Inside the Grand Canyon of Greece! Discover how Vikos Gorge in the little-known Zagori region is a hiker’s paradise (and a foodie’s paradise)

This is, by some standards, the deepest gorge in the world. Awesome, echoing, grandiose and densely forested, from fearsome depths to snow-capped peaks. But where is this? America? Australia? China?

If you look closer, you will see ancient monasteries clinging to the sides of the steep slopes. And those ornate, medieval, Orthodox Christian monasteries will give you an idea. This is Greece.

Specifically, it concerns the Vikos Gorge in the Pindus Mountains of historic Epirus, an area called Zagori in the northwestern corner of mainland Greece.

Few people come here, but Zagori is enormously seductive: like a kind of rugged Greek Tuscany, right down to the 46 stone villages, the halloumi-under-the-oaks taverns, the turbulent history of smugglers, bandits and poets (Byron loved of the area), and its beautiful hiking, skiing, kayaking and climbing opportunities.

A good place to base yourself is the spectacular end-of-the-road village of Mikro Papigo, which overlooks the receding valleys and has a wall of astonishing rock peaks in the background.

Maybe sip an ice-cold Macedonian Vergina beer on the high rock terrace of the Pinocchio café, then settle into a homely bed at Dias House, which serves hearty mountain cuisine – think veal marinated in red wine, or crispy roast pork with game meat. oregano.

You need these calories because you are active the next day. This is a place you’ll want to explore and one of the best ways to do this is to put on your walking boots. Zagori has several marked trails – get a map from the tourist offices – from short treks that take you to sacred groves, fortified churches and crystal-clear swimming ponds, to epic, day-long yomps, which require mobility and endurance.

For example, you can trek all the way to the bottom of the Vikos Gorge and get to the other end, but this is not for the faint of heart.

Call of the wild: Sean Thomas hikes the Vikos Gorge (photo) in Zagori, northwestern Greece

Sean says if you’re planning a visit to Zagori, the village of Mikro Papigo (seen here) is a good base

Mikro Papigo ‘looks over the receding valleys’ and has ‘amazing rocky peaks’ in the background

Above, the Aristi Bridge and the ‘beautiful turquoise’ waters of the Voidomatis River

Slightly less ambitious, perfect for a family and exceptionally beautiful, is the half-day walk along the Voidomatis River valley, which starts at a narrow road bridge below the village of Aristi and then runs between whispering maple forests and Ice Age caves. The walk is easy, but this is truly wild country: eagles, wolves, boars, lynx and even brown bears patrol the remote environment.

Meanwhile, the river itself is a thing of beauty: it comes to life from a series of jubilant springs in the Vikos Gorge, then ripples and ripples – icy cold, dazzling and beautifully turquoise, before disappearing forever under a graceful Ottoman bridge, about a three-hour walk away through the valley.

Bring a picnic, spread a blanket, share a bottle of wine in the shade of the ancient forest; Then call for a car to take you home.

Most hotels are happy to arrange this luxury.

One hotel, about a five-minute drive from the Voidomatis walk starting point, is the Aristi Mountain Resort, complete with indoor pool, sauna, bijou spa and ‘neo-Greek cuisine’ using local ingredients.

Sean reveals that Aristi Mountain Resort (pictured) is a five-minute drive from the starting point of a family-friendly walk along the Voidomatis River valley

Sean recommends visiting Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (seen here), a few hours southwest of Zagori

In the evening you can also walk from the Aristi hotel to the local village (it takes about ten minutes), where you will find three good tavernas. These can get quite raw, as Athenians from their second homeland guzzle their Mamos beer.

This beautiful corner of Greece has so many options. You could head southwest for a few hours and see the awe-inspiring monasteries on the peaks of Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the locals look up to the monks, and the monks alone look up at the sky.

You’ll almost certainly want to end your trip on Epirot’s alluring coastline: try bustling Preveza, beautiful and Venetian Parga, or the little gem Sivota, which is sleepy even in high season.

But for now, just sit back and enjoy that memorable view. It is, in my opinion, the deepest, possibly the largest gorge in the world. Go see it for yourself.