I've never visited Zagori up until now. Well, the truth is that my mum insists otherwise but, if I have no recollection of being there or a selfie of myself dressed in layers to prove it, then to me this was my first time. My stay in Zagori was a brief dalliance, but now I think I am in love; Zagori stole my heart. Why? Here's a bunch of reasons why this fascinating place became my beloved R&R destination and why #mountainparadise is now my favorite hashtag!
The Greek hospitality needs no introduction. So, allow me to introduce you to the Zagorian hospitality. The kind that is sweet, unpretentious, genuine, straight from the heart. Nothing's too much here.
Scratch that last one out! The only thing of unreal proportions in Zagori are hydrangeas, but there's no such thing as too many hydrangeas, right? For people like me that flowers are everything in an Monetesque manner, being surrounded by massive blooms and huge stems of hydrangeas was something straight out of a fairy tale. I looked at them mesmerized. And I realized that my hydrangea pots back in my balcony in Athens, coupled with my effort to make them survive the heat were, well; pathetic.
When I wasn't occupied with staring at flowers, I think I ate my way around the villages of Zagori, and it was totally worth it! Mouth-watering pies, creamy risottos cooked with mushrooms (check out my previous post here and you'll get the bigger picture), fresh vegetables,all were delicious! That includes local wine too! Everything tasted so earthy because everything was so earthy. And I'm down to earth that way!
I'll work a metaphor here. Do you know how people say that some women are beautiful because of being very polished and some born that way? Or how fashion and style are two different things? Well, Zagori's a natural. It is pretty as it is. The nature is breathtaking and the architecture has such elegance and uniformity, a style of it's own, that makes it an all time classic.
Exquisite lodgings: check, spas: check, great restaurants: check!
If i ever turn this blog into a book, that's where I'll go to write it.
I'm sure of it now.