It’s another world 1,000m above sea level. The town of Metsovo perches on one of the most beautiful slopes of the Pindus Mountain range, the ‘crossroads’ of Epirus, Thessaly and Western Macedonia. Built like an amphitheatre, its tile roofs and wooden porches stretch out across the slope, its grand mansions nestled in between beech and fir trees. The soothing sound of water always on the move adds to the majestic atmosphere. This is an ideal destination for lovers of relaxing mountain holidays. 

Things to do

Home of the benefactors and living tradition
Metsovo has always been a thriving town, with an economy based on livestock, trade and crafts. Metsovite travellers and traders became prosperous, particularly in the Danubian principalities and Russia, then brought the benefits of their wealth back to their homeland by constructing public buildings, bridges, churches and schools. Metsovo, in essence a market town, became a cultural and commercial hub for merchants and traders from East and West. Of its benefactors, particularly noteworthy is the Tositsa Foundation, and Evangelos Averoff, who were the driving force behind the economic boom and an  influx of tourism in 1970.

Bear square
Metsovo’s main square is one of the most famous attractions of mountainous Greece and thousands of visitors pass through it every year, stopping to take a picture next to the monument of two bears exchanging glances, while elderly Metsovites look on, conversing in their local Vlach dialect.

Averoff Gallery
More than 200 paintings and sculptures by the great Greek artists of the 19th and 20th century are exhibited here, the most significant focal point of culture  in Epirus. Lytras, Gyzis, Volanakis, Parthenis, Hatzikiriakos-Gikas, Tsarouhis, Moralis and  Fasianos are just a few of the big names in the collection, housed in a spectacular building with three floors behind the town’s main square. This museum is well worth a visit during your trip to Epirus.

A peaceful lake
The high altitude of this artificial lake at the source of the Aoos River makes it the only one of its kind in Greece. In the winter the blue water sinks into the white landscape and in the summer it’s draped in the foliage of the dense riparian forest. The beech forest gives way to a forest of firs to the north of the lake, the boundary of the Pindus National Park and the renowned Valia- Kalda. The serene setting is relaxing, an idyllic alpine landscape.

Politses ski resort
It may be small, but it offers all the necessary facilities for amateur skiers. Metsovo’s ski resort is in Politses, at an altitude of 1,400m, and has five pistes and three lifts.

The famous cheese of Pindus
It’s called Metsovone and is a delicious traditional smoked cheese, one of the most popular in Greece. They say that it contains all the aromas of the Pindus Mountains. The secret is in the milk, provided  by the region’s farmers, whose animals roam freely in the surrounding valleys from spring until autumn.

Hidden gems of Metsovo

The Sequoia of Agios Nikolaos
The combination is one of a kind;  a river, grove, fountain, huge sequoia, wooden bell tower and a stone-built monastery. Metsovo’s Agios Nikolaos was established in the Byzantine era and is one of the most important monasteries in the area.

Metsovo’s artisans
They sew traditional Greek costumes by hand and engrave ornate wooden ceilings in homes and church altars. Metsovo’s artisans are the dedicated guardians of these rare traditional crafts, sworn to keep them alive for generations to come.

Traditional ‘Taps’
Crystal-clear, pure water comes gushing out of some 25 stone ‘taps’ found around the area, the same water that is the source of life for so much of the stunning flora and fauna in the area. Combine a scene of natural beauty and a singularly thirst-quenching experience in one gulp!

Source: Discover Greece