Two stunning villages, built facing each other, like stone masterpieces, inspire us to travel to the mountain paradise of Tzoumerka.
Tzoumerka also known as the Athamanika Mountains. Stone-built settlements, dense forests, crystal-clear waters and towering mountains. Every route through this mountainous paradise of Epirus is a journey into nature and tradition.
One of the largest mountain ranges in western Greece, the Tzoumerka Mountains are located in the southern section of the Pindus range and embrace a cluster of beautiful villages shared between the prefectures of Ioannina and Arta.
Syrrako and Kalarrytes in Northern Tzoumerka are two of the most beautiful villages not only in the region, but in the whole of mountainous Greece. The two facing villages, separated by the precipitous gorge of the Kalarrytikos River, preserve unchanged the traditional Epirot architecture with stone-built houses and slate roofs. Both are well worth getting to know.
Syrrako
Built on a slope of Mount Lakmos, at an elevation of 1,200 meters and 52 kilometers southeast of Ioannina, Syrrako is one of the most beautiful villages in Epirus. A designated traditional settlement, with stone houses topped with slate slabs, well-crafted cobbled lanes and many carved fountains with running water.Cars stay outside the village. After you park at the village entrance, follow the stone-paved path that will lead you to the center of the settlement. In the picturesque square there are two large plane trees and the covered stone fountain of Goura with ice-cold mountain water.
It is worth noting that Syrrako is the birthplace of great figures. Among them are Greeces first constitutional prime minister, Ioannis Kolettis, the poet and fighter of 1821 Georgios Zalokostas and the renowned poet and author Kostas Krystallis. Krystalliss family home has been turned into a museum of folk art.
Kalarrytes
Opposite Syrrako lies Kalarrytes, on the edge of the steep gorge that ends at the Kalarrytikos River, at an elevation of 1,200 m. To go from one village to the other by car you will need to make a large loop (about 18 km.). Alternatively, if you like hiking- and if the weather permits- you can walk the one-hour trail that crosses Hrousia Gorge and links the two Vlach villages. It is a listed traditional village, where imposing stone mansions, abundant waters and traditional cobbled lanes take center stage.
The villagers will tell you stories about the first silversmiths and goldsmiths who were born here - among them Sotirios Voulgaris, who founded the famous Bvlgari house. After you visit the Museum of Christos Golfinopoulos and Aikaterini Mousafiri, as well as the Church of Agios Nikolaos with its noteworthy carved wooden iconostasis, make a stop at Akanthos, the retro café of Napoleon Zaglis that will transport you to the Greece of the 50s.
Kipina Monastery
A major attraction of the area is the Monastery of Kipina, one of the most impressive monasteries in Epirus. It is built in the hollow of a sheer rock in Tzoumerka, near the village of Kalarrytes. The monastery was built in 1212 and is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos. Beyond its location, its frescoes also impress. Access is via a path carved into the rock and a wooden bridge.
