Ioannina, Epirus, Greece

I guess that when you hear about Greece, you think about the islands, the blue sea, and the ruins of ancient Greeks. Well, I can assure you there’s more than that! In this post is a selection of photos from my summer road trip through western and north western Greece.

First stop on the trip was Arta, where I attended a wedding. Arta is famous for its bridge as legend has it that when it was constructed, during the day the workers constructed the bridge but in the night the bridge was falling apart. Legend also has it that in the end, the head engineer’s wife was built in the foundations in order for the bridge to be constructed and not fall apart! After the wedding we headed to my grandfather’s village Vlasti, after stopping in two “hot-spots” in western Greece (region of Epirus): Parga and Syvota. Parga is known for its unique setting by the sea which gives out and “island feeling” and Syvota are known for their numerous picturesque bays.

Arta's Bridge, Epirus, Greece

Then, having Vlasti as a “reference point” I took road trips to beautiful villages, towns and sights in the regions of northern Epirus and western Macedonia.

The first day, we ventured out to Kastoria, a picturesque city built on a lake, known for it’s fur and leather crafters. The next day we visited Ioannina, which is also built on a lake. It used to be occupied by the Turks from 1430 to 1868 and actually was a prominent town of the Ottoman empire, hence the Mosques you see on the pictures. On the same day we passed from Metsovo as well, which is a built on the mountains and has a fantastic view over the surrounding area.

Parga, Epirus, Greece Kastoria, Macedonia, Greece

On the third day, we traveled north, towards Prespes Lakes, which are situates near the borders with Albania and the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia. There for the first time I visited the island of Aghios Achillios on Small Prespa Lake, which features Byzantine ruins and cattle as well (hence the cow photo!). After having lunch in Psarades, which is a village nearby, we headed to Nymphaio village. Most of the houses and public places were restored and renovated over a period of 7 years, between 1995 and 2002, and today it’s considered a must-visit village in northern Greece.

Small Prespa Lake in Macedonia, Greece

On the last day of our excursions, we visited Edessa and it’s waterfalls, which are the tallest (and most renowned) in Greece. After taking lots of pictures with the waterfalls we headed to Naousa, where there is this beautiful park in the woods, which feels so calm and serene (when it’s not crowded at least).

So there you’ve got my itinerary and below there are the pictures from my trip! Enjoy!

Prespes Lakes, Macedonia, Greece

 

Metsovo in Epirus, Greece Ioannina, Epirus, Greece Ioannina, Epirus, Greece Ioannina, Epirus, Greece