This is a mountainous region, including the dramatic Pindos range and the Panassos farther south, both favoured by avid walkers in search of fresh air and unspoiled beauty. The Pindos Mountains include an area known as Zagoria, where villages built of stone and slate are linked to each other by centuries old paths cut out of the harsh surroundings.

If you had to choose a single area of Greece that encapsulates all that is best about the country, it would have to be this central region. Modern beach resorts such as Parga dot the west coast, and important historical remains, such as those at Dodoni, are found farther inland.

Heading east to reach the coast, you find the picture-postcard scenery of a Greek idyll, complete with sandy beaches, fresh fish, and overwhelmingly friendly people. It is, however, still something of a secret to foreign visitors.