GEOPARK OF METEORS AND PYLI

Since 2024, this 2,409 ^km2 protected area (Γεωπάρκο Μετεώρων-Πύλης/Geoparko Meteoron-Pylis) has been included in Unesco's Global Geoparks Network. It is part of Greece's largest national park, Tzoumerka-Acheloos-Agrafa-Meteora, which extends over 3,380 ^km2 in the Pindus massif between Thessaly and Epirus, with the city of Ioannina as its administrative center. While the most spectacular area is that of the rocky columns of Meteora, the geopark extends mainly to the west of Pyli. The western part offers superb panoramic views: a small mountain road winds along the Acheloos River, then under the Katarachias (2,268 m), Pikrolakkos (2,181 m) and Tsouma Plastari (2,178 m) mountains to the grandiose Baros Pass (1,900 m), 96 km northwest of Pyli. In the south, near Pyli, the EO 30 road to Arta also offers beautiful scenery in the Portaikos gorge: after the bridges and waterfalls of Portaikos and Palaiokarya, a series of switchbacks leads to Stournaraiïka/Στουρναραίικα (350 inhabitants), 17 km west of Pyli. This village, 850 m above sea level, has a hotel, guesthouses and restaurants.

Vultures, bears and wolves. Continue 47 km past Stournaraiïka to Tzoumerka beach, in a beautiful meander of the Acheloos River crossed by a footbridge worthy of Indiana Jones' adventures. To the northwest of the geopark, Panagia/Παναγία (300 inhabitants) can be reached by road EO 6 from Kalambaka (40 km). The village has a hotel and an entrance to the Egnatia freeway, 22 km east of Metsovo. Along the way, the Analipsi tavern (28 km north-west of Kalambaka) is popular for its good, inexpensive food, fountain and store (honeys, jams, mushrooms...). Finally, 39 km northeast of Kalambaka, below Mount Antichasia (1,424 m altitude), the village of Mavreli/Μαυρέλι (180 inhabitants) adjoins the Kotroni Gerakariou ornithological reserve (1,892 ha), home to Egyptian vultures, short-toed eagles and pomarine eagles. The geopark is also home to bears, wolves, foxes, otters, chamois, wild boar and roe deer. More than 700 plant species can be found here, including oaks, plane trees, maples and pines, as well as rare flowers such as the Meteora allium (Allium meteoricum), chalcedonian lily (Lilium chalcedonicum) and turkey orcanet (Alkanna pindicola).