“Daisy,” I say, looking at the snowy peaks rising heroically before us. “I feel like we’re not at sea level anymore.” The little terrier smells the biting cold wind. The imposing peaks called Astraka Towers dwarf the small village of Papigo, which is located at an altitude of approximately 1000 meters and is reached by a sharply winding road.
The 2,400-metre ridges are part of the Tymfi massif in the mighty Pindus mountains, which stretch southeast like a solid spine from Albania to central Greece. We are in Zagori in northern Greece: known as “the place behind the mountains”, this place has been nominated for Unesco cultural landscape status and it is easy to see why. Clinging to the hillsides and swinging over the gorges, each of the small traditional towns is connected by ancient roads and beautiful old stone bridges. And today, Christmas cake white.
The majority of Greece consists of mountains; They cover 80% of the mainland. Who knew? Not me. I sailed here. I left Britain a few summers ago, arriving in the Ionian Sea looking for empty horizons and quiet islands. A little hope. It’s better to leave the beach and head for the sky. There is room to breathe here even in July. But in the off-season? It’s as otherworldly as Narnia, then.
Thundering waterfalls, glacial mountain lakes, icy cold springs flowing into sparkling pools. Winter is truly, wildly, extremely special. We hike along trails where we hope brown bears hibernate (this is one of Europe’s last strongholds) and keep an eye out for wolves and lynxes. I’m with my boyfriend and his little wand, Daisy. Everything is covered in snow, twisty and dazzling, clean and empty. I imagine the sea as it once was. We’re approaching 2,000 meters, almost as high as the gods on Olympus, and I have no plans to go down.
Despite the wet boots, soaked socks and icy wind my face is frozen in a stupid grin
But even when we get down, it is spectacular, because at the base of the mountains the Earth splits in two at the Vikos Pass, the “Greek Grand Canyon” that is part of the Vikos-Aoös national park. Beloi is the third viewpoint we visited after Oxya and Vikos village in Monodendri. In my opinion, Beloi offers the best perspective of the entire length of the strait as it approaches Vikos at almost 20 miles. This is a difficult view to gain. Normally it’s a 30-minute walk from the village of Vradeto, but we arrive in knee-deep snow and trudge along the covered road: despite wet boots, wet socks and the icy wind, my face is frozen in a stupid grin. While other viewpoints are easily accessible due to the dispersion of visitors, we are alone here. This cliff top is even more beautiful for isolation.
While winter may not be the best season to visit, it is certainly the most magical, and adventurers can still seek out activities such as canyoning, rafting, guided hikes and horseback riding. We explore signposted loops over the gorge with breathtaking views, and try two trails from Vikos and Vitsa, each with roughly the same loop in less than an hour. In fine weather the entire valley can be walked in six to eight hours; It is wise to be careful in winter. Just like at sea, storms can appear suddenly.
I carefully test the steps, crudely carved into the rocks and slippery with ice. But as we descend, the snow disappears until we reach the green valley under the hot sun. Below is the Voidomatis River, where Vikos spring water is bottled, considered one of the cleanest rivers in Europe.
From the village of Monodendri we walk to Petrino Dasos, where layered limestone towers stand like natural sculptures among oaks and maples. According to legend, the perfectly layered formations carved over thousands of years are giants petrified by the gods.
With a few weekend guests visiting from Athens at this time of year, we are staying at the family-run En Chora Vezitsa guesthouse in Vitsa, overlooking the deepest part of the strait. The next morning, I look for where the chickens hid their eggs in their coop. A beautiful black hen lays an egg right in front of me to order. I pick up the still warm eggs and hurried back to the cozy kitchen; There, while we chat, Maria beats them and makes cheese pies.
Deep spring lakes shine and flow through a smooth-walled gorge, moving from one perfect plunge pool to the next
He himself has just arrived from Athens, returned to run the place for his family, and is excited about the lifestyle change. No more stifling city life: instead it will take people on walks and foraging, and offer cooking and yoga classes. He says he hopes guests feel like they’ve come to a friend’s house.
The cake sizzles in the oven as she chats. aleuropita It is a regional dish that is a simple pizza-style pie consisting of thin layers of dough containing yogurt, feta cheese, herbs, and olive oil. I don’t eat so much that I inhale it. Suddenly I understand why they love their pies in the mountains. Spinach Tart. Mushroom pie. Orange cake. This is pie heaven.
Relating to: Wonderfully off the beaten track… The wild side of Greece has plenty of adventures ahead
After breakfast, we return to Papigo, the oldest of the Zagori villages. Their roofs are heavy with snow, their chimneys whisper warmth inside. The unforgettable towers of Astraka dominate the skyline. The hamlet is divided into Mikro and Megalo Papigo, with Rogovo Ovires in between. Like precious stones, these deep spring pools flow through a smooth-walled gorge, one perfect plunge pool after another. Carved out by nature, these areas were enriched decades ago by local people with weirs to control the water and provide cold swimming all summer long. Masterful.
In winter, the pools hang with icicles and their edges are covered with snow, the rapidly flowing stream has just melted. These crystal pools were on my mind throughout the trip. I’m going for a wake-up dive. Water is less than 3C. With a few small screams, wool slippers and a hot water bottle waiting to the side, I float for a few painful minutes.
The pools are overhanging with icicles and their edges are covered with snow, the rushing stream has just melted
Then I hurried back to our Unesco-listed hotel Mikro Papigo 1700, which is as old as it says and as tasteful as you’d hope. It is perfectly preserved, like all of Papigo, with its cobblestone roads, stonework and wooden gates, and roofs made of layered flat stones, each balanced by the weight of the one above it.
The hotel is located near Astraka and Drakolimni (dragon lake), which is home to small rare salamanders. I can’t wait to climb to the mountain shelter at 1,950 meters, but for that we will have to return when the snow melts. In the meantime, we decide to walk “a little” on the path. We can’t stop after a few hours. It’s one of those days. Bright blue and white, all sky and snow. We continue.
As we go down, we encounter a few shining skiers and before we know it, we’re halfway down. We are also in snow up to our hips.
As the light begins to fade upon descent, we are delighted to see 1700 for the first time, though the beautiful building seems a bit wasted in my tired eyes. I’m obsessed with what’s inside: an eco-spa fueled by that silky spring water. But this place is heated. I sink, thanking the gods.
Accommodation was provided by me En Chora Vezitsa (doubles from £65 B&B) and Micro Papigo 1700 (doubles Bed & Breakfast from £110) Alpine Region (alpinezone.gr) offers rafting, canyoning, skiing, horse trekking and guided walks all year round