Kalambaka, with the imposing Meteora that gathers a large number of visitors every season of the year, has beautiful mountain villages and interesting food stops. A rich trek in a place of natural beauty.
Kalambaka is widely known for Meteora, a complex of monasteries perched on black, towering rocks, which no matter how many times you look at them, you are literally in awe of nature’s incredible creations, and it is a destination that gathers many visitors every season of of time.
Both the visitors of Lake Plastira and Trikala take time in their program to see the imposing Meteora up close, while lovers of alternative activities have the opportunity to enjoy a rich range of sports, such as hiking, mountain biking and climbing.
Arriving in Kalambaka, the road leads to the village of Kastraki where the historic monasteries are located – out of the 30 in total, only 6 can be visited. Among the monasteries that can be visited and have a long history are the Holy Monastery of Varlaam and the Holy Monastery of Roussanou. The first is a men’s monastery that was created in the 16th century and the second is a women’s – in fact the nuns give guided tours inside the churches talking about the history of the monastery and the hagiographies which are real works of art.
Hiking in the mountain villages
The wider area of Kalambaka hides many beauties and several villages in the mountains of the prefecture of Trikala remain unexplored, maintaining, however, their picturesqueness with everyday life moving at the pace of the few inhabitants.
In the mountain villages of Kalambaka, you will see up close the authentic life of the residents who live away from tourism, engage in the cultivation of the fields, enjoy a magical nature – especially from spring to early autumn -, and enjoy the local cuisine at its best – with authentic flavors and at particularly affordable prices.
We should mention that there is a hotel in the village of Trygona and you can use it as a starting point to explore the mountain villages, go on an excursion to Metsovo and Grevena, while two hours away is Valia Kalda with its unparalleled natural beauty that fascinates visitors.
Picturesque villages, running water and a stop for food
Trygona, Pefki, Panagia, Korydallos, Analipsi are some of the mountainous villages, they belong to the municipality of Trikala, and are located at the highest point – in fact, in some of the villages, the national road that connects Thessaly with Epirus can be seen.
Taking the road shown by the signs in the direction of Ioannina and Metsovo will reveal to you a wonderful route in nature, while as you go up the road you will come across small villages. Some are on the road and others are perched and scattered in the mountains. In some parts of the route, near Kalambaka, i.e. before you start to leave for the villages, there are outdoor shops of local producers that have fruits and vegetables depending on the season and are directly from their fields.
Trygona is one of the villages you will come across, it is about 20 minutes from Kalambaka, and the first mention is made during the Turkish occupation, in 1534, while the settlement was known as the farmstead of Ali Passas.
The village is perched at an altitude of 790 meters, has springs with running water, and is now known for its trout. Walk through the village alleys, see the houses most of which have thatch to protect them from the snow and stop for trout in the family tavern “Vigla” – try smoked or fried trout, freshly cut fries and delicious leek sausage overlooking the mountain of Pindos.
A little further down is the settlement of Analipsi with only two permanent residents, however it is worth a stop at the country tavern “Analipsi” to enjoy from traditional handmade pies, scrambled eggs with fresh eggs to cooked meals of the day, such as giants, soups, pork with leeks – one of the most popular dishes of the region – braised veal. Inside the shop you will find to buy traditional products of local producers, such as honey, walnuts, mountain tea, oregano, jams, spoon sweets and pulses.
On the road to Analipsi there are springs with running water that the locals prefer – generally in these mountain villages you will find springs so it is good to have your bottles filled so you can enjoy crystal cool water.
One of the most mountainous villages is Pefki, built at an altitude of 850 meters, surrounded by pine trees – hence the name – to get to it follow the signs – you can’t find it on the road, you only have to make a small detour with the view compensating you with the above. It is a historic village – among the events that marked it are the two fires by the Germans, in 1943 and on July 17, 1944. In fact, the second time they took all the men, over 15 years old, hostage, taking them to Germany , while they had gathered the women and children in the church of Agios Nikolaos, on the central square, in order to burn them. Miraculously, on the day of Agia Marina, the burning was suspended and thus they were saved. Entering the village, the residents built in 1989, the church of Agia Marina and every year on the day of her feast, a big festival takes place.
In the picturesque village you can make a stop in the central square with the plane tree, which in the summer gives an incredible coolness to the visitors of the place, and the running waters, to see the rest of the villages that are perched in the mountains and seem inaccessible, but also to visit the Folklore Museum that keeps alive the tradition of the place by teaching the younger ones the way of life of the inhabitants of another era. It really is worth your time to see this gem of a village.
Among the largest villages in terms of population is Panagia, which is located at an altitude of 800 meters and is surrounded by gigantic mountain branches of Pindos, which protect it from the winds and sudden weather changes. Here you can take a walk through the village, try delicious grilled meats and enjoy delicious homemade pies in the oven.
After reaching the mountain villages of Kalambaka, it is worth visiting the settlement of Korydallos with its rich vegetation, during the summer months. In winter it has few inhabitants, unlike in summer, and it is located at a close distance from Metsovo.
Source: iefimerida.gr
