Οι εποχές
Open all year, and never the same house twice
At 960 metres the seasons arrive late and leave firmly. The house was built for all four: a summer room at the top, a winter room around the fire, and walls thick enough for both. Here is what to expect, and what to pack.
Spring Άνοιξη
The snow goes back up Tymfi a little more each week, and the rivers are loud.
- Days
- Days of 12 to 20 °C, cold nights. The beeches come into leaf in the second half of April, lowest valley first, so for a few weeks the forest is two colours.
- Evenings
- Fires in the evening until early May. The frogs start in the pools below the village.
- In the kitchen
- Nettle and wild greens pie, lamb at Easter, the first sorrel, eggs from Kyra Froso’s hens down the road.
- Walking
- The best season for the bridges and the lower gorge. The high paths still have snow until late May.
- Bring
- Waterproofs and a warm layer. The paths are muddy after rain.
Summer Καλοκαίρι
Walking at dawn, swimming in the Voidomatis, dinner in the courtyard under the walnut.
- Days
- Days of 24 to 30 °C, but always ten degrees cooler than Ioannina. Thick stone walls keep the rooms cool without air conditioning.
- Evenings
- Cool enough for a blanket. On clear nights, more stars than you have seen since you were a child.
- In the kitchen
- Zucchini-flower pie, trout from the Voidomatis, cherries and then plums from the courtyard, courgettes from the garden in quantities that alarm Petros.
- Walking
- Start early. The high paths are open: the dragon lake on Tymfi, the Astraka refuge, the rock pools at Papingo.
- Bring
- A hat, sun cream, a swimsuit, and shoes that can get wet.
Autumn Φθινόπωρο
The beech forest turns copper from the top of the mountain down, and we light the first fire.
- Days
- Days of 14 to 22 °C, mist in the valley most mornings, burning off by ten. The best light of the year.
- Evenings
- Fires lit from the first of October. Chestnuts on the stove in the winter room.
- In the kitchen
- Pumpkin pie with raisins, wild mushrooms from the beech woods, trahana soup, quince in syrup, the new tsipouro from the village still.
- Walking
- The colours peak in the last two weeks of October. Every path is good; the Vikos gorge is at its best.
- Bring
- Layers. It can be summer at noon and winter at six.
Winter Χειμώνας
Snow on the slates, the house full of woodsmoke, and nobody on the paths but you.
- Days
- Days of −2 to 8 °C. Snow falls two or three times a winter and stays a week. Clear days are brilliant and very still.
- Evenings
- Every room has heating, and five have fireplaces. We lay the fire; you light it.
- In the kitchen
- Leek pie, bean soup, kid with prunes, hilopites with walnuts, rice pudding from Kyra Vangelio’s notebook. Dinner on request nearly every night.
- Walking
- Short walks to the bridges and through the forest. With snow, we lend snowshoes and walk the first one with you.
- Bring
- Warm boots and winter tyres or chains. We dry your boots overnight.
Which season should you come in?
Katerina says October. Petros says February, when the house is quiet and he cooks dinner every night. Kanela has no view, as long as someone throws the stick.
Ask for a room