As I wound my way up a wildflower-strewn path along Greece’s dizzying Vikos gorge, I had to keep stopping, just to drink in its sheer scale. Forested mountains stretched into the distance – the craggy peaks still topped with snow – and the clear waters of the Voidomatis river whooshed by below. I hadn’t seen another soul for hours. In a country so blessed with ancient ruins, islands and beaches, people tend to forget about Greece’s mountains as a holiday option.
Unspoilt Vikos-Aoös national park is in the Zagori region, near the Albanian border and an uncomplicated three-hour drive from Thessaloniki airport. As with everywhere in Greece, times are hard in this region, and businesses are keen to attract tourists. Prices have been slashed. We stayed at one of the more upmarket hotels in the region, Aristi Mountain Resort, in the village of Aristi, where room rates now start at 15% less than before the crisis. A cluster of traditional stone buildings perched on a slope overlooking the valley, it has phenomenal views, chic interiors (natural materials, rich Ottoman rugs and fireplaces for winter nights) and a spa with indoor pool, steam room and sauna. Luxury for a little more than £80 a night for two.
The national park has smooth, empty roads, pristine hiking trails and traditional stone villages, many of which are home to good-value restaurants, B&Bs and small hotels (from around €40 a night if you’re looking for a cheaper stay). Tourism has developed slowly and organically here, with strict regulation reining in excess and eyesores.
My partner Adam and I spent the days hiking, or rafting down the Voidomatis, and the evenings on the hotel terrace, looking over the valley and watching the Astraka peaks turn pink and orange. Dinners included a €30 “tasting feast”, with foraged mushrooms, trout and smoked eel.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the villages were prosperous staging posts for Ottoman traders, and the paths they travelled are now ideal for hiking: routes between villages range from under two hours to all-day treks.
Local company Trekking Hellas does guided or self-guided tours with rooms and meals. A six-day tour, exploring the area by bike, raft and on foot, including accommodation, meals and equipment, cost from €560pp. But we managed with a good map (the Pindus Topo 50 of the Zagori area) and a book of walks from the information centre in Aspraggeli, a few kilometres south.
The footpaths are well-marked, so you can simply float along, taking in the view and the herb-scented air. Our favourite took us down a valley from Vikos to the source of the Voidomatis, then steeply up to the pretty village of Mikro Papigo, in around four hours. The walks are not circular, but some hotels offer drop-offs and pick-ups, and guesthouses can put hikers in touch with local drivers.
One day we checked out the elegant stone bridges built by those Ottoman traders from the 17th century onwards. Kokkoros, soaring between natural limestone pillars, and the three-humped Plakidas bridge near Kipi, were particularly memorable. We spent another day driving between villages. In Monodendri, we parked in the square and walked for 10 minutes to 15th-century Saint Paraskevi monastery, built into the side of a gorge, where saints stare down from carefully restored frescos.
The smell of roasting lamb tempted us into family-run Sta Risa taverna in Elati, where we gorged on gigantes – huge beans with spinach and tomato – warm bread, lamb chops, hand-cut fries strewn with thyme, and slow-roast lamb. Heading back to the hotel I decided these forests, peaks, ravines and rivers made a perfect Greek holiday – with not a beach bar or ruin in sight.
• Flights were provided by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (visitgreece.gr). Ryanair (Stansted) Easyjet (Gatwick, Manchester) and British Airways (Gatwick) all fly to Thessaloniki from £100 return. Accommodation was provided by Aristi Mountain Resort (doubles from £82, +30 26530 41330, aristi.eu)
