Escape to Zagori : Greece's Remote Wonderland 6N/7D

Ioannina, the provincial capital, is a logical base for exploring Zagori. A charming and relaxed university town on the west shores of Lake Pamvotida, its historic center still stands behind fortified walls. Ioannina’s rich Byzantine and Ottoman heritage comes alive in the well-preserved Kastro (castle). Initiated in 528 CE by Emperor Justinian (making it Greece’s oldest castle), it attained its zenith during the Ottoman Empire with the addition of a harem and the Fethiye Mosque. The erstwhile mosque today hosts the Municipal Ethnographic Museum of Ioannina, displaying a miscellany of historical artifacts that honor the Islamic and, intriguingly, Jewish heritage of the town. Don’t miss the tomb of regional ruler Ali Pasha (1740-1822), also within the Kastro precincts.

Speckled throughout one of the least densely populated regions of Greece are 40-plus settlements known as the Zagori villages. Declared a national historical monument, these humble villages of stone cottages with mossy slate roofs were once connected by kalderimi (cobbled footpaths), switchback staircases, and stone bridges arching over the Voidomatis River. Some homes have ceilings adorned with wood carvings; others have frescoes. Hiking between these villages is one of the best excursions in Greece.

 Northern Pindos National Park, you'll find the second highest mountain in Greece: Mount Smolikas (8,652 feet). To the south, you'll see the peaks of the Tymfi massif. In summer it’s a superb hiking destination, but December through April is the time to hit the slopes. The most important of a handful of small ski resorts is state-owned Vasilitsa, with seven ski lifts, some 13 miles of groomed downhill runs, and endless miles of backcountry trails.

Further south, the town of Metsovo, about 25 miles east of Ioannina, is also a center for skiing and snowboarding. It features three small ski areas that double as centers for alpine hiking in summer when the snows melt.