Epirus Traveller in collaboration with Positive Impact Tourism (https://positiveimpacttourism.com) organizes a 7 day tour including culinary experiences (local cuisine), sightseeing and discovering the unique region of Epirus.
Epirus region is awarded (booking.com Traveller review awards 2023) as the 2nd most welcoming region worldwide.
Are you ready to cook local recipes and enjoy tradition with your friends?
Are you ready to observe a magnificent and picturesque place, while tasting local recipes and drinking with the locals?
Are you ready to walk to the historical or archeological places?
Each day we prepare a new meal, the elderly women of the village will be our instructors
Menu subject to change upon request for dietary purposes
On Days 3, 5 and 6 the elderly locals will join us for the meals
We will buy all ingredients either from a local market or direct from the farm
All places that we visit either for cooking, sightseeing or trekking are not for mass tourism
On your day of departure you will receive a gift bag of local flavors as thank you from Epirus Traveller and Positive Impact Tourism
ITINERARY FOR THE VISITORS
DAY-1 Arrival
Today, you will be arriving in the beautiful region of Epirus in Greece and will be picked up by your guide who will bring you to your accommodation.
The guesthouse Rodami, built by stone and wood, is located at Kalentzi at Tzoumerka area and it is only 20 minutes from Ioannina city.
It was founded in 1833, renewed and transformed to a traditional guesthouse with the purpose to offer to its clients a unique experience of relaxation and tranquility, perfectly combining the concept of modern accommodation with the tradition and the natural environment
You will have some time to get acquainted with your surroundings and we will brief you about your Breaking Bread in Epirus Experience
DAY-2, Tzoumerka history and foods
Northern Tzoumerka is mostly a mountainous area.
In the area there are two impressive rivers, Kalarritikos and Arachthos.
The area is rich in history, tradition and culture.
Our first visit is to an open market in order to buy vegetables and ingredients to prepare our daily meals.
If the weather permits we’ll go to family farms and collect tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh onions etc
Our visitors will learn to cook local traditional recipes in the central square of Plaisia village
The village of Plaisia is a small picturesque and historical village, at an altitude of 620 meters
The area is rich in vegetation of walnut, fig, pear, plum, linden (or basswood) and huge plane trees.
Today we learn how to prepare lamb with potatoes in the oven
Menu:
Appetizer: Tzatziki, cheese croquettes
Side dish: Greek salad
First dish (pies): Cheese pie
Main dish: Lamp with potatoes in oven
Desserts: Chocolate log
After our preparation there’s time to visit the unique monastery of Tsouka. The Holy Monastery of Tsouka is built near the village of Elliniko in the area of Tzoumerka.
It dominates the top of the homonymous rocky hill, above the impressive gorge of the Arachthos River, at an altitude of about 940m.
Then we return to our place to taste our meal while enjoying local drinks
DAY-3, Tzoumerka viewpoints and a small village
Kostitsi is a mountainous village in Tzoumerka area at an altitude of 870 meters and was inhabited in the 17th century. It’s a traditional village, you can walk through cobblestone streets, threshing floors and stone houses. Just 5 minutes from the village is located the chapel of Prophet Elias, and you observe a breathtaking view to Arachthos Valley
Today’s menu is Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers with rice
We will enjoy it together with some local elderly people that we invite for dinner tonight.
Menu:
Appetizer: Baked Feta cheese, pumpkin balls
Side dish: Cabbage salad
First dish (pies):“Lazy” cheese pie
Main dish: Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers with rice
Desserts: Semolina halvah
After our preparation we will visit Kostitsi village and the surrounding areas
DAY-4, Discover the capital of Epirus, Ioannina
The lakefront area is bubbling with activity, boat rides to the Island, lakeside walks and cyclists, while passing by beautiful sculptures.
The old town and its castle are a living museum location carrying the traditions of Byzantine, Muslim, and Jewish cultures.
During the Tour the places below will be visited:
The Silversmith museum
Its objective is to preserve the knowledge of local silversmithing and to spread information about its technology to the wider public. Also, to tie this technology with the social context of the period that was developed and flourished.
The visitor can discover, through various displays, traditional techniques of shaping and decorating silverware objects. Moreover, the visitor can learn about the stages of each technique up to the creation of the final product that prospered from the 18th to the 20th century.
Fine art with elaborate details such as jewelry, weapons, house silverware, and personal items are some of the items that constitute the collection.
There are references to modern silversmithing with samples from active silversmiths of the area, resuming a tradition of their predecessors.
The No-Name Island
Lake Pamvotis has an age of approximately 7 million years and it is considered one of the oldest lakes in the world and the second oldest lake in Europe.
In the lake, the beautiful No-name Island can be found, one of the few inhabited lake islands in Europe! It has no name but it's still populated! For the local population, its informal name is the Island of "Kyra Frosyni".
It is a small natural wonder of incredible beauty and historical importance. The island is connected with the life and death of Ali Pasha of Ioannina. Discovering the history of Ali Pasha will make you astonished!
Pavlos Vrellis’ wax effigies museum of Greek history
It is the biggest museum of wax effigies in Greece and also a great heritage in Greek history.
All visitors can observe breathtaking moments of the pre-revolutionary period, such as the foundation of Filiki Eteria/Society of Friends, Krifo Scholio/Secret School etc., the Greek Revolution of 1821 AC (including the Rebels and the death of Ali Pasha) and pictures from the World War II as well i.e. the women of Pindos.
The wax effigies of the museum are displayed in a life-size representation of their age and revive forms of the local history.
While inside, the visitor cruises along made-of-wax Mountains, houses, caves, churches, and alleys, following a non-circular but endless course, ingeniously devised and arranged.
DAY-5, Arachthos valley, swimming close to a waterfall
Klifki springs and the waterfall: The waterfall of Klifki is a landscape of rare natural beauty in the heart of the Arachthos valley. In the area you can admire the fifteen meter high waterfall located in a small narrow canyon and fed by the waters of an underground river.
Today’s menu is Pastitsio
Appetizer: Souffle savory
Side dish: Beetroot salad with yogurt and walnuts
First dish (pies): Vegetable pie
Main dish: Pastitsio
Desserts: Custard filled pastry (galaktoboureko)
From the village of Kaletzi we will walk to the springs and the waterfall of Klifki and swim in the Arachthos River
At the springs we will explore a cave where an underground river flows out and a large artificial reservoir collects the waters of the cave and the canyon that form a 47 meter waterfall, as well as an old traditional watermill.
DAY-6, Arachthos River
Stone bridge of Plaka:
Built in 1866 under the supervision of the famous local builder Kostas Bekas from the nearby village Pramanda. Two previous attempts by other builders in 1860 and 1863 had proven unsuccessful with the bridge collapsing during construction (in 1863 it collapsed on the very day of its inauguration).
It was considered the largest single-arched bridge in the Balkans and the third largest one-arch stone bridge in Europe, with an opening chamber of 40 meters, a height of 21 meters and an opening at the top of 3.2 meters. From 1881 to 1913 the bridge was a border between the Greek and Turkish states.
Today’s menu is Traditional Greek bean soup
Appetizer: Greek garlic spread
Side dish: Greek potato salad
First dish (pies): Chicken pie
Main dish: Traditional Greek bean soup
Desserts: Baklava
Then we’ll visit the single arched stone bridge of Plaka
For adventurous visitors we provide (optionally) rafting tour to Arachthos River, the most impressive river in Greece for rafting
Finally we’ll return to our base to enjoy our meal with local music and accompanied by the elderly locals
DAY-7, Departing day
Unfortunately, your epic Breaking Bread in Epirus Experience has come to an end, but we are sure Epirus will have a special place in your hearts forever. Thank you for your wonderful company!
Samples of the dishes we will prepare are as follows:
Greek Salad
Greek Salad
Beet salad
Tzatziki
Vegetable pie
Stuffed tomatoes & peppers
Stuffed tomatoes & peppers
Pastitsio
Dessert
Dessert
Minimum number of participants: 4
Maximum number of participants: 12
PRICING
Per person: 950€
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
All legal taxes
Civil Insurance
All kind of regional transfers
Accommodation with breakfast, 6 nights
Cooking lessons and lunch
Photographic and video material for all days
All Greek recipes printed for future use
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
Entrance to museums or archaeological places
Boat tickets for the Island
Bank commission fees (3% approximately)
NOTES:
Excluded dates are as follows: August 5 – 20
Cooking lessons will be arranged at a small village with a population of 80 elderly people, in the central square, under the shade of a plane tree and local music.
All visitors need to deposit 300€ in advance 3 months before their arrival
The rest of the amount 15 days before their arrival
All payments are only through bank transfer
Epirus Traveller will send all state receipts to the visitors (bank transaction and state receipt)
ADD ONS:
Transfer from/to Preveza airport: 140€ per person (min 2 visitors), round trip
Transfer from/to Thessaloniki airport: 250€ per person (min 4 visitors), round trip
Transfer from/to Athens airport: 280€ per person (min 4 visitors), round trip
Rafting to Arachtos River: 70€ per person
Prepaid tickets to museums, archeological sites and boat to Island: 40€ (per visitor)
Photo credits:
Epirus Traveller, Nikolas Dimakopoulos, Vangelis Giotopoulos, Rodami guest house