Zagori, Slowly.
Stone villages, clear rivers and a mountain spa in Epirus. A week to breathe out.
Where stone villages, deep gorges and clear rivers set a slower pace.
Gorges, Springs & Stillness…
Stone villages, gorge-edge walks, ice-cold springs and a mountain spa in the heart of Epirus.
High in the Pindus mountains of north-western Greece, the 46 stone villages of Zagori sit on the edge of the Vikos–Aoos Geopark, linked by old mule paths and arched bridges. Here, wellness is less a treatment menu than a way of spending the day: mountain air, walking at your own pace, cold spring water, food grown and cooked nearby, and deep sleep in silent villages.
The week begins in central Zagori, in a boutique stone hotel at the head of the Vikos Gorge. Mornings start slowly, with mountain tea on a terrace, before unhurried walks to the edge of the gorge, through oak woods and over old stone bridges. The journey then crosses to Aristi, above the turquoise Voidomatis, where a gentle raft trip, the springs at the foot of the gorge and a riverside ride lead each day back to a mountain spa with pool, sauna and hammam.
Designed as a private journey for couples, solo travellers or small groups, with private transfers throughout, self-guided walks on clear, marked paths and a local guide on the bridges trail, it closes with a night in Ioannina, the old silver city on Lake Pamvotis. A Greece of stone, water and quiet, where time slows to the pace of the mountains.
Walk. Water. Warmth.
What Awaits You
5
gentle walks of 1–3 hours, from cliff-edge viewpoints over the Vikos Gorge to the springs of the Voidomatis
8 days
of stone villages, clear rivers and mountain air, with a spa above the Voidomatis to end the day
46
stone villages, linked by old mule paths, arched bridges and some of the clearest rivers in Europe
Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival in Ioannina: Up into the Mountains
Arrive in Ioannina and begin with a relaxed lunch by Lake Pamvotis. In the afternoon, a private transfer takes you up into the mountains of central Zagori, about 50 minutes away. Settle into your boutique stone hotel in Monodendri or Vitsa and, as the light softens, take a first stroll through the cobbled lanes to the village square before a welcome dinner by the fire.
DAY 2
The Edge of the Vikos Gorge
Mountain tea and a slow breakfast as the peaks catch the morning sun. Then set off on the marked path from Monodendri to Agia Paraskevi, a monastery built into the cliff edge with the gorge falling away beneath it. Later, a private transfer takes you up to the limestone stacks of the Stone Forest and the Oxia viewpoint, where the whole length of the Vikos Gorge opens out below, and back to the village. Take a moment there in silence before lunch in the village square. The afternoon is yours, for a book on the terrace or a wander through the lanes.
Self-guided walk with route notes; a local guide can be added on request. Option: open-air yoga and breathwork before breakfast, on request.
DAY 3
Stone Bridges and a Village Kitchen
A private transfer brings you to Koukouli, where you set off with a local guide down the old cobbled stair of the Koukouli steps into the cool of the oak woods. Follow the streams past five stone bridges, among them Missiou, Kokkori and the three-arched Kalogeriko, with only the sound of water and birdsong for company, until the path reaches the village of Kipoi in time for lunch, where your transfer meets you. In the late afternoon, join a hands-on workshop that follows the season: in spring, roll fresh filo with a local cook and bake traditional Zagori pies; in autumn, discover the wild mushrooms of the Zagori forests with a professional forager, over dinner in Vitsa.
Guided walk. Option: open-air yoga and breathwork before breakfast, on request.
DAY 4
Beloi and Across to the River
A morning transfer brings you up to Vradeto, the highest village of Zagori. From the square, an easy walk crosses an open sheep plateau and alpine meadow to the Beloi viewpoint, where the gorge drops straight down at your feet. For keen walkers, there is the option to arrive on foot instead, climbing the old stone zigzags of the Vradeto steps from Kapesovo. After lunch, a private transfer takes you across the Pedina plateau to Aristi in western Zagori, set above the Voidomatis valley and facing the peaks of Mount Tymfi. Your mountain spa hotel awaits, with its indoor pool, sauna and hammam, and an unhurried dinner at the hotel.
Self-guided walk with route notes; the Vradeto steps option and a local guide on request. Option: open-air yoga and breathwork before breakfast, on request.
DAY 5
Floating the Voidomatis and the Papigo Villages
Float down the Voidomatis, one of the clearest rivers in Europe, on a calm 6–7 km stretch from the Aristi bridge to the arched Klidonia bridge, through plane-tree forest inside the national park, with certified guides and all equipment provided. On the way, pause at the small monastery of Panagia Spiliotissa, set in the rock by the water. After a riverside lunch, a transfer takes you up to Megalo and Mikro Papigo, the best-preserved villages of Zagori beneath the Towers of Astraka, and the short path to the natural rock pools of Ovires. Back at the hotel, the spa and your massage await.
DAY 6
The Springs of the Voidomatis
An early start, while the gorge is still cool, for the most beautiful walk of the week. A short transfer brings you to the village of Vikos, where a clear, well-marked stone path descends into the Vikos Gorge to the springs of the Voidomatis, where the river rises ice-cold and turquoise out of the rock. Walk down at an easy pace, sit by the water, then take the path back up for lunch on a terrace looking straight into the gorge. In the late afternoon, a gentle horseback ride follows the river to the Klidonia bridge, before a last evening between the sauna and the pool.
Self-guided walk with route notes; a local guide can be added on request.
DAY 7
A Slow Morning and the City by the Lake
A long breakfast facing Mount Tymfi and a last swim in the spa pool before your private transfer down to Ioannina, about an hour away, for lunch by the lake. Shape the afternoon as you wish: take the short boat ride to the island in Lake Pamvotis, with its car-free village, Byzantine monasteries and the monastery where Ali Pasha met his end, or walk through the stalactite chambers of the Perama cave, just ten minutes from the city. Later, enter the castle quarter for the Silversmithing Museum and a visit to one of the city’s filigree masters at work, before a farewell dinner by the water.
Option: a last open-air yoga session facing Mount Tymfi, on request.
DAY 8
Departure
Depending on your flight time, enjoy a slow breakfast and a last walk along the lakeshore, with time for the island or the cave if you did not visit it the day before, before your private transfer to Ioannina airport, just ten minutes away. You leave with the quiet of the mountains still with you.
What's Included
- 7 nights' accommodation (3 in a boutique stone hotel in Monodendri or Vitsa, 3 at a mountain spa hotel in Aristi, 1 in Ioannina), thoughtfully selected for comfort, character and location.
- Daily breakfast, a welcome dinner by the fire, a riverside lunch and a hotel dinner in Aristi, and a farewell dinner by the lake in Ioannina.
- Private transfers throughout: from and to Ioannina airport, between hotels, and to and from the start of each walk and excursion, including the Stone Forest and Oxia viewpoint.
- Self-guided walks with detailed route notes, and a local guide on the Koukouli–Kipoi bridges trail.
- Use of the spa at Aristi, with indoor pool, sauna and hammam, and one massage per guest.
- A guided raft trip on the Voidomatis with certified guides and all equipment, and a guided riverside horseback ride.
- A seasonal hands-on workshop with meal: Zagori pie-making in spring, or a wild-mushroom workshop and dinner in autumn.
- Entry to the Silversmithing Museum and a visit to a filigree workshop in Ioannina, Xeniq host support throughout the journey and a donation to one of our supported causes.
What’s Not Included
- Flights to and from Ioannina.
- Passport, visa and entry requirements, where applicable.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Open-air yoga and breathwork sessions, available on request.
- Boat to the island of Ioannina and Perama cave tickets.
- A private driver for the whole week, and local guides on the self-guided walks, available on request.
- Other lunches and dinners, and any meals and beverages not listed as included.
- Additional massages and spa treatments.
- Climate resilience fee, payable directly at the hotels.
- Personal expenses, including laundry, shopping and other incidental costs.
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and hospitality staff (at discretion).
- Optional activities, additional excursions and pre- or post-journey arrangements.
Preparing your Journey
Zagori is gentle walking country, with paths that suit anyone who enjoys a few hours on foot, from village lanes to old cobbled stairs. The walks follow clear, marked paths and come with detailed route notes, so you can set off at your own pace, while a local guide joins you on the bridges trail and can be added on any other day. The descent to the Voidomatis springs ends with a steady climb back up to Vikos, taken slowly. Below you will find everything to pack and know before you travel.
Documents & essentials
- Valid passport or EU identity card, together with any visa required for your nationality.
- European Health Insurance Card (EU residents).
- Travel and medical insurance.
- A credit card and some cash in euros, as mountain villages and small tavernas do not always accept cards.
On the trails
- Comfortable walking shoes or light hiking boots with a good grip, as cobbled paths and stone steps can be slippery.
- Walking poles, helpful on the Koukouli steps and on the climb back from the Voidomatis springs.
- A small daypack, a light rain jacket and a warm layer, as mountain weather can change quickly.
- A sun hat and sunscreen, especially for the open path to the springs.
For the river & the spa
- Swimwear for the spa pool and hammam.
- For rafting, a change of clothes and swimwear; wetsuits, neoprene shoes, helmets and life jackets are provided.
- Comfortable long trousers for the horseback ride.
- Sandals or water shoes for the rock pools of Ovires.
In the villages & at the table
- Smart-casual clothing for dinners; nothing formal is needed.
- A warm sweater or fleece, as evenings in the mountains are cool in spring and autumn.
- Comfortable shoes for the cobbled lanes of the villages and of Ioannina’s castle quarter.
Good to have
- Personal medication and a small first-aid kit, including blister plasters.
- Phone charger and power bank (Greece uses European two-pin plugs, 230 V).
- A reusable water bottle, to fill at the mountain springs along the way.
- Space in your luggage for mountain herbs, local honey or a piece of Ioannina silver.
Good to know
- Walks are self-guided as standard, on clear, well-marked paths with detailed route notes; the bridges trail on Day 3 is guided. A local guide for other days, or a private driver for the whole week, can be arranged on request.
- Mountain weather shapes the week. Walks, rafting and riding may change order, and if the river is high after rain or the water too cold, the raft trip is replaced by a riverside walk.
- Rafting requires guests to be able to swim. Solo travellers share a small boat with other guests of the rafting centre.
- Days in spring and autumn are usually mild and evenings cool, so dressing in layers is the key to comfort.
- Open-air yoga and breathwork can be added on request. For small groups, sessions can be built into the week.
- Please let us know of any dietary requirements or mobility considerations when booking, so every day can be arranged to suit you.
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