Zagori: stone villages and the Vikos Gorge
From Igoumenitsa to Ioannina and into the Zagori, a region of stone bridges, slate-roofed villages and one of the deepest gorges in the world.
- Distance
- 127 km (79 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 45 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 9
- Countries
- Greece
- Updated
- June 10, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 127 km (79 mi) with 9 stops, from Igoumenitsa to Konitsa Bridge. About 1 h 45 min of driving in total.
Route description
From the ferry port of Igoumenitsa, the Egnatia motorway (tolls) climbs through tunnels to Ioannina, a lakeside town with an Ottoman citadel and a small island reached by boat. Stock up here, as supplies in the villages are limited.
North of Ioannina, the road into the Zagori passes the stone bridges of Kipi, arching over dry riverbeds in the forest. In Monodendri, a paved path leads to the cliff-edge monastery of Agia Paraskevi, and a road continues to the Oxia viewpoint over the Vikos Gorge.
To reach the Papingo villages you must go back towards the main road and take the hairpin road via Aristi and across the Voidomatis. The two Papingos sit under the grey walls of Astraka, with rock pools a short walk from the road; this is the place for a day’s hike into the gorge.
End in Konitsa, where a high single-arch bridge spans the Aoos at the mouth of its gorge. Zagori roads are narrow and winding, fine for campervans but slow for large motorhomes; late spring and autumn are the best seasons.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Igoumenitsa
Greece - 267 km
Ioannina
Greece - 329 km
Stone Bridges of Kipi
HistoryKipi, GreeceArched stone bridges from the 18th and 19th centuries over the gorges around Kipi, including the three-arched Plakidas bridge. Most are a short walk from the road.
- 46 km
Monodendri
Greece - 53 km
Oxia Viewpoint
ViewsMonodendri, GreeceA rocky balcony at the end of the road above Monodendri, looking straight down into the Vikos Gorge. Go in the morning for the best light.
- 69 km
Papingo
Greece - 71 km
Papingo Rock Pools
NaturePapingo, GreeceNatural pools carved by a stream in smooth limestone, a short walk from the road between the two Papingo villages. Cold even in August.
- 811 km
Konitsa
Greece - 91 km
Konitsa Bridge
HistoryKonitsa, GreeceA tall single-arch stone bridge over the Aoos at the mouth of its gorge. A riverside path leads on into the gorge to the monastery of Stomio.
