Grevena
Every autumn, for an entire weekend, the streets of Grevena fill with baskets brimming with porcini mushrooms, honey fungus, Caesa...
Updated 10 July 2026
Grevena
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This season · July · Summer
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The story
The story of Grevena
A province of forests and transhumance
Grevena is the smallest and most forested of the four regional units of Western Macedonia, with over half its territory covered by forests of beech, fir and black pine that climb up to the slopes of the northern Pindus. Its historic economy revolved around transhumant pastoralism: flocks that in summer moved up to the high-altitude pastures and in winter came down to the warmer plains, a cycle that shaped settlements, paths and even the language of some local communities. Even today the landscape retains this pastoral vocation, with herds and flocks dotting the pastures beneath the peaks of the Pindus.
History of a rebuilt province
Part of the wider Macedonian territory that came under Ottoman rule for centuries, Grevena was annexed to Greece in 1912-1913 along with the rest of the region. The capital town, however, bears few traces of this past: a great fire in the years after the Second World War destroyed much of the historic core, forcing an almost complete rebuilding in a modern style. This explains why anyone seeking the Ottoman or Byzantine architecture typical of Kastoria or Siatista will be disappointed here: the true historic heritage of Grevena must be sought not in the town but in the mountain villages and the surviving rural infrastructure, such as the stone bridges.
The Plaka bridge, a giant of stone
Built between 1913 and 1918 over the Venetikos river, the Plaka bridge is among the largest single-span stone humpback bridges in the Balkans, with an arch spanning more than forty metres. Built by local craftsmen specialised in the dry-stone construction technique, the bridge linked the trade and pastoral routes between Thessaly and Macedonia before the advent of modern roads. Damaged by a flood in 2015 and subsequently restored, it remains one of the most photographed symbols of the province, especially in autumn when the surrounding woods light up with colour.
The Northern Pindus National Park and the Valia Calda
Established in 1966, the Northern Pindus National Park protects, at its most precious core, the Valia Calda: a valley of almost virgin forest, dominated by centuries-old black pine, beech and fir, where populations of brown bear, wolf, roe deer and numerous birds of prey survive. It is one of the wildest and least human-impacted areas of all Greece, crossed only by hiking trails and with no permanent settlements within it, a stark contrast to the coastal, touristy Greece that most visitors know.
Samarina, the highest village in Greece
At over 1,550 metres above sea level, Samarina is the highest permanent settlement in Greece, historically inhabited by Vlach (Aromanian) communities devoted to transhumant pastoralism. The village, with its stone and wood houses built to withstand the country's harshest winters, still keeps the Vlach language alive among its older inhabitants and hosts in summer one of the most heartfelt traditional pastoral fairs in the region, when families return from the pastures for the community celebrations.
Smixi, Perivoli and Avdella, the Vlach villages of the Pindus
Around Samarina lies a small constellation of equally evocative Vlach villages: Smixi, with its stone houses and surrounding coniferous woods; Perivoli, gathered around a central square lively in summer; Avdella, linked to the memory of the sculptor Georgios Averoff. They all share an essential mountain architecture, an economy once based on pastoralism and today increasingly oriented towards hiking and winter tourism, and a strong sense of community identity that is most evident in the summer patron saint festivals.
Vasilitsa, high-altitude skiing
The Vasilitsa ski resort, among the highest in mainland Greece, spreads over slopes that exceed 2,100 metres in altitude, offering pistes that stay snow-covered longer than the national average. Its secluded position, far from major urban centres, makes it a destination loved especially by experienced skiers and by those seeking an authentic mountain experience, often combined with a stay in the nearby Vlach villages of Samarina or Smixi.
The mushroom festival
Every year, in autumn, Grevena celebrates its extraordinary mycological variety with a festival that draws visitors and experts from all over Greece: markets with dozens of species of wild mushrooms, tastings in the town's restaurants, identification workshops and traditional dishes based on sautéed or stewed mushrooms, often paired with mountain meat. Over the years it has become the province's most recognised identity event, capable of conveying the woodland vocation of the territory better than any monument.
When to go
Autumn, between September and November, is the richest season: foliage colours, mushroom picking and the dedicated festival coincide with temperatures still mild enough for walking. Winter brings abundant snow and opens the ski season at Vasilitsa, while summer is the best time to reach the high-altitude Vlach villages, often inaccessible or barely livable in the colder months, and for their patron saint festivals.
- Cross the Plaka bridge over the Venetikos river on foot
- Go trekking in the Valia Calda, the wild heart of the Northern Pindus
- Visit Samarina, the highest inhabited village in Greece
- Ski at Vasilitsa and spend the night in a mountain Vlach village
- Take part in the autumn mushroom festival in the capital town
- Wander among the Vlach villages of Smixi, Perivoli and Avdella
FAQ
Come si raggiunge Grevena?
Qual è il periodo migliore per il trekking nella Valia Calda?
Samarina è raggiungibile tutto l'anno?
Vale la pena visitare la città di Grevena?
Quanti giorni servono per la provincia?
È una meta adatta alle famiglie?
Getting there
- Aeroporto di Kozani "Filippos" (KZI), il più vicino, circa 1 ora di auto
- Aeroporto di Ioannina, sul versante epirota del Pindo, utile per chi arriva da ovest
- Aeroporto di Salonicco "Macedonia" (SKG), circa 2 ore e mezza di auto
- La Egnatia Odos attraversa la provincia collegandola direttamente sia a Ioannina e all'Epiro sia a Kozani e alla Grecia orientale, rendendo l'auto il mezzo di gran lunga più comodo per raggiungere Grevena e i suoi villaggi di montagna.
- I trasporti pubblici verso i villaggi valacchi come Samarina sono scarsi: un'auto a noleggio è praticamente indispensabile per esplorare davvero la provincia, soprattutto fuori stagione.
Perfect for
La Valia Calda e il Parco Nazionale del Pindo settentrionale, tra gli ultimi boschi primari della Grecia.
Il ponte di Plaka e i villaggi valacchi in pietra di alta quota.
Il festival dei funghi e la cucina di montagna a base di carne e formaggi.
Sci ad alta quota a Vasilitsa, tra i centri più elevati della Grecia.
Samarina, Smixi, Perivoli e Avdella, custodi di lingua e tradizioni aromene.
To see
