Mini guide for Central and West Zagorochoria

Zagorochoria is a unique phenomenon in Greece. 46 built stoned villages and 92 built stoned bridges built during 18-19th-century compose a complex of villages that are joined together with roads but also hiking mountain paths, torn in the middle by Vikos Gorge and are separated in East, Central and West Zagori.

Eastern Zagori suffered big damages during the history but the Central and the West has managed to survive and its inhabitants rebuilt and revived a big part of these beautiful houses with the unique architecture.

Zagorochoria have grown enormously during the Turkish occupation and the reason was their autonomy and self-determination by the Sultan. That’s how they managed to educate and to travel a lot, being traders, from Vienna to Moldovlachia, Russia, Turkey and Egypt. If you ever read any book for the area you will be impressed by their wealth and the travels they made.

Every village has something different to present either by morphology, or architecture, or because of the nature around. We will recommend you some options, but keep in ming that travelling and discovery are always personal matters.

Villages you should definitely visit

1. Little Papigo
2. Papigo
3. Dilofo
4. Negades – for the special architecture
5. Dikorfo
6. Vradeto – for the balcony of Zagori and the ladder of Vradetos
7. Koukouli – for its amazing square
8. Monodendri – For the Kikitsa’s pie, the monastery of Agia Paraskevi and the view to Vikos
9. Oxia - path to the Vikos Gorge & stone forest
10. Kapesovo – to see Sterna, Gianna and Nelly
11. Tselepovo- for its beauty

Bridges you will come across

1. Kokkoris
2. Plakidas
3. Kontodimos

 All three are found on your way to Kipe village

Impressive churches and monasteries

1. Evaggelistrias in Ano pedina village-has a wonderful nun and paintings with ancient Greek philosophers. The master of the kind, Nikiforos Dukas had lived there.
2. Agia Paraskevi in Monodendri village - with great view of the Vikos Gorge
3. Negades village – it’s special because it has 3 churches in 1.

About Nature

1. The Vikos Gorge – the Beloi position has the best view of the deepest gorge in the world
2. Voidomatis - at a stable temperature to 8oC has flow towards the north
3. Drakolimni mountain lake
4. Top of Gamila mountain
5. Vradetos ladder-1, 5 km of stones ladder that unites the village with the West Zagori used for transportation with mules
6. Old paths that unite the villages

Sightseeing

1. Rizarios school – at Monodendri village
2. Ano Kato – Lab and exhibition room of wool creations in Elati village
3. HolyWoods – at the liitle church of Panagias Paliouri (Little Papigo) and above Kato Pedina in Zagora.
4. Stone Woods – on your way to Oxia

Food

1. Michalis Tavern – at Kipe village
2. For sweet at Margaritas – at Kipe village
3. The Kikitsa’s pie – at Monodendri village
4. Virginia – at Aspraggelous village
5. Kafeneio “Messochori” – Kato pedina (closed on Thursday) village
6. Old Kafeneio – at the Square of Vradetos village

Activities

1. Hiking at the ladder of Vradetos
2. Hiking at the Vikos Gorge (5 hours, you reach Voidomatis sources)
3. Cycling at Kipous - 32km & 50km respectively
4. Evening rafting at Arahthos
5. Participation in Zagoriwood, annual film festival
6. Participation in mountain marathon - Zagori Mountain Run