It’s the tall, imposing, mountain tops of Zygos, Peristeri, and Katara that surround it. It’s the calm majestic nature of Pindos that envelops it. It’s also the cobbled main square with the age-old plane trees, the smell of grilled meat coming from the taverns, the elderly Metsovites with their traditional costumes (every year fewer) quietly observing the constant comings and goings of visitors. Metsovo is full of contradictions and that’s why each visit has a completely different feel. Metsovo receives, all year round, a steady influx of visitors from Europe and, of course, the neighbouring Balkans.
Built at 1156 m. altitude it appears ready to roll into the river, but that’s just a beautiful impression. This village stands strong in its spot, holding tight on the new prosperity that started in the 1950s due to the great Metsovite Evangelos Averoff-Tossizza.
After centuries of trading and financial prosperity, this great Vlach village, declined and lacked life and activity and would not have reached these renewed heights without the generous “dowry” of 1.700.000 dollars offered by the expat Metsovite Baron Michael Tossizza to the “Baron Michael Tossizza Foundation”. Under the exemplary management, for 40 years, of Evangelos Averoff, the Foundation has achieved miracles, and the vibrant village-jewel, with 2.500 residents of today is the result.*
The village’s traditional Epirotic architecture – stone-built houses with slate tiled roofs, even though with time tiled roofs are becoming more popular – the cobbled downhill streets, the numerous souvenir shops, the many meat taverns, the smell of wood burning, the music, all speak of a first-class tourist destination. Add to the above the three ski centres in the winter, what one expects to see is a place altered by tourism, stripped of its soul.
But this is not the case. You will surely enjoy the rich meat dishes, the great cheeses, the fine wines, the walks, the crystal-clear air, the deep green of the surrounding nature and in general the good infrastructure. But you’ll also enjoy the cultural features of this land with all the exciting things it has to offer.
Averoff Museum / Photo: Jean Housen – commons.wikimedia.org
What to see
First and foremost, you must visit the Metsovo Folk Art Museum (0030 26560 41084). It’s housed in the fully renovated three-storey mansion of the Tossizza family that was built in the 17th century. It’s not just a display of (lovely) objects of past eras, but it’s an introduction to the way of life and the habits of a very rich and cosmopolitan family which was typical of the wealthy Metsovites. On the third floor, you can see the study of Evangelos Averoff- Tossizza that remains exactly as it was the last time he used it.
The permanent exhibition of the Averoff Museum (0030 26560 41210) includes typical works of Greek artists. The opportunity to see works of some of the most important Greek painters, engravers and sculptors of the 19th and 20th century collected in one place is an incredibly pleasant surprise. The collection includes paintings by Gyzis, Lytras, Thalia Flora-Karavia, Parthenis, Vassileiou, Fassianos, Samios, as well as sculptures and engravings, and it is constantly added to.
The space that houses the Katogi Averoff Winery (0030 26560 31490) can be considered an art installation. Ambient light, screenings of films about the vineyard and wine production, while you move between the oak barrels. The highlight is a super modern wine bar where you can try all the Katogi Averoff Estate wines with the guidance of an experienced sommelier.
All the trees, and the flora of Pindos in general, thrive in the Averoffio Garden, a few metres away from the busy main square. It’s a stunning, calm, park that spreads 10.000 square metres, with the chapel of Agios Georgios – a domed basilica with icons that date back to 1700 – in the centre. You can sit on a bench and admire the tall mountain tops in the horizon, while if you have children they can play at the playground.
Outside the village
The walk to the artificial Aoos lake in the Politsas mountain range (20 km from Metsovo) at 1.350 m. is amazing. This artificial lake with the idented coastline and small fjords and islands is the largest mountain lake in the country. There are 7 damns around it and the surrounding landscape is gorgeous with creeks, valleys, small lakes, and beech forests.
An interesting trip is a visit Anthochori, to see the Hydrokinetics Museum and the nerotrives (washing mechanism) that the locals still use to wash their carpets and textiles, and have a coffee, eat and buy traditional products with the water running right next to you, on site.
Closer to the village, in the Metsovitikos gorge, you can visit two enchanting monasteries. The monastery of Agios Nikolaos is on a beautiful slope, surrounded by vines and, according to tradition, was built in 1332. The altar dates to the end of the 17th century and the frescoes to the 18th century, while some are signed by the famous Metsovite iconographer Stergios Papagiannis. The Kimisis tis Theotokou monastery is closer to the river, in a very picturesque location, with a bridge and a nerotrivi. It was built in the 17th century and inside you can see frescoes and icons from 1754.
At the ski centres
For the ski afficionados, Metsovo is an ideal destination. Starting at the fully updated ski centre in Anilio, now named Anilio Adventure Park (1680-1850 m) you can enjoy nine ski runs for skiers and snowboarders of every level. You can also just relax at the “Chalet Chamois” in a cosmopolitan environment enjoying a delicious bite to eat and taking in the view of the pistes through the large windows.
Politsies in Profitis Ilias (1360-1620 m) is ideal for beginners, and it offers a chalet with a restaurant and a café, ski schools, ski rental shops, and snowmobiles for rides on the snow. Karakoli – known by most as “the teleferic” – is the oldest teleferic in Greece and has been in operation since 1968 (1340-1520 m.), it has a single-seater lift that is 800 m long, and two easy ski runs. It’s small and “ideal for the family”, with no waits.
Where to eat
The Tossizza Foundation Dairy is unrivalled in dairies in Metsovo. What’s new is that the parmesan they used to make only small quantities of, has now been included in the regular production schedule. It’s made of 100% cow’s milk, it matures for at least 24 months, sometimes even for three years. The parmesan from Metsovo will be available in shops in the beginning of the new year under the name “Rezzana Tossizza”.
There’s also the very special Metsovone cheese, a smoked cheese made of cow’s milk, as well as the not very well-known chevre type (100% goat’s milk) cheese with whole pepper grains, that is also exceptional.
Metsovela is also interesting (mainly to be made into saganaki – traditional way of preparing a dish in a small frying pan using tomato sauce, often spicy – or grilled) and the mild graviera. A new product is the “Geladisio” that is a semi-hard cheese made with 100% cow’s milk.
You can find all of the Tossizza Foundation Dairy’s products in the village shops, plus the butter and most of the cheeses are also served at the taverns.
As far as wine is concerned you can enjoy all the wines of the Katogi Averoff winery, as well as the Zitsas wines that are produced in Ioannina vineyards. If you’re interested in something more special and rare, look for the “Imperator” wines made from the vineyards of the Voutsa Monastery below the artificial lake of Aoos.
For local and Epirotic cuisine without flourishes, go to the tavern “Galaxias” on the main square (0030 2656041202): handmade pies, trachanas (a traditional kind of pasta made with flour milk or yogurt), meatballs with leeks, boiled goat, plus game, and wild mushroom dishes depending on the season.
For grilled meats and sausages there’s also “Tzaki”(0030 26560 42702) on the main square: local meats, lots of skewers, kokoretsi (traditional dish with intestines wrapped around offal), and various grilled meats.
For fine dining (yes, Metsovo has a gourmet restaurant too) the restaurant “Metsovo 1350m.” at the hotel “Grand Forest Metsovo” (0030 2656 300500) makes a difference. The multi-award-winning chef Gkikas Xenakis is in charge of the kitchen and creates unique flavours drawing inspiration from the local products and gastronomy.
Accommodation
The five-star destination-hotel “Grand Forest Metsovo”, inside a black pine forest, is amphitheatrically built to have a panoramic view of Metsovo. It has a heated pool, a spa, huge French windows, a fireplace and a nice bar at the lobby, and it offers many amenities for guests (excursions, truffle hunting, etc). Another plus is the gourmet restaurant “Μetsovo 1350m.” curated by the multi-award-winning chef Gkikas Xenakis.
“Aroma Dryos Eco & Design Hotel” (0030 26560/29008, 0030 6937592419) is an example of traditional architecture on the exterior with comfortable, elegant rooms combining modern and classic. “Katogi Averoff” (0030 26560/42505, 26560/41684) is housed in a stone building at the edge of the village. It’s simple and minimal, with wooden furniture made by artisans from the village, and decorated with paintings by Greek painters.
The three-storey “Arhontiko Metsovou Boutique Hotel” (26560 29100-1), is next to the main square. It’s a pet friendly hotel with large rooms with a fireplace with nice views of Pindos mountains and the village.
*The strange story of Evangelos Averoff and Michael Tossizza.
Evangelos Averoff couldn’t stand seeing his homeland in ruins in 1935 and he looked for rich people with origins from Metsovo to help save the village. He got in touch with the extremely wealthy expat Baron Michael Tossizza who lived permanently in Europe. They corresponded for 10 years until he managed to convince him to offer help. He convinced him and they became friends. Tossizza agreed to fund Metsovo’s rescue on the condition that he would adopt Averoff so that his name would live on, as he had no children. Averoff agreed on two conditions: he could also keep his surname and he would not get anything from Tossizza’s great fortune, so that no one could say that he did what he did for personal gain. So, Averoff became Evangelos Averoff-Tossizza and Metsovo was saved.
