HIKING
CENTRAL ZAGORI The Staircase of Vradeto
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apesovo and Vradeto, two of the most beautiful villages of Zagori in Northwestern Greece, are connected by 1,200 stone steps proving that wonders of nature can coexist with man’s creations. An unrivaled work of Epirus craftsmanship, this staircase is covered by veils of mystery… It may have been funded in the early 18th century by Vradeto villagers who lived as courtiers of the Czar, and it took them 20 years to complete. As testimonies state, “local people did not build it. It was built from Konitsa, beyond the workmen villages. They followed a loaded donkey and built the staircase along its trail”. Up
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to 1973 it was the only route of connection between Vradeto and the other 45 villages of Zagori. Exiting the village, we descend to the Mezaria gorge, at the lowest part of the route (890 m), We cross the stone bridges at Dothe and Pera (these, too, have been declared as preserved folk architecture monuments) to begin the tiring but delightful ascent. The masterful cobbled path that snakes up the vertical rock has three “lanes”: the middle one, narrower and deeper for the mules, is set with black stone so that the loaded animals don’t slip. The right and left lanes are for people, made from white stone and selvedges positioned for human paces. The Staircase “turns” 39 times to reach the 250 meters of altitude difference. After 3,5 km you reach the square of Vradeto, a beautiful Sarakatsani village on the top of Zagori COOL HOTELS & VILLAS
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(1,340 m). We leave the village and move north-west along the path leading to Beloi, the most important of the observation “balconies� for the miracle called the Vikos gorge. Besides the wealth of its biodiversity and the fat calves, it is characterized by giant slates stacked in harmony, creating incredible formations reminiscent of rock forests. After 40 mins of walking, we reach a safe balcony on the edge of chaos. Before us extends the famous gorge with a length of 12 km and a height that reaches 1,200 m. Even though it may not be the biggest, it is one of the most beautiful in the world. Duration of ascent: 2h30m Ideal period: All year COOL HOTELS & VILLAS
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