Author: Sharon

Dion was an ancient city in Greece at the foothills of Mt. Olympus. Today we visited the park and archaeological museum. This beautiful mosaic found on-site is now in the museum.

The park is sprawling and much work is still being done to find and conserve artifacts.

This is just one of the many statues recovered in the Sanctuary of Demeter.

The poppies growing between the rocks of the ancient wall look like splashes of red paint!

After our visit to Dion we took a short drive to one of the beaches on the Aegean Sea for a late lunch.

We ordered grilled sardines (not pictured) and another tasty Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers, red onions, olives plus feta with fresh herbs.

This morning our view of snow-capped Mt. Olympus was clearer compared to the cloudy skies yesterday.

Greece has it all–mountains, sea, delicious food and interesting museums!

Tomorrow we’ll drive to the seaport city of Kavala–about two hours away.

Today is dear Larry’s birthday and we’re celebrating quietly in the town of Litochoro. Just behind us is Mt. Olympus! It’s Greece’s highest and most majestic mountain AND home of the 12 Olympian gods!

It’s a little cloudy today but Mt. Olympus is the snow-capped peak in the center.

May 1 is International Labour Day. In Greece this day is also a celebration of spring, nature, and flowers. Traffic was heavy this morning as most things are closed and families were heading to the beach for relaxing or the countryside for picnics.

It’s a tradition here to make a wreath of hand-picked flowers to hang on the front door to welcome nature and all good things. Our friend at the hotel made this pretty one for the front door of the reception area.

We had a very nice stay at Agnanti Hotel in Afissos. Anastasia our new friend at the hotel picked fragrant lavender roses and gave them to us as we left today.

We love the friendly Greek people! We’re having a swell time!

Happy May Day!

We’ve spent the last couple of days driving around this region exploring small mountain and seaside villages. Some are not so easy to access and we’ve learned that each one requires a walk through the center of town to find the hidden gems.

Today we visited the village of Milies. A plain white building the Agion Taksiarchon Church contained the most beautiful frescoes!

Our kind guide gave us very interesting historical information about the church. It took the artist, a monk from Mt. Athos, 33 years to complete the frescoes. Many design details make for amazing acoustics. Larry demonstrated by singing a Gregorian chant beautifully! A trip highlight!

Yesterday we drove to the very southern tip of the Pelion Region to the fishing village of Agios Kiriaka.

The coastline along the way is stunningly beautiful.

Agios Kiriaka was the perfect stop for a seafood lunch. Larry says that his grilled octopus reminded him of a old bicycle inner tube he used to chew on sometimes. Our server assured us that he caught it himself that very morning!

A view of Agios Kiriaka.

Fishing boats in the harbor.

We’ve spent 4 nights in Afissos so it’s time to move on–a new base and a new region. We’re heading for Litochoro and Mt. Olympus!

Legend has it that this mountain was the summer resort of the Gods of Olympus.

We see why as it’s so beautiful here. Our base is the village of Afissos–our hotel is on a hillside above the Pagasitikos Gulf. The Aegean Sea is just over the mountain.

This morning we visited the Saturday morning market in Argalasti. We bought a small wooden cutting board from a local craftsman with a happy smile.

Wishing we could bring home a boatload of local olive oil and honey.

The town square in Argalasti is a great place to relax.

Many roads in the Pelion region are narrow and curvy. I’m grateful for Larry’s nerves of steel–he’s doing an amazing job of driving!

We are excited to explore here–we’re enjoying the beautiful seascapes and lush flowers!

We are still amazed by the arched bridges in the Zagori region. Here is just one more!

There are several excellent museums in Ioannina. We visited the Archaeological Museum today. It’s always interesting to see how docents in other museums manage groups of children. There are plenty of open spaces here so kids can view artifacts and then sit for a hands-on activity and discussion.

A new museum near our hotel is the Silversmithing Museum housed in the castle of Ioannina. The exhibits are nicely presented and we learned much about the history and technology of silversmithing!

This afternoon there are dark clouds over the city and thunderstorms are possible. The black metal cage to the left side of the mosque is the gravesite of hero/villain Ali Pasha.

We’ve found lots to do and see in Ioannina and nearby. Our hotel is on a quiet street and this is our route as we return from dinner. Older ladies in the neighborhood greet us, ask where we’re from, do we have children…it’s very nice.

Tomorrow we’ll pack up our small VW rental car and drive 4 hours to the seaside village of Afissos!

This scenic area of Greece is dotted with traditional villages, monasteries and hiking trails. We drove about 45 minutes north of Ioannina to reach the village of Monodendri.

Spring is a perfect time to visit as temps are still cool and wildflowers are in bloom.

We found stunning vistas of Vikos Gorge around every turn.

One shortish hike took us to the “eagle’s nest” monastery built on the edge of the gorge. Ayia Paraskevi Monastery with beautiful frescoes was built in 1412!

Hiking down into the gorge is popular with experienced trekkers. We decided to leave it to the sheep and hikers who were wearing better footwear than us!

Kipi is another traditional village with 60 stone arch bridges–thrilling to see and to walk across. This one was built in 1764!

And this triple built in 1865.

We’ve had a spectacular day and recommend this region to anyone who loves nature and hiking!

We didn’t know much about this city but it seems a good base for exploring the region. Located on Lake Pamvotis, Ioannina doesn’t have the charm of Kastoria or Metsovo but this city has an interesting history.

The Fethiye Tzami--an intact Greek mosque, houses the Municipal Museum and nearby is the gravesite of Ali Pasha. Ali P. entertained Lord Byron here at his seraglio.

An interesting feature of the mosque is the beautiful mihrab.

And highly decorated rotunda.

The city of Ioannina has a centuries-old silversmithing tradition. The Silverwork Hall houses many beautiful examples.

We’re staying inside the Old Town wall at Its Kale Boutique Hotel. We’re pleased with the location and comfortable, large room.

The weather has warmed to 81 degrees and the skies are blue. We’ll be here 3 nights. Tomorrow we’ll take a day trip to the Vikos Gorge in the Zagori region!

It’s quiet today. We’ve spent the morning walking around the village. It’s early spring here so many flowers are in bloom.

Our first stop–The Averof Art Gallery which has an impressive collection of 19th and 20th-century works by Greek painters, sculptors, and photographers. The classroom for children is bright and cheery. Works by young artists were prominently displayed!

On our way to the winery (closed today) we found the cathedral–here in black and white.

Last stop on our morning walk was lunch! Gyros!

Tomorrow we pack up and head for our next stop–Ioannina!

There were many interesting things to see and we had a memorable stay. The Byzantine Museum was a highlight. This image of St. George was from the second half of the 14th Century.

The interesting and unique architecture of the city has many Ottoman influences.

But this morning it was time to pack up for the short drive to Metsovo. The motorway called Egnatia Odos is very modern and it was an easy drive. Here is a view of downtown Metsovo.

The snow capped Pindos Mountains in the background made us feel like we’d arrived in the Switzerland rather than Northern Greece!

We visited a local museum in a mansion that was owned by a wealthy family in town. Our tour was in English and the guide was very informative!

Our next stop was to be to a 30-minute hike to a monastery nearby.

The hiking path steeply declined and we were fearful that we wouldn’t have the mo-jo to make the climb back up! Larry kept mentioning “heart attack”.

This is us, happy with our decision to turn back. Perhaps we can drive there tomorrow.

While Metsovo is touristy, it has its charms. Tomorrow we’ll tour a local art gallery and vineyard! For now, we are settled into our room in the Aroma Dryos Eco & Design Hotel.

Cheers!

We’ve been hiking around the city today. It’s not straightforward as the city is situated on a hill surrounded by the lake. Its a hike up and down on narrow, curvy streets to get around. Sometimes we find steep stairways that connect one level with another. It’s fun to explore! The city is clean and beautiful…here’s the view of Lake Orestiada from our hotel.

We visited the recently renovated Byzantine Museum and were surprised by the impressive collection of icons from the many Byzantine churches in Kastoria. This one showing the Patron Saint of Vintners.

We found the Saturday market with local honey, herbs, fruits and vegetables for sale.

Along the way, we met this long-time resident. She’s lived here for 83 years and sweeps the walkway of the Byzantine Church in the background.

It’s early spring season so lilacs and iris are in full bloom– these on the grounds of another one of the Byzantine churches.

We’ve had a great time here in Kastoria but tomorrow we move to our next stop–Metsovo!