Weekend Escape to Koukouli: Nature, History, and Adventure in Zagori

Accommodation

Housed in charming stone buildings restored in 2009, Nikolas’ Guesthouse (Tel. (+30) 26530.717.21, koukouli.com) offers double, triple, and quadruple rooms, all with fireplaces and simple, rustic elements that recall a traditional Zagori home. Additionally, Tritoxo (Tel. +30) 26530.717.60, tritoxo.gr) provides independent residences and a variety of room types. It has its own taverna where you can sit by the fireplace or in the courtyard and enjoy local dishes. Ourania Guesthouse (Tel. +30) 26530.715.55) is a brand-new property with four luxurious apartments featuring kitchens and views of the mountains.

Food

Frantzato (Tel. (+30) 694.908.3545) is the village’s new and sole traditional café, named after the improvised shelters built by shepherds to relax in midday. Under the plane tree, you can have tsipouro with delicious meze, pies, and everyday home-cooked dishes, or a coffee and dessert. Michalis in the neighboring village of Kipi (Tel. (+30) 26530.716.30) is a good option if you’d like to eat in the area, but it’s worth traveling a little further to the equally picturesque town of Dilofo for Lithos restaurant (Tel. (+30) 26530.226.00), also known as “Takis’ place.”

Koukouli is located 450 km (5 hours) from Athens and 290 km (3½ hours) from Thessaloniki.