Somewhere in Tzoumerka (Athamanian mountains), Epirus, Greece. Photo by giotisr on Instagram.

Hiking to the 19th Century Stone Bridge Neraidogefyro – Vourgareli – South Tzoumerka (family friendly)

Explore the embrace of Tzoumerka’s awe-inspiring Athamanika Mountains as you venture into the captivating haven of Vourgareli. With the Neraidogefyro bridge as one of its remarkable highlights, this mountain village promises an unforgettable experience. Whether you are a history enthusiast or an outdoor adventurer, Vourgareli’s unspoiled beauty and rich heritage are certain to leave a lasting…

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Syrrako - Tzoumerka par Thanassis Economou

Είναι το Συρράκο το ομορφότερο χωριό των Τζουμέρκων; Δύσκολο να διαλέξεις ανάμεσα σε χωριά τόσο παραδοσιακά, στα οποία θες δε θες… ζεις τα πιο χαλαρά σαββατοκύριακα της ζωής σου. Εμείς ωστόσο έχουμε αδυναμία στο συγκεκριμένο… Τζουμέρκο, όχι μόνο για την Ιστορία του (εδώ γεννήθηκαν πολλοί καλλιτέχνες, ευεργέτες και αγωνιστές της Ελλάδας) αλλά και για την αντικειμενική του ομορφιά και γοητεία: Μας αρέσει να τριγυρνάμε στα καλντερίμια με τις περίτεχνες κρήνες, τα ηπειρώτικα αρχοντικά, τα εκκλησάκια που μετρούν αρκετούς αιώνες ζωής και τα ενδιαφέροντα Μουσεία (στο χωριό βρίσκουμε δύο λαογραφικά και ένα μουσείο αφιερωμένο στον ποιητή Κ. Κρυστάλλη). Η θέα στους παραπόταμους του Καλαρρυτικού ποταμού είναι μοναδική, όπως και η άγρια ομορφιά της διαδρομής στο μονοπάτι που ενώνει το Συρράκο με τους Καλαρρύτες. Για φαγητό, πιάνουμε τραπεζάκι στον Σταυραετό και στο «Συρράκο» στην πλατεία του χωριού. Γνωρίστε τα πανέμορφα Τζουμέρκα ταξιδεύοντας με την COMPASS. We care. Περισσότερα στα: 2310818122 & [email protected] #compassgr #compass #wecare #tzoumerka #athamanika #pindus #kakarditsa #syrrako #village #sirako #ioannina #epirus #lakmos #visitsyrrako #discovertzoumerka #greekvillages #greece #travel #discovergreece #wanderlust #greek #hospitality Credits: travelstyle.gr (at Siráko, Ioannina, Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4dFbpVF-g5/?igshid=qzhoy0emgdcj

Let's discover together more villages in Epirus! 📍 Pramanta (Greek: Πράμαντα) is a village in the Athamanika mountains, at about 840m elevation. ~ Great capture by @greek_explorer 📸 ~ ~ Tag #thisisepirusgr or @thisisepirus for a chance to be featured! 🔝 ~ ~ #thisisepirus #photooftheday #epirus_shots #travelling #wu_greece #travelphotography #travel #visitgreece #instatravel #travelgram #travelblogger #photographer #discoverearth #discover_europe_ #discovergreece #greece #greecestagram #greece_travel #greecetravelgr1_ #ig_greece #epirus #alluring_greece #eros_greece #igers_greece #igdaily #igtravel #earth_shotz #travellingthroughtheworld (στην τοποθεσία Τζουμέρκα Πράμαντα) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCA59r3nTwI/?igshid=st1eq345g641

Day 20: Sunday, July 9. Approaching the last station.

The bus ride from Ioannina to Arta is a 44-mile journey south along European route E951 (Greek route EO5), whose southern terminus is the town of Antirrio, on the Strait of Rio between the Gulfs of Patras and Corinth. The road traces the Pindus mountain range, which is home to six of Greece’s eight highest mountains. Along this stretch, however, the mountains are less prominent, but there are more of them - Tomaros is off to the right of the road, Xerovouni is off to the left, and the impressive Athamanika sub-range is just beyond it. They are no Olympus, but Olympus is a point standing alone. Here, the peaks form the sturdy spine of Greece.

Arta (pop. 24,427) was known as Ambracia in the Hellenistic period, during which it served as the capital of Pyrrhus of Epirus’ kingdom. It was incorporated into Rome in the mid-2nd century BC, and became Arta under the Byzantines a millennium later. That legacy is readily apparent in the Church of the Parigoritissa, the Monastery of Saint Theodora, and the castle at the city’s northern tip. The Arachthos, which flows around the city, is spanned by a picturesque four-arch stone bridge in the southwest corner. The current bridge is an Ottoman construction on the site of previous Roman and Byzantine structures. There is a legend associated with it: when it was being built, its foundations would collapse each night. A bird with a human voice informed the chief builder that, in order for the bridge to remain standing, he should sacrifice his wife. As she was being buried alive in the foundations, she cursed the bridge to flutter like a leaf, and those who pass it to fall like leaves as well. But she was then reminded that her brother was currently abroad and might pass the bridge on his return, so she changed her curse into a blessing. Immurement during the construction of buildings is a common motif in Balkan folklore.

A taxi takes A. D. from the Arta bus terminal to Hotel Marathia, about five miles northwest of the city in the village of Chanopoulo. The driver, a lively older man, takes his time getting out of the city in order to tell its history and point out landmarks. After pausing at the bridge, he speeds down a country road that is surrounded by farmland on one side and hills on the other. The hotel is nestled in a grove at the foot of a hill, with plenty of shade and a clear view of the sunset. A. D. is greeted at the entrance by a young woman who checks him in and says that she is the fourth generation of the family that owns the hotel (since 1955). Her father comes down to the lobby and warmly introduces himself before taking A. D. up to his room. With its two beds and a balcony that looks out over the trees, onto the plain and setting sun beyond them, it is entirely too much.

Later in the evening, at dinner, A. D. meets the other volunteers, all from the UK: C. J., T. O., and I. S., a college-aged group of friends; S. M., who is a couple of years older than A. D.; and an older man, J. C. Though she has been staying in an apartment in Filippiada nearby, E. P. stops by briefly to say hello. She is from the Netherlands, and has been with RS in Greece for close to a year. It is good to put a face to the name of A. D.’s primary point of contact since Ioannina/Katsikas.

So it is in Chanopoulo, on the 9th of July.

Prámanda village under the peak of Strongula, Athamanian Mountains, Greece by athan_andreas on Instagram.

The Bridge of Plaka in Athamanian mountains (Epirus), Greece. Photo by  georgemoniodis on Instagram.

Souda falls, Athamanian mountains (Tzoumerka), Greece. Photo by Stratos Gazas. 

Καλαρρύτες - Τζουμέρκα! 🇬🇷 Kalarrytes, Tzoumerka, Greece by Vagelis Giotopoulos.

Melissuryí, Tzoumerka mountains by Vasilis Gorogias. The name of the village means “beekeepers”.

Athamanian Mountains (Tzoumerka), Greece by Vagelis Giotopoulos.

📍 Tzoumerka (Athamanian Mountains) 🔸Epirus🔸Greece🔸Photo : @ellielaki via Instagram

Athamanian Mountains, Greece

Epirus, Greece