05/02/2008
THE METSOVO AREA/SETTLEMENTS

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Built amphitheatrically at an altitude of 1160 meters. the traditional settlement of Metsovo proudly spreads its way down the verdant slopes and blends into the rich vegetation f the Metsovitikos River. With its stone mansions, twenty fountains, modest churches and verdant square it welcomes excursionists and travelers who have been stopping here to rest since antiquity. The excellent cuisine with the quality wines and cheeses are a wonderful reward. Lovers of tradition and folklore will be able to buy complicated specimens of the local wood carvings and textiles while a visit to the Folkloric Museum is tantamount to a course in ethnography. Art lovers can visit the Averoff Gallery which houses an extensive collection of Greek art from the 19th century to today. On winter weekends, snowy Metsovo fills up with skiers who ski at the two neighboring ski resorts. In the summer, the music of clarinets and the voices of women chanting in the Vlach language permeates the square, while locals and visitors dance in pairs (the sinkathisto) or in circles reviving ancient rhythms. Often the lyrics speak of actual events, such as the kidnapping of the Lady by the bandit Thimios Gakis.
* traditional settlement, handicrafts, architecture, ski resort, musical and dancing tradition