Monodendri-Agia Paraskevi-Ancient Hermitage
This trail is set in the Vikos Gorge and the views from the Monastery of Agia Paraskevi are just breathtaking! Vikos is the deepest gorge in the Guiness Book of Records and you can certainly see why. The monastery is located near Monodendri, a quaint mountain village of Epirus, and the walk from the village to the monastery is lovely and easy for everyone. The hard part starts after you pass the monastery and leads to an ancient hermitage. This part is considered the most demanding and dangerous trail in the entire country.
It is a narrow passage on the edge of the cliff that runs parallel to the gorge of Vikos. Its width in some places barely allows one person to walk while the depth of the adjacent canyon exceeds 500 meters. The approximately 500-meter-long path is carved into the rock and leads to an ancient hermitage and some caves where for centuries they were used as places of worship by monks. During the Turkish occupation, the caves provided a safe refuge for the people of the surrounding villages. Hiking this trail is at your own risk, as stated by a sign at the beginning of the route. This route is not recommended for the elderly, people with mobility issues, people with a fear of heights, and young children. This part of the path is so scary, that many people only walk the first two hundred meters, and then return to the monastery. Landslides are also common, so you have to be very careful.
If you find yourself in the area, do not miss visiting the historic monastery of Agia Paraskevi, built on the edge of the cliff, and the charming village of Monodendri which is just a few meters away from the monastery.















































