The Epirus region manages to be a one-of-a-kind destination. It is a desirable combination of cultures and traditions with the unique natural environment of Greece that never fails to surprise and delight its visitors. Epirus is located in the northwest corner of Greece and is an ideal travel destination all year round. Epirus combines an all-kind visit: art and culture, sports and adventure, gastronomy, nightlife, nature, religion, the coastline, and more!
Epirus Traveller organizes a combined 5-day tour (July & August) to Epirus region. The tour includes Ioannina, Zagori national park, the unique coastline, and last but not least the Meteora rocks and monasteries. The latter is part of the UNESCO Heritage List.
The Epirus region has been awarded as the 2nd most welcoming region worldwide! Do you know the city of legends and history from the Stone Age? Are you ready to discover unique antiquities? Have you ever seen the Vikos-Aoos Geopark, which belongs to the UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks?
ITINERARY FOR OUR VISITORS
DAY 1
DISCOVERING THE CAPITAL OF EPIRUS, IOANNINA
The lakefront area is crowded - almost daily – for boat rides to the Island, lakeside walks, and cyclists passing by beautiful sculptures.
The old town and its castle are living museum locations carrying the traditions of Byzantine, Muslim, and Jewish cultures.
During the Tour the places below will be visited:
THE CASTLE OF IOANNINA
The Castle of Ioannina is built on the west bank of the lake on a small rocky peninsula, on the two hills of which an equal number of citadels are formed.
When sightseeing around its inner part, the visitor can easily approach the history of the city from antiquity to the present day, while visiting the museums and exhibition spaces offers the opportunity to take a view of the wider area of Epirus in medieval and modern times and also to gain a multifaceted experience when it comes to both religious and secular art, of the three communities that coexisted in Ioannina.
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 display means, 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!
DAY 2
DISCOVERING NORTHWEST ZAGORI AREA
The name Zagori originates from the Slavic intention "Za", meaning "back" and the causative of the essential "-gora" which means mountain or area behind the mountain.
Zagorochoria or Zagori Villages are a unique residential, historical, and cultural combination in the northwestern part of the Pindos mountainous range.
During the day, we’ll visit the northwest Zagori area which includes 16 villages, and numerous picturesque and breathtaking places.
Our first break will take place at Voidomatis River, which has been characterized as one of the cleanest rivers in Europe as it does not carry harmful residues for the environment and is regularly taken care of.
Later on, we’ll visit the most well-known traditional Papigko villages, which are built at the foot of Astraka Mountain and are separated into two districts (Megalo & Mikro Papigko). Their stone houses and cobbled streets can easily take one's breath away while their 5 "towers" of Astraka Mountain can only lead to extraordinary experiences! One shall also not miss drinking coffee or tasting local sweets as well as seeing the Provatina Gorge, the second deepest in the world.
On the way from Megalo(=Big) to Mikro(=Small) Papigo there is a chain of small natural pools called "Ovires Rogovos". This amazing natural scenery has been formed over thousands of years and it's probably one of the most magnificent in Greece. The Flora and Fauna of the area are unique, the forest is covered with oaks, beech trees, maple trees, and plenty of rare flower species.
The trip is reaching the end at Vikos village where we get the chance to absorb the spectacular view of Vikos Gorge, Voidomatis River Springs, and the Monastery of Vikos’ Saint Mary. Nowadays, only the sanctuary is preserved, which was built in 1738 AC.
DAY 3
RELAXING DAY AT THE COAST AND ANCIENT CITY VISIT (NIKOPOLIS)
Nikopolis (=the city of victory) was the capital city of the Roman province of Epirus.
The city was founded in 29 BC by Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian in commemoration of his victory in 31 BC against Marc Antony and Cleopatra at the naval Battle of Actium nearby. Quickly after that, was announced as the major city of the wider Epirus region.
Places of interest nearby: Roman nymphaeum, Octavian's campsite memorial at Actium, the Roman Odeum, the main gates, ancient mosaics of a roman villa, the Pre-Christian walls, and more.
The Natural Beauty of Epirus
Wrapping up this day with relaxation at one of the most impressive beaches of the Epirus region, but also the whole of Greece, Monolithi. The combination of greenery, golden sand, and turquoise water leaves the best impression and prepares the visitor for an unforgettable escape.
DAY 4
VISITING METEORA, ROCKS AND MONASTERIES
Meteora is a rock formation in the Thessaly Region hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries.
The monks’ love of God and monasticism and abstinence formed the impetus for this miraculous way of life on the harsh spires of the plain of Thessaly. It is the complete devotion of the person to the triune God.
Meteora has been recognized for its Christian, historical, architectural, iconographic, cultural, and geological value as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It has also been recognized at the World Heritage Convention held in Paris, the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage, and the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe among others.
THE MONASTERY OF THE GREAT METEORON OR THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE SAVIOR
This monastery is the oldest, largest, and most traditional of the existent Meteora Monasteries as its name "Great Meteoron" implies.
It was founded shortly before the middle of the 14th century AC by Saintly Athanasios of Meteora who was also its first founder and the first to organize a systematic monastic community.
HOLY MONASTERY OF VARLAAM
The Monastery dedicated to ‘all the saints’ is built on an imposing rock at the northwest edge of the stone city of Meteora. According to tradition, the first inhabitants went there during the first part of the 14th century AC.
HOLY MONASTERY OF ST. STEFAN
The Monastery of St. Stefan is located at the southeast end of the complex of Meteora rocks, right above the town of Kalabaka. It is the only monastery that one can visit without using stairs and using instead a small bridge.
This monastery is a nunnery with a large and active sisterhood and has rich spiritual and charitable work. This sisterhood has set the example for a remarkable renovating and building activity in the monastery.
Note: In case of a closed monastery at Meteora we may visit another monastery (Varvara Roussanou)
DAY 5
SIGHTSEEING AT CENTRAL ZAGORI AREA
The inhabitants of central Zagori villages coexist in perfect harmony with the natural environment. Snowy peaks, gorges and rivers, wild animals, and birds make up a rich ecosystem. In this idyllic environment, people utilized the local stone to create picturesque villages. The villages are full of stone houses, churches, monasteries, cobbled streets, and stone-built bridges. These components create an architectural entirety that is unique to Epirus Region.
At Monodendri Village, a guest shall not miss the stone forest, the Oxya viewpoint of Vikos Gorge, the Rizarios Exhibition Centre, and many more.
A unique experience is also the monastery of Agia Paraskevi where one sees a place for handmade paints which is located at the entrance of Vikos Gorge.
At Kapesovo Village, Vradeto Steps can easily gain the attention of its visitors.
Vradeto, an excellent choice for hiking, is a stone-paved stairway of more than 1350 steps, 25 turns, and 2 single-arched stone bridges.
The traditional villages and the famous stone of Kokkoris (or Noutsos), as well as the bridge of Plakidas or ‘Kalogerikos’ are amazing to get explored and observed.
The hiking trails in the area, between Monodendri, Vitsa, Dilofo and Kipi, are picturesque and unique as well as the footpaths that connect the aforementioned villages.
At the end of the last day we’ll enjoy a homemade dinner with only local recipes!!!
PRICING
Per person: 600€
Minimum number of visitors: 4
Maximum number of visitors: 8
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
All legal taxes & VAT
Civil Insurance
All kind of regional transfers
Photographic and video material for all days
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
Accommodation
Meals & drinks
Tickets to museums, archeological sites & Meteora Monasteries
Bank commission fees (3% approximately)
ADD-ONS:
Accommodation to 5* hotel (6 nights, double room):480€ per person (booking up to the end of March)
Accommodation to 3*-4* hotels (6 nights, double room):380€ per person (booking up to the end of March)
Meals, local recipes (1 meal per day, no drinks): 150€ per person
Transfer from/to Preveza airport: 75€ per person (min 2 visitors)
Transfer from/to Thessaloniki airport: 150€ per person (min 2 visitors)
Transfer from/to Athens airport: 150€ per person (min 4 visitors)
Prepaid tickets to museums, monasteries, archeological sites etc: 50€
Certified private guiding for Meteora monasteries: 25€ per person and per monastery (min 4 visitors)
NOTES:
All visitors need to deposit 200€ per person in advance by the end of April (only for tours & activities)
All visitors need to deposit 700€ per person in advance by the end of March (Accommodation to 5* hotels, tours & activities,)
All visitors need to deposit 600€ per person in advance by the end of March (Accommodation to 3*-4* hotels, tours & activities,)
The rest of the amount can be paid 15 days before their arrival
All payments can only be made through bank transfer
Epirus Traveller will send all legal receipts to the visitors (bank transfer and state receipts)
Pictures by Epirus Traveller, Nikolas Dimakopoulos