Zagorochoria

The Zagorochoria are 46 villages in the Zagori region of northwestern Greece, built over several centuries by a community that negotiated unusual degrees of autonomy under Ottoman rule and accumulated wealth through trade and a tradition of itinerant craftsmen working across the empire. The villages are constructed entirely of grey local limestone, with arched bridges, cobbled lanes, and tower houses organized around central squares with plane trees. The region's dramatic topography includes the Vikos Gorge, forested mountain passes, and a string of glacial lakes in the Papingo Rockpools.