Zagori
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Zagori is a unique place, a kingdom of stone that was sculptured by the passing of time by the nature and the man. A single total of 46 villages in the North-west of Ioannina, it constitutes a peculiar geographic and cultural unit that charms with the natural beauty of its landscape, but also with its unique architecture. Deep ravines and stone scales, calm rivers and elaborate arched bridges, enormous divine rocks and stone settlements: Nature and man in absolute identification.
The entire region is protected from the outside world with tall mountains. Huge and snowy slopes, with the white light of the winter or the light blue of the spring, age long forests of conifers, automnal forests of beech in the colours of the west, all green meadows, Alpine lakes, streams and sources, they compose one of the very little remaining shelters of wild life in Europe, with a big variety and alternation of ecosystems. The famous ravine of Vikos is a live museum of natural history.
Causes awe with its big depth, the up straight slopes and its biological wealth. Its floral value is enormous and includes more than 1700 types, among them some unique in the world, while equally richly is also her fauna, as almost all the rare species of mammals, birds and reptiles of mountainous space live in it.
Under the stone roofs of mountains, the stone roofs of men were built. The villages of Zagori have hearts that strike in the rhythm of another season.
Stone settlements, with mansions home and snaky flagstones, simple and elaborate temples and monasteries, places of meeting of God and person, stone bridges, watermills and taps, create a astonishing architectural total so much harmonised with the natural environment that resembles its integral piece.
In the whole structured space of Zagori, the social and economic growth of other seasons is reflected up to today.
The region is offered for activities, such as mountaineering, ascension, kayak or rafting, riding and mountain biking. With the end of the adventure of every day, the visitor can relax in the comfortable traditional guest houses of the graphic villages for a rich dinner, constituted from dishes of the local gastronomy, with main characteristic the famous pies of Zagori and a good sleep.
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