If you love pristine mountain landscapes, a slower pace and escapes beyond the ordinary, then it is worth discovering the Mastorochoria of Konitsa, the villages of the renowned stonemasons that preserve their authenticity.
Beautiful mansions, quiet stone squares with a few coffeehouses, arched bridges and dense forests set the stage for an escape to the Mastorochoria of the Municipality of Konitsa, a group of mountain settlements with a distinct architectural identity at the northeastern edge of the prefecture of Ioannina, between Grammos and Smolikas. Authentic, untouched by tourism villages, with few residents in winter. Here you let your gaze rest on the beauty of the stone-built structures and the wild mountain nature.
The Mastorochoria are the homeland of the renowned Epirote master stone craftsmen, who traveled across the world leaving stone masterpieces behind them. Over the last four centuries and up to 1950, the famed masters spread out, organized in crews, to nearby and faraway destinations (Balkans, America, etc.) and created works of rare beauty and technical perfection, from mansions to monasteries, churches, fountains and stone bridges.
Mastorochoria: The allure of stone
The most renowned village of the area is Pyrsogianni. It isbuilt amphitheatrically on a slope of Grammos, within a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty, at an altitude of 850 m and 27 km from Konitsa. From 1999 to 2010 it was the seat of the Municipality of Mastorochoria. The village preserves elements of its old splendor in the monuments of traditional architecture, in the cobbled lanes that lead to neighborhoods with stone-built mansions and skillfully hewn churches, all works of the local master craftsmen.
Of particular interest is the Ethnological Museum of Epirote Master Builders, housed in the stone school building. Climb up to Kokka Karyas Square and from there to the centuries-old plane tree and higher still to the Church of Saint George, which will impress you with its imposing size and double bell tower. In the village, the small Armoloi guesthouse offers warm hospitality and local food.
The village of Kastaniani,lying on the opposite slope of Mount Gyftissa, is also very picturesque. In every corner of the village the marks of the old master craftsmanship are indelible - from the houses to the Church of Saint Nicholas, the two-storey school and the four single-arched stone bridges (three within the settlement and one outside). In the village there is a stone-builtguesthouse with simple, cozy rooms. Next come the nearby villages of Molista and Gannadio with their beautiful mansions, exquisite examples of local architecture.
Vourmpiani is also a renowned Mastorochori, birthplace of distinguished builders and woodcarvers. In the village you will see the historic two-storey stone Schoolhouse of Vourmpiani, which operated until 1986 as a primary school, secondary school and boarding school, the Church of the Panagia with its 16th-century carved wooden iconostasis and other churches. In the central square with the plane tree are the two traditional coffeehouses and the village guesthouse.
After making a stop in Vourmpiani, you can continue the journey on the slopes of Grammos to Chionades, the village of the famous folk painters, whose frescoes can be admired today in countless churches. Higher up stands the remote and picturesque Plikati. Here you can stay in the apartments of the complex «Το Αγριολούλουδο του Γράμμου», at 1.350 meters altitude, in the heart of the forest.
The more adventurous can take the road to Aetomilitsa, one of the highest villages in Greece, at 1.430 meters, on the border with Albania. Aetomilitsa has a mountain refuge and is a starting point for mountaineering routes to the beautiful surrounding peaks of Grammos.
