Kokkinopilos is a unique and striking landscape that stands out in the Prefecture of Preveza. Crimson curving mounds create an otherworldly scene that looks as though it were lifted from the planet Mars.
Amid the many beauties of Greece, there are places that resemble... extraterrestrial landscapes. Strange scenes and otherworldly vistas, full of color and curious formations that spark the imagination.Kokkinopilos in Preveza is one of those places you wouldnt imagine exists in Greece.
Clay, nature, and time created a «small miracle» and one of the distinctive landmarks of the Prefecture of Preveza.Kokkinopilos is a group of hills 100-150 m high, of geological and archaeological interest inthe Municipality of Ziros.It is a rare setting that enchantsanyone lucky enough to see it up close and hike among the hills, whichtake on every shade of red depending on the time of day.
Kokkinopilos: The otherworldly and enchanting setting of Preveza
The area of Kokkinopilos is located about 5 km north of Filippiada and 2 km from the village of Agios Georgios. Access may not be particularly easy, but its certainly worth taking a stroll to see something beyond the familiar, usual sights. Here,the visitor «gets lost» among red knolls and ravines. How, though, was this scene that looks straight out of a science-fiction film created? According to researchers, it is a prehistoric «karstic sinkhole».
Rains transformed this low red-earth plateau (Terra Rossa, iron oxideswithclay) into a varied landscape of knolls and small ravines. Rainwater carries this soft reddish material toward the plain of Stefani, where even the fields look crimson when plowed.
According to recent scientific publications, the «red earth» (terra rossa), commonly called red soil, which is also found in other Southern European countries such as Spain and Italy, reached Greece by crossing the Mediterranean in the form of African dust carried by southern winds and originating from the regions of the Sahara and the Sahel.
Beyond its geological significance, the area also has great archaeological interest, as important finds from the Paleolithic era and the Bronze Age have been discovered. Beneath this site runs the conduit of the Roman Aqueduct of Nicopolis, which was constructed after the founding of Nicopolis by Octavian Augustus to ensure the water supply of the new citywith a population of 150,000 inhabitants.
See impressive footage of Kokkinopilos:
How to get there
You can visit Kokkinopilos of Prevezain two ways:
- From the side of the Preveza-Ioannina National Road. You will park near the village of Agios Georgios and walk for about 500 meters until you reach it.
- From the provincial road Lake Ziros – Rizovouni - Stefani. Leave your car at the point where there is the sign «To Kokkinopilos» and hike through the forest for about 1.5 km to the hills of Kokkinopilos.
