Monodendri is a traditional settlement with old houses and spots with beautiful view. The village is located near the Gorge of Vikos, in the National Forest of Vikos – Aoos, a protected area of extraordinary natural beauty.

Tradition used to say that those who walked on mountains and ravines should be careful not to encounter fairies, ogresses and other magical creatures that would take their speech, their minds or even their lives from them. Travelers should pay attention not to find themselves on a naked mountaintop, a glade or under a “monodendri” – a single, tall tree. “Don’t stop under a single tree, or rest under a pine tree and don’t play your flute on a dry mountaintop” some mother told her young shepherd son before he met the fairy and took her scarf, in the well known folk fairy tale. So, when a place is called “monodendri”, it carries along with its name, the description of a place as magical, a place of fantasy. Although “Monodendri” in Zaghori has changed over the years, it still remains a magical place. The beauty of nature in the gorge of Vikos leaves you speechless, without the fairies’ help.
On the route that starts from Monodendri and ends at the village of Vikos, the scenery is enchanting, as the age old path takes you to the gorge of Vikos and the sources of the river Voidomatis with its crystal clear water.

The church of St. Athanasios, which is in the center of the village and dates back to the early 1800s, is worth visiting. The Byzantine monastery of Aghia Paraskevi (1413 – 1414 AD) is near the gorge and is built on the edge of a cliff. Also worth the visit is the Rizario Handicraft Centre with a collection of beautiful traditional woven textiles.

Suggested activities: Trekking along the banks of the River Aoos. Excursion to the shelter of Astraka (3 hours) and from there walking to the unique Drakolimni (2 hours) and then to the summit of Gamila, at an altitude of 2.497 meters. Mountain bikes and short 4x4 trips to the neighboring villages and the mountain routes of the area. Rafting and kayak in the river Aoos. Hang gliding over the gorge of Vikos. For mountaineering excursions: ΕΟS Ioanninon (Greek Mountaineering Club of Ioannina) tel. 26510 22138.