Pindos
Day 1
A fifteen-minute drive from the town of Grevena takes us to Mavranei, where we find the three-aisled, domed basilica of Agios Dimitrios (1817). Just three minutes later, we arrive at Mavronoros, with its two very interesting churches: Agioi Theodoroi (1806) and Agia Kyriaki, the latter featuring impressive frescoes. After a twenty-minute drive through lush mountainous landscapes, we reach the chapel of Agioi Theodoroi in Kastrí, built on the ruins of an ancient tower.
Ten minutes further, we arrive at Prosvoro and the Church of Agios Dimitrios, continuing on to Mesolouri, where we’ll arrive in about twenty more minutes to admire the Church of Agios Dimitrios (1778), an excellent example of post-Byzantine architecture featuring frescoes from 1867.
Just five minutes away is the Church of Agios Athanasios in Dotsiko, built in 1865. From there, we head toward Samarina, reaching it in about half an hour, where we will find accommodation, food, and spend the rest of the day exploring this famous village of the Pindos Mountains. Notable landmarks include four churches within the settlement: Mikri and Megali Panagia, Agios Athanasios, and Prophet Elias—all located within walking distance from one another.
Day 2
Just outside Samarina, within ten minutes, we find the Church of Agia Paraskevi (1713) and the Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour (18th century). We leave the village, and after about half an hour, we pass by the Vasilitsa Ski Resort, which we can visit if time allows—along with the nearby alpine Dragon Lake. We continue across the Pindos mountain range for about 50 minutes until we reach Avdella, where we find the 18th-century Church of Agios Athanasios.
Fifteen minutes later, we arrive in Perivoli and the Church of Agios Georgios (1760). From there, we have the option to drive to the Valia Kalda National Park—the beautiful “Warm Valley” with stunning landscapes perfect for exploration—requiring a total detour of about one hour on mountain roads and ample time to enjoy.
If instead we continue from Perivoli toward Grevena, we’ll reach the Catholicon of the Monastery of Agios Nikolaos (1803) in just ten minutes, located in a breathtaking spot next to the Aspropotamos River. A half-hour drive takes us to the Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (1633), at an altitude of 960 meters. Here we are at the uniquely beautiful Portitsa Gorge and its famous stone bridge, which we can reach with a 15-minute drive—an unforgettable experience.
Lovers of traditional stone bridges could also drive another 45 minutes to visit the other well-known bridge in the area, that of Aziz Aga. If we return directly from the Monastery to Grevena, the drive to the town will take about half an hour.
