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The path from Giannochori to the peak of Alevitsa is a short trail but a very satisfying experience. We walk on an abandoned dirt road which has the form of a wide trail today.

This old alley follows accurately the pre-war mule track, winding up the rocky ridge, known today as Skala Giannochoriou (Giannochori Stairway).

We finally arrive at the peak of Alevitsa where we can distinguish the military building and outposts of the World War II. On the flat plateau of the peak we can now see the extensive fortification of the Civil War and other relevant constructions of the first post-war decade. Looking carefully, we notice the slopes around the peak to be intensively excavated and that a complex network of connected trenches is still clearly visible.

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The route from the road Kastoria – Nestori to the waterfall of Tsouka and the connection through the monastery of Tsouka with Nestorio is the most impressive and dense in visual elements route of the area of the eastern Mt Grammos.

We start our hike from the main road of Nestorio. There, we can find the relevant signpost, describing the route. We follow the clear and well marked trail along a densely forested section. Finally, we reach the base of the waterfall of Tsouka. Here, we can enjoy the beautiful landscape which constitutes of the fall itself, the riparian vegetation and a relaxing natural scenery.

We start hiking uphill towards the historical monastery of Tsouka. The main compartment of the church is built on the top of a monumental monolith. The katholikon is dedicated to the Virgin as Zoodochos Pigi (the Life-Giving Font). A few meters lower, we can spot the well-hidden and smaller monastery of Taxiarches (the Archangels).

After our visit to the monastery of Tsouka we follow the well-marked trail which goes around a beautiful area of flysch rocks with continuous fields and valleys. Depending on the season, we can depict small reptiles and unusual flowers on the rocky slopes while we can more easily find a great variety and number of orchids on the gentle, more earthy slopes. After we cross the main road to the village of Stena, we continue our path on smooth and lush slopes until we find ourselves in the area of Pirovolia, a location that hosted a artillery unit of the Civil War of 1945-1949. At this point, we start a descent towards the village of Nestorio. Soon we pass close to a climbing area and next to the old water supply of the village till we’re completing our route at the main square of the town.

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It’s quite common on the wider region of Grammos to meet small and almost abandoned settlements which reveal a former attempt of residential development. It’s also worth noticing that all these small villages were located in places well protected from the natural elements and hidden from the enemies back in time.

One of these old settlements is the village of Palea (Old) Kotyli. It is located in a well-hidden and protected place at the heart of the valley, rich in fresh waters and of high soil fertility. Today, there is no infrastructure remained except of the large church which is very well preserved.

From the village of Palea Kotyli a series of narrow trails and forest tracks takes us to a large plateau Livadia Kotylis.

When we reach the area of National Reconciliation Park we can follow the trail to the peak of Pyrgos Kotylis. This is a well-marked and clear trail section which ends at the fire watch tower at the top of the peak.

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The majority of the visitors tend to choose the forest track as the way to reach the lakes of Moutsalia (Arenes). However, in the heart of the dark forest, one can find another, more fascinating route, which is the old trail from Pefkofyto to the lakes plateau.

This trail is almost abandoned for the past few years, but we can still find some scattered marks, which lead us from Pefkofyto to the center of Grammos mountain.

This path begins at the center of Pefkofyto, next to a stone fountain. Soon we cross a small ravine and following a dirt road we reach a wide field. There we find the beginning of the trail we’ll follow. For the very first part, the trail follows a long forest opening and later on it maneuvers in a young, dense fir stand. After we cross a small meadow, we start going upwards, facing some small technical difficulties, until we climb the rocky slope and arrive at the next trail section. This part is much clearer and easier. We hike until we find ourselves in a high forest of black pines. After twisting through the forest, we reach the forest road Chrysi – Arenes. This road will take us to a secondary, smaller forest track which comes from Aetomilitsa and goes to Arenes. We follow it until we finish our route at the lakes of Arenes.

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Vlachostrata used to be an old mountainous way of the caravans. The ethnic populations of Vlachs, Sarakatsani or other nomad sub-groups were using these trails to migrate, find resources, trade and move their large herds.

Particularly, Vlachs used to approach the wider area of Mt Grammos via Thessaly, while the subgroup of Sarakatsani came up from the coastal zones of Ipirus. They were entering the mountain from the East or from the South and they were approaching the trail of Vlachostrata at the entry point of Lianotopi. After crossing over the majestic double stone formation which encircles the gorge of Grammosta, they ended their journey at the village.

Nowadays, only one small part of this long distance trail has survived. The route starts at the area of Lianotopi and ends at the village of Grammosta. It passes from the location called Portes (“doors”), just above the southern outcrop of the Grammosta canyon, framing the upper zone of Aliakmon river. This old route is in some places 2 meters wide ad is stone paved, whereas in other parts it has turned into a narrow dirt trail.

The trail goes uphill from Lianotopi, following the mild lines of the landscape, towards Portes, where we can find a large stone shrine.  Then, we go mildly downwards, maneuvering in the center of the basin. We continue following the trail which is now narrower and less clear, crossing the beautiful fields close to the southern banks of the river.

Just before we arrive at the village we should find a recently built shanty. A narrow and short alley which soon turns into another short trail section takes us to the large road bridge of Grammosta and to the heart of the settlement.

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The Nosokomio Antarton (Rebels hospital) where this route ends was built and used by the rebels during the Civil War in 1945-1949. It is most obvious monument among the many built infrastructure which the Democratic Army of Greece left behind in the area of Mt Grammos.

It is located at the eastern gate of the Aliakmon gorge, lower from the passage of Portes. Part of the hospital services were provided in a cave, under the shade of the majestic rocks, at a narrow and well-hidden zone where the relief is mild and protected from the shootings and aircrafts.

The easiest way for the hiker to reach the area of Nosokomio Antarton  cave is from Lianotopi. This beautiful trail goes uphill following gentle slope in the heart of a black pine forest. After a while, we arrive at the beginning of a forest track. Very soon, we find a forest openning on our right hand side where another smaller forest track goes downhill towards the entrance of the gorge. This small alley leads us to another plateau. There, we can see the ruins of some large buildings of the hospital. From this point, a very narrow and quite exposed earth path lead us to the largest of the caves used as treatment sites.

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In the wider region of Mt Grammos one can find many sub-alpine lakes, decorating the wild and rough landscape like turquoise jewelry. Among them, one is the most well-known and most frequently visited. This is Gistova lake, the highest in elevation lake of Greece, located at 2350m, at the northernmost edge of the ridge on the borders with Albania.

The ascent to the lake starts from the village of Grammosta and follows a sequence of livestock farming paths on the open and wavy landscape of meadows. After we cross a plateau with smaller alpine lakes, we continue on another hardly clear trail section heading towards the ridge.

In order to reach the basin of the lake we need to walk shortly downwards. From the slopes around us, we can enjoy the majestic view to the Albanian countryside but also to the northernmost mountains of Ipirus, ie Mt Smolikas and Mt Gamila.

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Lake Gistova is one of the three major alpine lakes of Greece. It is located in the eastern part of Grammos, above the village of Grammos or Gramosta and close to the highest peaks of the mountain, Perifanos and peak 2520.

From the village of Grammos (or Gramosta), we take the country road toward Lefka. At an elevation of 1,850 m, where there is a stone wayside shrine, the road forks: the right fork leads to the Barouga Pass, while the left fork leads to the Fagou meadow. We can also reach this point via the trail that leads up to Gistova.

At the fork, we take the left branch and walk along the dirt road until we reach the first prominent ridge, where there is a sturdy red tin shack.

At the hut, we leave the road and head uphill along a small ridge, following an indistinct path. Turning left, we wind through beautiful meadows with streams and orchids. From the end of the meadow, we can choose the best route among the various indistinct trail traces: we select the path with the gentlest slope, which bypasses a steep slope and leads us to the middle of the three ravines in this area. Through the gentle ravine, we reach the vicinity of the Gistova Pass, where we join the trail from the 2520 and descend into the lake basin.
When there is still snow on the mountain, it is best to stay closer to the ridge line.

We’ll find water in the area’s streams.

Although the dogs on Grammos are not dangerous, it’s best to avoid the herds—and especially the sheepfolds—by taking a wide detour outside the animals’ range of concern.

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If we take one look at the broad basin of Grammosta village we can clearly say that it’s a wide grazing pasture. Back in time, this extensive meadow used to be covered by stock-farming infrastructure where the farmers and breeders spent their summer, following a nomadic way of life.  One of their most preferable spots was the meadow Friga, well known for its rich springs.

The condition of the old trail which starts from Grammosta village and leads to the meadow of Frigka was improved after the end of the WWII, since it served as the connection to the first aqueduct of the settlement. This aqueduct was a pipe of clay tubes which transferred the fresh potable water to the houses.

From the spring Friga, follow sentle slopes to Gistova lake.

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The high and glorious peak «2520», or as the locals used to call, Tsouka Petsik, is the summit of Mt Grammos and the fourth highest peak of Greece. In the shape of a pyramid, it stands in the middle of a large complex of peaks and ridges of eastern Grammos and it can be reached with at least four different ways. 

The route which is going to be described here starts from the village of Grammosta, climbs up to the location Lefka and passes by the famous alpine lake Gistova.

From Gistova lake we walk along the ridge on the borders with Albania. Scrambling along this unpredictable terrain of steep slopes, snowy hillsides, rocky raised strips and scree slopes, we reach the peak Anonimi ( 2414m). Soon, we reach the northern crest of the peak “2520” where we start the main ascent on the sharp rocky edge. This ascent includes some basic knowledge of scrambling. We follow the red marks. There is also another much easier choice which follows a clearer trail at the western part of the peak.

In order to return back to the village of Grammosta we cross the meadow of Leventiko where we see a small group of concrete huts.

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