Few parts of Greece are more surprising or more beguiling than
Zagóri . A wild, thinly populated region, it lies to the
north of Ioánnina, bounded by the roads to Kónitsa and Métsovo on
the west and south, and the Aóös River valley to the northeast. The
beauty of its landscape is unquestionable: miles of forest, barren
limestone wastes, rugged mountains deeply furrowed by foaming
rivers and partly subterranean streams. But there is hardly an
arable inch anywhere, and scarcely a job for any of its few
remaining inhabitants other than herding sheep or cutting timber.
The last place, in fact, that one would expect to find some of the
most imposing architecture in Greece.
Yet the Zagorohória , as the 46 villages of Zagóri are
called, are full of grand stone arhondiká (mansions)
enclosed by semi-fortified walls, with deep-eaved gateways opening
onto immaculately cobbled streets. Though they look older, the
arhondiká date mostly from the late eighteenth or early
nineteenth century. By the 1960s, many had fallen into disrepair or
been insensitively restored, but the government now ensures (in
several listed villages, anyway) that repairs are carried out in
the proper materials, rather than cheap brick and sheet metal; new
structures are required to have local stone cladding. Inside, the
living quarters are upstairs, arranged on an Ottoman model.
Instead of moveable furniture, low platforms line the rooms on
either side of an often elaborately hooded fireplace; strewn with
rugs and cushions, they serve as couches for sitting during the day
and sleeping at night. The wall facing the fire is usually lined
with panelled and sometimes painted storage cupboards called
misándres . In the grander houses the intricately fretted
wooden ceilings are often painted as well. Additionally, most
houses have a bímsa (secret, fireproof bunker) for hiding
the family gold and perhaps a wife and child or two whenever
Albanian or other Muslim marauders threatened; even if the house
was torched, the survivors could dig out their wealth and start
over again.
As for the countryside, much the best way of savouring it is on
foot, hiking the dozens of paths which, gliding through
forest and sheepfold or slipping over passes and hogbacks, connect
the outlying villages. The most popular outing - now very much part
of holiday trekking-company programmes - is along the awesome
Víkos gorge and then up over the Astráka pass to an alpine
lake. It's not to be missed, though for more of a feel of the
backcountry, you may want to continue northeast, over Mount
Gamíla towards the remoter Vlach villages at the base of
Mount Smólikas .
If you would rather have things organized for you, Robinson
Expeditions, Ogdhóïs Merarkhías 10, Ioánnina (tel 06510/29 402 or
74 989, best to fax or email them from abroad: fax 25 071,
www.robinson.gr ), near the campsite by a BP filling
station, runs group treks for a number of overseas hiking
companies but welcomes walk-in custom. If you arrange things in
advance, or are prepared to wait a few days, they will do their
best to fit you in.