During the October half-term holidays, we visited the region of the Vikos Gorge, in northern Greece, in Epirus. We were keen to go hiking and to discover a part of Greece that is still relatively unknown. The Vikos Gorge turned out to be an excellent choice! With the autumn colours, it was particularly beautiful. We stayed there for two days. Three days would have been more relaxed. Below, I’ll explain how to do the main hike in the Vikos Gorge and also show you the other places not to be missed. Finally, I’ll tell you about the lovely village of Papingo, our base camp.

The Vikos Gorge, in the Zagori region of Greece, is one of the deepest canyons in Europe, with almost 1,000 m of depth over 27 km in length.

Age of our children/teenagers: 13 and 16.

Travel period: late October.

Our family hikes in the Vikos Gorge

The Vikos Gorge, from Vikos to Monodendri ❤

12 km – 5 hours of walking – elevation in this direction: -1080 m, +1380 m – moderate but physically demanding!

This is the hike not to be missed in the region! It’s a point-to-point hike. Generally, hikers plan to return to their starting point by taxi, but we organised things differently by forming two teams: Titpuce and I walked the entire trail from Vikos to Monodendri, while Papa Voyage and Ticoeur turned back before the big climb out of the canyon. They returned to Vikos (walking very fast!), picked up the car and met us in Monodendri (there is a 40-minute drive between the two villages).

As it’s a canyon, the hike profile consists of: a long descent, a lengthy walk along the canyon floor, and a steep climb back up. It’s possible to hike from Vikos to Monodendri or from Monodendri to Vikos. I wondered which option was best, but honestly, I think it doesn’t really matter! For us, Vikos was closer to the village of Papingo where we were staying.

In terms of elevation gain, it’s tough, so even though the hike isn’t technically difficult, you need to be fit: it’s long and strenuous, with over 1,000 m to descend and 1,000 m to climb back up. Note that on the ascent towards Monodendri, it’s sometimes so steep that ropes have been installed to hold on to and avoid slipping. I was worried about this section, but it turned out to be easy. Titpuce had no problems at all. However, for younger children, it could be a bit tricky and they might need help. If you do the hike in the opposite direction, this steep section with ropes may be more difficult on the descent than on the ascent.

Here is the account of our hike in the Vikos Gorge:

We leave Papingo after breakfast and stop at the small shop in the village of Aresti to pick up some supplies. We start the hike in Vikos at 10:15 am. No problem parking the car. The view over the canyon from the start of the hike is beautiful:

Then, the descent from Vikos is easy, not too steep. After half an hour, we reach the small monastery with a lovely turquoise-coloured stream (this adds 30 minutes and 1 km to the hike).

After this first photo stop, we continue descending into the canyon. Here is the canyon floor:

Most of the distance is covered along the canyon floor. Looking up at the sides, you really feel tiny!

For now, we are still all four together. As always, Ticoeur and Titpuce chat as they walk! I really like this section with the carved rock:

Still some beautiful views up towards the heights:

Towards the end of the flat section, Ticoeur and Papa Voyage turn back to return and get the car. They challenged themselves to do the return at a brisk pace along the flat section!

With Titpuce, we continue following the trail. The views of the section climbing back up towards Monodendri are stunning!

The path is steeper, with large rocks:

Allow a good hour of intense climbing to reach Monodendri.

On arriving in the village, there are quite a few tourists sitting on the terraces (mainly Greeks). We’re surprised because we only crossed paths with two hikers in almost five hours of walking! In fact, many visitors come to the Vikos Gorge to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and viewpoints that are accessible without hiking at all! For me, that’s one more reason to go for the adventure! A hike without the crowds! We sit down on a terrace to enjoy an orange cake while waiting for Papa Voyage and Ticoeur.

And if we had to do it again? I think it’s worth booking a taxi (to be arranged in your departure village by asking at a restaurant or accommodation). That way, you can all stay together for the entire hike. An out-and-back hike doesn’t seem like a great option to me, as it’s long and the entire flat section at the bottom of the gorge would feel repetitive. For a more creative option, without a taxi, I think you’d enjoy the best views by doing just the descents and ascents (from Vikos and from Monodendri), without walking the long flat section. Overall, you wouldn’t escape the elevation gain, but you’d save time and wouldn’t need a taxi: you’d park once in Vikos and once in Monodendri!

Vradeto Steps ❤

5.2 km (out and back) – 2 hours

A real favourite hike! This old stone staircase, built in the 18th century, has a lot of charm with its narrow switchbacks set in an enchanting natural setting.

The staircase consists of 1,100 steps, built to link villages together. The hike involves climbing them and then descending. We were there just before sunset. It was beautiful and we were completely alone. We did this hike right after the Vikos Gorge hike! Yes, we’re crazy!

See the entire staircase and its switchbacks:

It was getting late, so we went for dinner after this beautiful hike. We found a very good restaurant on the drive back: Zeyxi restaurant in Elati. Then we hit the road again for Papingo (1 hour from the restaurant).

Other highlights in the Vikos Gorge:

The natural pools of Papingo:

Lovely walks following the river and its various pools. In summer, it’s possible to swim there! Perfect for relaxing after a hike!

The old Ottoman bridges:

Built entirely of stone, they are very beautiful. It’s easy to park near each bridge. We stopped at the two bridges we thought were the most impressive:

The Kokkoris Bridge:

The Kologeriko Bridge:

The Stone Forest

A short walk among these stone formations. It’s neither large nor unmissable, as you’ll find similar formations throughout the Vikos Gorge region. But it’s not far from Monodendri, so why not stop by – it’s on the way.

3 viewpoints over the Vikos Gorge

There are two viewpoints accessible by car, with just a short walk from the car park. We chose the Beloi viewpoint ❤. A stunning view! There is also the Oxya viewpoint, but it’s much further away (a one-hour detour by car).

View over the Vikos Gorge from the Beloi viewpoint

Then there is the Monodendri viewpoint: it’s reached after an easy 15-minute walk, as far as the Monastery of Paraskevi:

Which village should you choose to explore the Vikos Gorge?

Three villages for discovering the Vikos Gorge:

Before telling you about everything you can see in the Vikos Gorge region, it’s important to choose where to stay. There are three possible villages:

• Monodendri: this is the main village, the largest and the most visited. It’s located to the south of the Vikos Gorge and is the first one you’ll come across on your route. It has a good selection of cafés and restaurants (I highly recommend lunch at Froso’s Pies: excellent and good value!). It’s very convenient for starting the hike into the Vikos Gorge.
• Aresti: the smallest of the three villages, located to the west of the gorge. Fewer accommodation and restaurant options.

• Papingo: the prettiest and most picturesque. It’s located to the north of the Vikos Gorge, further away from civilisation. This is the one we chose, and we loved it! Our accommodation was great! Several restaurants in the village. The restaurant at the Astra Inn was good. Note that some restaurants were closed, as October is not high season.

Our family accommodation in Papingo:

We stayed at the Bed & Breakfast Avragonio, typical of the region, meaning lovely stone houses. All of Papingo is full of charm, and our B&B was no exception! On top of that, breakfast was gargantuan and very varied! We had a small duplex space, with the children sleeping on the sofa in the living room and us upstairs in a double bedroom. It was perfect, and we really enjoyed the outdoor areas because even at half-term, as long as we wrapped up warmly, we could have breakfast in the courtyard, with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We stayed for two days and two nights, but we packed in several hikes on the same day. For a more relaxed pace, plan for 3 days in the Vikos Gorge.

There is even another village higher up than Papingo:

Metsovo

Whether you’re arriving in the Vikos Gorge region or leaving it, you’ll probably pass close to the charming village of Metsovo. Its architecture has real character, with all its mountain chalets. Locals like to come here for lunch at the weekend. We walked around the village and then sat on a terrace in the main square for a coffee at Xnapia Café (very good!), before buying spinach pies from the excellent Tampas Bakery.

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I’ll leave you with a few final photos of the region to immerse you in the atmosphere of this rugged landscape in northern Greece!

And you? Fancy discovering the Vikos Gorge and its surroundings? Do you know this part of Greece? You can, like us, combine the Vikos Gorge with a visit to the Meteora!