Tzoumerka Villages Tour (3 Days)

Day 1

1. 1

   Baros Pass

   The road has many turns (like a snake) in canyons, forests and steep slopes.

   30 min
2. 2

   Matsouki

   Matsouki is one of the villages of Tzoumerka, with tradition and remarkable examples of traditional architecture, such as bridges, watermills, but also the impressive Holy Monastery of Vlyza, of the 11th century.

   30 min
3. 3

   Sirakon

   The village "Syrrako" with the village "Kalarites" are one of the most famous villages of Tzoumerka, ideal for mountain tourism. These are preserved, stone settlements, that enchant visitors. When the French consul in Ioannina, Pouqueville, visits "Syrrako" and "Kalarites", in the 19th century, was impressed by the commercial and natural beauties of the place that Ali Pasha had chosen as a resort and had, for this reason, the open and road Ioannina - Kalarites.

   60 min
4. 4

   Kipinas Monastery

   The impressive monastery with its wild beauty and architecture is built on almost the middle of a huge rock on the northeast side of the Gorge of Arachthos river and is admired to build over vertical rocks.

   30 min
5. 5

   Stop 5

   Famous tailors, builders, merchants, stone craftsmen and silversmiths, come from "Kalarites", which with "Syrrako" are traditional settlements and tourist resorts of the mountainous "Tzoumerka". The natural beauty is amazing.

   30 min

Day 2

1. 6

   Stop 6

   The bridge "Politsa" was built at the end of the 19th century in order to move the inhabitants from the villages of Ampelochori, Raftanai, Akmada, Pramanta, Ktistades, towards Ioannina. The bridge consists of four arcs of which the three smaller ones rest on the ground, while the large arc is over the river "Arachthos".

   30 min
2. 7

   Anemotrypa Cave

   Cave “Anemotripa” of Pramanta was discovered in 1960. A small slot in the rocks, from where cool air emerged initiated the exploration of the inner part of the rocks, and thus the discovery of the cave. It was given the name “Anemotripa”. It is the only cave in Greece penetrated by river. This results in cave’s self-purifying without any human intervention, making the visit there really enjoyable.

   60 minAdmission not included
3. 8

   Pramanta

   The settlement, built at an altitude of 840m. amphitheatrically at the foot of the mountain "Strogoula" (2,107 m), perhaps the most imposing peak of Tzoumerka. The 500-year-old plane tree and the historic fountain "Arapis" dominate the main square, next to the main church of Agia Paraskevi

   60 min
4. 9

   Agias Paraskevis Monastery

   The historic monastery was founded in 1876 by the monk Dionysios, at the site of an older church dedicated to Agia Paraskevi. It is walled like a fortress and is located just outside Pramanta, on a small hill.

   30 min
5. 10

   Melissourgoi

   The name of the village Melissourgoi (which translated as Beekeepers) has to do with the hardwork of the inhabitants, such as the bee that is a model of labour.

   60 min

Day 3

1. 11

   Iera Moni Panagias Tsoukas

   According to tradition the monastery was founded in 1190 by the emperor "Isaac II Angelos", destroyed in 1736 and renovated in 1779.

   30 min
2. 12

   Theodoros Papagiannis Musem of Contemporary Art

   Its uniqueness consists in the fact that it includes works which speak of our home, Epirus, and its history - about what has brought it glory and made it respected by every Greek who hears its name. It is unique because it speaks about bread, the benefactor, the one who is exiled from his homeland, the man of the spirit and intellect, the Epirot craftsman, the shepherd, the farmer, the long-suffering Epirot mother - and about learning.

   30 min
3. 13

   Stop 13

   From Kostitsi village after an easy 30 min walk there's Prophet Elias Church. It's an amazing location, the view is excelent. You can see the 2 rivers joining inside th canion.

   30 min
4. 14

   Frasta

   Built in 1866, it was considered the largest single-arched bridge in the Balkans, with an opening chamber of 40 meters, a height of 19 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.

   60 min
5. 15

   Central Tzoumerka

   Village "Katarraktis" (chich translated as Waterfall) was named after the twin waterfalls which are a beautiful and rare sight. The water drop height is 90 meters.

   60 min