Dr. Yair Ben DavidThe Zagori region in northern Greece offers everything to the traveler, beautiful mountain landscapes, blue rivers, lovely villages, a semi-authentic atmosphere and good local food. And everything is very simple and easy, just like city folk want it.
Zagori is the Best
We heard about the Zagori region (Greece) from Israeli friends who visited there and were impressed, and they heard about it from other Israeli friends who visited there. It’s not surprising that the proportion of Israeli travelers to Zagori, compared to travelers of other nationalities, is almost as high as that in India or South America, and visiting Zagori is still very enjoyable, because of the impressive forested mountain landscape, which swallows the travelers, and also because of the good-hearted Israeli travelers there. Not the kind of colonialist tourists in the coast cities, for example, who expect every person and thing in the area to serve them.
Zagori is in the west-eastern region of Greece, it’s far from Athens and the other big cities in Greece, and that’s also its advantage. You can reach it by car from Athens (6.5-hour ride) or Thessaloniki (4.5-hour ride), or, conversely, take the short cut through Corfu. Whatever you choose, the view is very impressive and includes the beautiful Greek hilly and mountain landscapes, and can be considered a travel destination in itself.
Papigo Miu
The Zagori region is full of mountains and grooves, spotted with small lovely villages, one of which is well-organized for tourism. The known tourism villages in the western region of Zagori are Aristi and Papigo. We decided to stay at Papigo, the smaller village, which is also a bit more difficult to reach, a choice that proved itself as very worthwhile. Papigo lies at the foot of grand cliffs near a beautiful river. Papigo is a tourism village but doesn’t try to make an impression. It’s spotted with cozy taverns that offer Greek food and a lot of alcohol. You won’t find hamburgers and pizzas there, which characterize places that are used to impressing the Western taste buds.
The village has small alleys and homes with roofs made of schist (a building style that is typical of the region), small pretty churches, and locals who are friendly but not too much. There are many travelers, mainly Israelis, couples and families with children, who settled in the small but high-quality hotels scattered around the village. If you’re interested in good food, you can find a restaurant called “Astra”, as well as the Pantheon Hotel restaurant, which serve local dishes, including various other dishes for those who don’t enjoy Greek food. Near the small village Papigo is a smaller village, known by the unoriginal name “micro-Papigo”. A river full of pretty rocky pools separates the villages – a short but highly recommended hiking track.
A big part of the local attractions is at a very short driving distance from the village. The known destinations in the area are around the Vikos gorge, which in the lower area is a light-blue river that is so picturesque that it doesn’t need to be photographed. Its water is ice-cold and its sides are shaded and easy to hike even for families (brave travelers who have comprehensive medical insurance can also bathe in its waters). In its higher area, the gorge is a very impressive canyon with towering cliffs hundreds of meters high. The lower part of the gorge passes between Papigo and Aristi, and the higher part is located in the center of Zagori, which is the topic here.
In the center of Zagori there are additional popular destinations, among them the very impressive viewpoint that looks over the Vikos river from the Agia region (a 10-minute walk and a view that you won’t forget for a long time. Not recommended for travelers with a fear of heights or suicidal tendencies) and the bridges in the area of the Kipoi river that are half an hour away. In this area there are also a few recommended restaurants. For example, Ledtukses in the village Monodendry, which is often visited by tourists (mainly because of the pretty monastery surrounded by cliffs, near its edge) and the Machlas restaurant in Kipoi located across from a pretty forest that is a bit different from the deciduous forests in the western region of Zagori. In this area, there are also a few nice tracks to the bare mountains of Zagori with their many lakes.
Traveling from Zagori toward Thessaloniki, it’s strongly recommended to pass through the village Mazubu, the historical capital of […מילה לא ברורה], a beautiful village surrounded by conifer forests that resemble the mountains of Europe more than the Mediterranean Basin. From the village, it’s also recommended to climb to the Mazubu lake. A beautiful lake, with pine and fir forests that are spread up to its edge and herds of sheep that graze on its sides.
Zagori is a good region for travelers who prefer long rides (to the region and back) and short walks in pretty areas. A region for people who are willing to pay (Greece is a popular touring destination and is not cheap at all) for comfort and proximity to beautiful destinations that don’t take much to reach. If you’re looking for adventure, go to the nearby Albania mountains instead.
