The central mainland - The Rough Guide to Greece - page 239

THE VLACHS
Europe's last semi-nomadic peoples the Vlachs have lived in the Píndhos Mountains for
centuries. Each summer, the melting of the winter snows finds the vast slopes here coming
alive with the sound of bells, as the Vlachs bring their flocks up from the plains to graze in
the mountains. Though the ethnicity of the Vlachs (from the ancient Germanic word for
“foreigner” Walh ) is a subject of much scholarly debate, most claim to be descendants of
Roman soldiers stationed here in Classical times, and they speak a Latin-derived, unwritten
language similar to modern Romanian. Today, although the Greek government keeps no
records of ethnicity, it is estimated that perhaps 40,000 Vlachs live in small communities
scattered throughout the Píndhos range, where you can still see shepherds wearing the
distinctive goat-skin cape and wielding their fanciful crook. In the remotest areas, traditional
Vlach pagan beliefs are only thinly overlaid with the Orthodox faith; many elderly women
still have a black cross tattooed on their foreheads, to ward off the evil eye, and their gossip
is rife with folktales of sorcery and curses.

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in the earliest days of Ottoman rule. Métsovo's continued prosperity and preservation
of some traditions is largely due to Baron Mihaïl Tositsas (1888-1950), Swiss-banker
offspring of a local family, who left his colossal fortune to an endowment that
supports industries, crafts and restoration work in and around the town.

Áyios Nikólaos
Daily 8.30am-1.30pm & 4-7.30pm • donation and/or purchase expected
The main attraction in Métsovo's surroundings is the stone monastery of Áyios
Nikólaos , signposted from the main platía but in fact thirty minutes' walk down just
south of town; it is reached just of the path toward Anílio, in a dramatic position on a
steep ravine. The monastery's katholikón , topped by a simple barrel vault, was built in
the fourteenth century to an unconventional plan; what might once have been the
narthex eventually became a yinaikonítis or women's gallery. Inside are some brilliantly
coloured frescoes dating from 1702, cleaned and illuminated courtesy of the Tosítsa
Foundation. A guardian family lives on the premises and receives visitors. You'll also be
shown the monks' former cells, with insulating walls of mud and straw, and the abbot's
less austere quarters.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION MÉTSOVO

By bus Métsovo is on the route between Tríkala and
Ioánnina. The bus stop is on the main platía.
Destinations Ioánnina (4 daily; 1hr 30min); Tríkala (2
daily; 3hr 30min).
By car The old Kalambáka-Ioánnina highway is now
superseded by the Vía Egnatía, seamlessly extending all the

way to the coast, linking Métsovo with Ioánnina and
Igoumenítsa.
Services The post office is on the main street 200m uphill
from the bus stop, with several bank ATMs scattered
between the two. There is no tourist office, so to some
extent hotel receptions provide that service.

ACCOMMODATION
Métsovo has a wide range of accommodation , with some 20 hotels plus quite a few dhomátia , nearly all en suite.
Outside Christmas/Easter weeks, the local festival (July 26) or August, you should have little trouble in getting a bed or
even bargaining indicated prices down.

Adonis T 26560 42300, W metsovohotels.com. Though
recently constructed, this hotel, just above the main square,
is a very successful re-creation of the local chalet style, with
thick stone walls and lots of woodwork. It offers some of the
largest, plushest rooms (almost all with i fireplace) in town,
some with hydromassage. Free wi-fi. €60
Bitouni T 26560 41217, W hotelbitouni.com. At the

top of the main street, the affable proprietor here speaks
fluent English, the result of eight years' residence in
London. Most rooms are wood-panelled and have balconies
with valley views; there are attic suites suit able for four,
plus a sauna. Home-made breakfast included. €50
Filoxenia T 26560 41021, E [e-mail]. Just behind
the grassy central-park hillock, these dhomátia (rooms) are