From Thessaloniki: Private Day Trip to Grevena and Valia Calda

Grevena is a beautiful Macedonian town where man coexists harmoniously with nature. The village is surrounded by high mountains, verdant forests, streams, rivers and creeks, impressive stone bridges and old churches. The National Park of Valia Calda, the Vasilitsa Ski Center and mushroom picking make Grevena a pole of attraction for nature and mountain lovers.

Begin your excursion around the city starting from its two main squares. At Eleftherias Square the stone clock tower dominates, this is known as Plateia Rologiou meaning Clock Square and Aimilianou Square is where the city’s heart pulsates.Visit the modern building of the Municipal Central Library located by the river where you will find the region’s historical documents; the old and restored Bousiou’s Mill; the Municipal Museum, which houses elephant bones and wild ox fossils as well as folklore exhibits; the Cathedral, where the Ecclesiastical Museum is housed. At Milia Village, only a short distance from Grevena, you will find the Natural History Museum containing a Gallery of Paleontology where you can see the worldwide largest mastodon tusks found in the area, which are officially entered in the Guinness book of records.

Suggested routes for Private Day Trip to Grevena

1st Route

The first route includes Valia Calda and with it the most famous places of escape of the prefecture. The village of Ziakas, the Cave, the gorge of Portitsa and its much photographed bridge, Orliakas with its enchanting colors, the bridge of Aziz-aga (the highest in Macedonia), the Vlach villages of Avdella and Perivoli and of course Valia Calda or alli “Warm Valley”, everything is here.

We can visit the bridge at Kagelia, Katsougiannis, Kleftis and Portitsa especially in autumn and winter. Hiking friends will try in the summer at the crossing of the gorge (route that includes swimming), the descent and ascent to the old cobbled path that leads to the gorge from the village of Spilaio, the many paths of Orliakas, the ascent to the lakes Flega or dozens more Valia Calda routes.

2nd Route

Four stone bridges, over fifteen villages, abandoned settlements of particular interest, compose the 2nd route. Dotsiko is the village that you must definitely visit, to admire the beautiful square and walk on its single-arched bridge, while in Kalloni and Dasyllio you will find the “stone face” of the place. The old churches and Lipsi are slowly being emptied of people, while the beautiful natural environment in Messolouri gathers more and more fans, who slide in the forests and waterfalls in summer. The route is also suitable for hiking, if you plan to leave the wheels and enjoy its countless trails.

3rd Route

Visit to the Paleontological Museum, walk in the old Milia, just two kilometers from the village, brick houses and churches with remarkable frescoes for those interested. A walk to Aliakmonas river, so relaxed, with that metal utensil of gold diggers in stock, if we believe the words of Pougueville (1806) who wrote that the gypsies extracted gold from the river. And you will not be disappointed because next to this river the corn and the smiles of the farmers are golden in summer.

4th Route

This route goes to the area of ​​Deskati and continues to Elassona. But before we get there we must definitely turn to a detour from the village of Panagia and 11km of asphalt road that will take us to the Holy Monastery of Zavorda. We leave the car in the parking lot of the Monastery, 100m. from it and after 15 minutes walk from the back of the Monastery, we reach opposite the hermitage of Saint Nikanora.

Then we will visit the Holy Monastery of Bunasia. We will ascend to the green slopes of Vounasa, just above Deskati, towards the Shelter. After 9.5km of road you can enjoy a wonderful coffee in the shelter at an altitude of 1500m. or have a picnic on the green slopes with water and covered areas for barbeque. We will continue to Deskati where you can get local cheese products, which you will not find anywhere else.

5th Route

The road of Krania is a unique route through forests with pines and large meadows “sown” with fern and green, which reaches the lakes of Aoos near Metsovo. So we can fearlessly, when instead of snow, the mountains light up with sweet colors of flowers to make the beautiful route and after you cool off at the fountain of the Garden to head after Krania right to Baltses. Cool off in Gyftovrisi just before enjoying the meandering springs at the top of Baltses. The same road before Baltses will lead us with wooden signs in the heart of the National Park if the course from Perivoli is not enough for you. Do not be surprised if you find yourself in front of a fallen pine or soil that has receded in the winter. Everything is in the program, in this (fortunately still) wild area of Greece.

6th Route

The winter Vasilitsa does not need special recommendations. What the winter visitor usually does not know is the spring, autumn or even the summer beauty of the route. We can reach the top of Vasilitsa, preferably in the morning or afternoon, and there make a complete rotation around yourself in a clockwise direction.

Most of the Greek mountains can be seen on the horizon: southwest to Ioannina is Gamila, to the right Smolikas, Vitsi, Vorras, Vermio, Pieria, Olympus, Pelion, Parnassos, the mountains of Karpenisi, Trigia , Koziakas and finally the peaks of Avgo and Flegka of Pindos. After this wonderful feeling, we will ascend to Samarina and Valia Kirna, the valley of the devil. On all these routes the small villages will rest you, they will offer you tsipouro and meze or dessert, usually under the plane tree of the square.

Stone Bridges of Grevena

The stone bridges of Grevena are the largest and most impressive in all of Macedonia. In 1995, after actions of the Prefecture of Grevena, the 11th Ephorate of Byzantine Monuments of Veria declared the bridges of the prefecture, protected monuments. Their style is generally the same. Important for the size of its arch (the largest in Macedonia) is the bridge of Aziz-Aga, which was built in 1727 and has a length of 70m. and height 15m.

Included

• Pick up and drop off service from your hotel in Thessaloniki
• Transportation by air-conditioned V.I.P. car or mini van
• Professional chauffeur (English-speaking)
• Wifi on board (free)
• Bottle of water and coffee during the route (free)
• After the trip you will receive with email edited photos and a small video of your trip.

Not Included

• Gratuities (optional)
• Guide who speaks your language
• Entrance fees

• Participants under the age of 12 must have a parent or guardian.
• Because there are many sights worth seeing but a day trip is not enough to visit all of them, before starting the trip we will present to you all possible sights to choose what you are more interest for.
• There are many beautiful sights. You are encouraged to bring a camera along. But if you don’t… we have a camera for you!
• Weather will not affect the operation of the tours.
• However if canceled due to unfavorable weather conditions, you will be given the option of an alternative date
• Pick up from your hotel in Thessaloniki
• Departure time: 09:00 am (approx.)
• Duration: 10 hours (approx.)
• Return details: Returns to original Pick up point