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Dilofo, although far from the limelight of the “tourist publicity”, is one of the most beautiful and best preserved villages in Zagorochoria. This of course in recent years is not so true since Dilofo has gained a prominent place in the preferences of visitors to the unique and unique region of Zagori. In Dilofo you will park your car outside the village and enjoy walking along its cobbled streets overlooking the traditional mansion houses and the slopes of the lush slopes of the mountains of Epirus.
find it quickly:
Access to Dilofo of Ioannina
It is located just 32 km north of the city of Ioannina and belongs to the central Zagori. Access to the village is very easy as long as you are careful of the signs that will lead you to it as it is not on the road. This feature, combined with the prohibition of cars passing through the settlement, has helped significantly in preserving the traditional character and authentic Zagori identity that make it stand out among the most and admittedly beautiful villages of Central Zagori.
To see the route you should take to Dilofo, click on the red marker on the map.
Dilofo is built on two verdant hills, hence its name, at an altitude of 880 meters. Until 1920 its name was Sopečeli or So(m)pocheli, which in Slavic means a place with lots of water. It has a long history as the settlement dates back to 540 AD and in the 15th century it consisted of 5 mahallas.
These were gradually united and gave the village its present form and location at the end of the 18th century. Since then not too much has changed in the particular image of the village.
The classification of the settlement as a traditional and preserved settlement has reinforced its unchanging character and only restorations and reconstructions of old buildings are allowed. Thus, the visitor to Dilofo has the opportunity to admire the Zagorian architecture by walking along beautiful and well-preserved cobbled streets.
These can lead to the top of a hill, with an impressive view of the settlement itself and the beautiful surrounding nature with the green slopes (autumn, spring and summer are the best seasons for bright colors) and the imposing forms of Tymfi and Mitsikeli.
Where are you eating at the Dilopho?
Another path, very close to the entrance of the village and down to the right, will bring you to the paved central square of the village and the imposing plane tree, under which, weather permitting of course, you will have the opportunity to sit and drink coffee or eat at the tavern “Sopotseli” which has been operating since 1901! Unfortunately, by October 2021, when we last visited the village, the tavern had closed for good. We hope it will reopen keeping its character. The photo above showing the tavern with the red door open is from a previous visit, in 2006.
Of course, don’t lose your spirits, on the contrary, in Dilofo we ate in one of the most beautiful taverns of the prefecture of Ioannina, the ‘Lithos’ or ‘Takis’ (after the name of Takis Kounavos who is the creator and the boss of the excellent and traditional cuisine of Lithos.)
Very nice and authentic atmosphere and decoration and dishes to lick your fingers. The bread is his and the recipes are from the continent. Don’t miss it.
See in Dilopho
If you visit Dilofo it is worth seeing the magnificent church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, built in 1850, as well as the tallest mansion in Zagorochoria, at the entrance of the village, the mansion of Makropoulos with a height of 13.5 meters!
Quite interesting is the reason why this towering house was built. According to tradition, the son of a wealthy Zagoritis married a girl from the neighbouring village of Koukouli. When they settled in the groom’s house in
In addition, it is worth visiting the Holy Church of the Assumption and admire its towering bell tower. It also has a nice view of the village.
Finally, you can just sit in the small central square of the village and simply enjoy the fresh air, the smells of the mountain and the food being cooked in the houses, relaxing in the shade of the large plane tree. In October 2021 major maintenance works were being carried out on the mansion behind the plane tree.
Accommodation in Dilofo Ioannina and Zagorochoria
Check out hotels and hostels in Zagorochoria from booking.com. We stayed at‘Archontiko Dilofos‘ both times we stayed in Dilofos (in 2006 and 2021, 15 years apart). I was very impressed that nothing had changed in 15 years. We were completely satisfied with our stay there, and the excellent breakfast, just like in 2006! This says a lot.
In recent years, of course, other hostels have opened and we hope to be given the chance to try them. Vera Inn, Gaia Guesthouse, Terrace and Dilofo Hotel Luxury Suites also have excellent reviews.
Photos from Dilofo in central Zagori
Map of Dilofo
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