Polina
Travel Editor
In a country of indescribable beauty, where nature has invested all its wealth, its most “proud” villages could not be missing from the list of our favourite winter destinations. So, this is the right time to introduce you to the villages of Greece, which “embrace” the mountains and claim first place in altitude.
1. Katafygi, Kozani
Katafygio or Katafygi is the most mountainous village of Kozani, built at an altitude of about 1,400 meters, on the slopes of Pieria. It was created by families who moved from Trikala, Agrafa, Pindos and Grevena, arrived in the area of Kozani and settled in the area of Velventos, but were forced to leave due to Turkish oppression. The name of the village is due to its impregnable location. The only thing that is certain is that it will seduce you, since it has a beauty that has remained unscathed by time.
2. Pisoderi, Florina
Pisoderi, a picturesque village built in the green, on the slopes of Mount Varnouda, in the Municipality of Prespa and with a population of only 7 inhabitants, is located at 1420 meters above sea level and is a few kilometers from Florina. It is a landmark in Greek history, being the birthplace of important heroes of the Greek Revolution of 1821. A walk through the verdant slopes will confirm that this village is another natural wonder.
3. Aetomilitsa, Ioannina
Aetomilitsa, the northernmost village of the prefecture of Ioannina, on the Greek-Albanian border, is built on the southern slopes of Grammos, at an altitude of 1,430 meters. Its oldest name was “Dentsiko” or “Denisco” and Galataria, while in 1928 it was renamed Aetomilitsa. The inhabitants of the village during the period of the Macedonian Struggle created armed groups for the liberation of Macedonia. The view of the village is breathtaking, with a setting of unimaginable beauty.
4. Nea Kotyli, Kastoria
Nea Kotyli, in the western part of the prefecture of Kastoria, “stands proud” at an altitude of 1450 meters. At the beginning of the 1950s, the inhabitants of Kotyli left their village after its destruction by the German invaders and the Greek Civil War and created the settlement of Nea Kotyli. It is a destination – an ode to Greek winter beauty.
5. Samarina, Grevena
Samarina, an alpine destination of northern Pindos, on the eastern slopes of Smolika, is a village in the prefecture of Grevena and is located at an altitude of 1,450 meters. At a distance of 48 km from the city of Grevena you will find this historic village with its unchanged traditional identity, dense vegetation and inaccessible natural beauty that shocks every visitor.
6. Kamaria, Evrytania
Kamaria Evrytania, the village that is the most mountainous settlement in Greece, is built in the alpine zone and the mountain slopes of Agrafa, at an altitude of 1480 meters. It is inhabited in the summer months by livestock farmers, who move to Fthiotida or Thessaly in the winter, to protect themselves from bad weather. Between the Agrafio peaks of Karnopi, Svoni and Morforakhi, Kamaria is an almost abandoned livestock settlement in Central Greece. The eye travels gazing at the view of the imposing mountain peaks, while in the area you will also come across the small “alpine” lake of the same name, which claims the title of the most unknown lake in central Greece.
For winter lovers and non-winter lovers, the mountain villages of Greece, which keep their traditional form intact, are destinations that hide breathtaking landscapes and scenery. Where nature rages with colors and sounds, it is worth spending some time and wandering among the picturesque streets and mountain slopes.
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