Walks in the nature at Mikro Papigo, warm moments in the taverns of Megalo Papigo and everything you will see at the two villages of West Zagori that will steal your heart.

Each side of Zagori has its own way of making us fall in love with Epirus. But this side of West Zagori, where the community of Papigo nests, is even more adorable: Papigo enchants us with an impressive landscape and two fairytale villages nestled in the dense vegetation, under the imposing mountain towers and the mythical Drakolimni. It takes our breath away with the Aoos ravine in the north and the gorge of Vikos in the south. And finally, it steals our hearts with the local tradition, the hospitality of the residents and the feeling that here there is a way to stop the time and let anxiety outside.

Megalo Papigo

It is the star village of western Zagori, with the stone traditional houses steadily standing - in a way that it makes you think there is no one living there, and the vegetation embracing its stone-built cobblestone streets. Churches and elaborate fountains complement the backdrop of one of the most picturesque mountainous settlements in Greece, while traditional guesthouses and cozy taverns are just as many as they need to be without destroying the zen atmosphere.

Mikro Papigo

Mikro Papigo is less than 5 km away from its "big brother", nestled in the roots of Astraka, in an even more impressive setting: The rocky breathtaking formations of Kokkino Lithari and the Astraka Towers stand above the village, while at the gorge outside of the settlement natural pools fill with water in the winter and transform into swimming pools for dives in the summer. The village itself is a small, less touristic version of Megalo Papigo: Stone houses covered with local stone, alleys with chimneys and a winter setting that predisposes us for cozy weekends at 1,000 meters altitude. Do not forget to visit the old school of the village, which has become a WWF Information Center, an "open school" for the environment of North Pindos.

Explore the paths of the mountain

From Mikro Papigo start some of the easiest but also most spectacular trails of Tymfi. The most impressive route is the one that connects the village with the shelter of Astraka, 2000 meters altitude, at Rodovoli and the awesome Drakolimni at the top of the mountain. If you decide to follow the route, consider about 3 hours to get to the shelter and another one and a half hour for Drakolimni. There you will find yourself in front of an impressive aquatic "secret" in the Gamila Mountains, a place where local tradition places the home of a mythical dragon, a great opponent of Smolikas Dragon. Note that this hiking route is particularly demanding and it is only safe from spring to November (the shelter closes at the end of October) - so you will have to wait until March to go uphill.

Translation from the original article of www.in2life.gr

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From: Anthi Sasmatzoglou

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