Zagori, Epirus | Area of Great Natural Beauty
Zagori – mountainous wilderness of Epirus, Northwest Greece
Zagori (Greek: Ζαγόρι), is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece and it contains 45 villages known as Zagoria (or Zagorochoria or Zagorohoria ). Zagoria is one of the few places in Europe still described as a wilderness. Zagorohoria region is inhabited mainly by two tribes: Vlachs and the Sarakatsani. The Vlachs are descendants of Romans and still speak a Latin dialect similar to Romanian. The Sarakatsani are genuine Greek people, their ancestors go back 4,000 years to the Pelasgians, one of the first Greek speaking tribes.
Traditional stone houses in a village of Zagoria - manor houses
With huge remarkable houses and wonderfully stone-paved roads the Zagoria villages are not what you expect from such an isolated place. These timeless villages are built in similar design, all built around a Meochori – a stone paved rectangle in the shade of a large tree.
Vikos Gorge is the largest and most picturesque among the gorges of Zagori
The houses are made of stones with slate tiled roofs, accounts to the expert stone massons of the region who also built the many stone arched bridges that link the villages.
That's the view from the Zagori village - Mikro Papingo (Greek: Πάπιγκο, Papigko, Papigo)
Other extraordinary features of the region are the manor houses, huge stone houses that look more like mini forts than homes; built by wealthy merchants to defend their families from invaders. Lots of of these houses are transformed now into guest houses.
Voidomatis Springs. The Vikos Gorge collects the waters of a number of small rivers that form the Voidomatis river which flows through the gorge.
Some of the more popular villages: Skamneli in East Zagoria, it’s built inside of the forest and has the remains of the ancient Pelasgian wall; Vrysochori, with its beautiful alpine scenery; Kipi, known for its stone arch bridges; Vradeto, it’s achieved by a 15th century path created into a cliff face; Monodendri, for its views of the Vikos Gorge.
The stone arched bridges were built in Zagori by benefactions from expatriate merchants in the 18th century.
Other discover points in North-West Greece:
Nekromanteion and the Aherontas River
Parga – the ideal starting point to discover Northwest region of Greece!
