Ήπειρος

Stone villages, arched bridges and one of the deepest gorges in Europe. The mountains of Greece, for two.

Zagori

01IntroductionΖαγόρι · Ήπειρος

In the north-west, in the Pindus mountains, the villages of Zagori are built entirely of grey stone: slate roofs, cobbled paths and arched packhorse bridges over the rivers. The Vikos Gorge runs through the middle of it all, with walking trails between the villages.

This is the opposite of the island cliché, and it makes a good counterweight on a longer honeymoon. Walk by day, then come back to a guesthouse with a fire and a slow dinner of pies and mountain lamb. Ioannina, on its lake, is the gateway.

How long
3–4 nights
When to go
May to June and September to October for walking
Ancient sites nearby
2

02Highlights

  1. 01 Walking the Vikos Gorge, from Monodendri down to Vikos village
  2. 02 The stone bridges near Kipi
  3. 03 Papingo, below the Towers of Astraka
  4. 04 Swimming in the cold, clear Voidomatis river
  5. 05 Ioannina’s lakeside castle and the island in the lake

03Practical

When to go
May to June and September to October for walking; winter for fireplaces
Getting there
Ioannina has domestic flights from Athens. By car it is around five hours from Athens, or around two and a half to three from Meteora.
For couples
Bring proper walking shoes. Even the short paths are steep stone steps. Many guesthouses are small, with only a few rooms, so book early for October.

04Sites, food and stays

Ancient sites nearby

  • DodonaArchaicThe oldest oracle in Greece, a sanctuary of Zeus mentioned by Homer. The large theatre you see today is Hellenistic.
  • NikopolisRomanThe “Victory City” founded by Octavian after the Battle of Actium. It has long walls, an odeon and mosaics, and very few visitors.
The timeline

What to eat

  • Epirus piesπίτεςHand-stretched pies, the region’s pride: greens, cheese, leek or wild herbs. Every village argues over its own.
  • MetsovoneμετσοβόνεA smoked cheese from the mountain town of Metsovo, between Ioannina and Meteora.
The regional food guide

Mainland stays

  • Petrino ZagoriPlaceholderMountain guesthouse · Papingo, Zagori
  • Kastro RoomsPlaceholderRooms inside the walls · Monemvasia lower town
All stays
A stone village on a hillside surrounded by autumn trees

Enquire

Add Zagori & Epirus to your trip

Tell us roughly when, and we’ll fit it around your islands with the right transport and the right number of nights.

Start an enquiryWhich island are you?

Zagori