Greece - Korina Miller [262]
Although the Turks allowed Epiros considerable autonomy, it wasn’t enough for Ali Pasha. In 1778, the Turks made this Albanian lord pasha of Ioannina; however, the flamboyant Ali had bigger ambitions and proceeded to seize much of Albania and western Greece before being killed by Ottoman troops in 1822. Nevertheless, Ali Pasha had continuously worn down and distracted the Turks, tacitly assisting the Greek revolutionaries in 1821.
Epiros was engulfed in the Balkan Wars of 1912–13, when the newly created Albanian state got a northern piece of it. In 1940, Mussolini’s invasion of Greece was repelled in Epiros, which became a stronghold for the communist resistance fighting the brutal Nazi occupation; however the communists were thereupon defeated in the Greek Civil War (1944–49).
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METSOVO ΜΕΤΣΟΒΟ
pop 3195 / elev 1156m
South of the magnificent Katara Pass, and east of the Zagorohoria region, idyllic Metsovo (met-so-vo) clings to a mountainside at 1156m. The village attracts skiers in winter, and those seeking to escape the lowland heat in summer. In any season, the village is especially well known for its traditional architecture, local cheeses and hospitable locals – mostly Vlachs, historically a nomadic sheep-herding people who speak the Arromanian language. Closely related to Romanian, the language ultimately derives from Latin. The Vlachs, some believe, descended from ancient Roman soldiers sent to guard the mountain passes.
Metsovo’s wealth, manifest in its churches and restored stone mansions, attests to its unique history; in Ottoman times, the canny Metsovite shepherds were given extensive privileges in return for guarding the Katara Pass (1705m), the only route across the Pindos Mountains. However, in 1795 Ali Pasha abolished Metsovo’s privileges, and in 1854 Ottoman troops caused considerable damage.
Nevertheless, many locals became wealthy through commerce, industry and other non-sheep-related enterprises. Local luminaries Georgios Averof (1815–99) and Mihail Tositsas (1885–1950) in particular donated heavily towards restoring Metsovo’s former glory.
Nowadays, the locals have turned their characteristic shrewdness towards tourism, transforming old mansions and stone cottages into boutique hotels and opening twee tourist shops, making the village perhaps a bit precious. However, the fresh mountain air and majestic setting are undeniably appealing, and the range of all-season outdoor activities is sure to keep the blood flowing.
Orientation & Information
Metsovo lies 1km below the main Kalambaka–Ioannina highway. The main thoroughfare to the central square, where the bus stops, heads downwards and is lined with restaurants, hotels and shops, giving the town a narrow and vertical aspect. Traditional houses stand around a maze of winding stone pathways.
The police ( 26560 41233) are on the right opposite the bus stop. ATM-equipped banks are near the plateia; turning from it, the post office is to the right of the main thoroughfare.
Sights
The signposted Tositsas mansion hosts Metsovo’s folk museum ( 26560 41084; adult/student €3/2; 9am-1.30pm & 4-6pm Fri-Wed), recreating a typical wealthy 19th-century Metsovite household, with handcrafted furniture, artefacts and utensils. Guided tours go every half an hour.
The Averof Gallery ( 26560 41210; adult/student €3/2; 10am-6.30pm Wed-Mon), financed by Georgios Averof’s children, exhibits the works of 19th- and 20th-century Greek painters and sculptors. Turn left at the plateia’s far side; the gallery’s on the right.
The 14th-century Moni Agiou Nikolaou ( 8.30am-1.30pm & 4-6pm), occupying a gorge below Metsovo, has post-Byzantine frescoes and a beautiful hand-carved wooden iconostasis. It’s signposted from the square’s west side (a 30-minute walk).
Activities
Approaching from Kalambaka, Metsovo’s ski centre ( 26560 41211; 9.30am-3.45pm) is on the right-hand (north) side of the highway, just before the Metsovo turn-off. The centre has an 82-seat ski lift, two downhill runs and a 5km cross-country run, plus a nourishing taverna.