National Park of Tzoumerka, Peristeri & Arachthos Gorge, National park in Epirus, Greece.
The National Park of Tzoumerka, Peristeri and Arachthos Gorge spans about 820 km² across the Pindus range in the regional units of Ioannina, Trikala and Arta. It contains the Tzoumerka (Athamanika) mountains, whose highest summit is Kakarditsa at 2,429 m, and the Peristeri peak at 2,295 m in the Lakmos massif. The Arachthos gorge and the Acheloos, Arachthos, Metsovitikos and Chrousias rivers cut through the protected area, which also holds five traditional villages: Syrakon, Kalarites, Raftanei, Chaliki and Anthousa.
The park was formally established in the early 21st century to protect the region and its communities. Traditional villages within the park have maintained ways of life based on farming and herding that lasted for centuries in these mountains.
The park holds 139 recorded cultural monuments from the classical, Byzantine and later periods, among them stone bridges and the five traditional settlements of Syrakon, Kalarites, Raftanei, Chaliki and Anthousa. The management body describes the whole area as an open-air ethnographic museum where built works sit within the mountain landscape.
Several mountain roads provide access to different parts of the park, with small villages offering lodging and food supplies for visitors. Bring sturdy footwear and be prepared for changing weather conditions common in highland areas.
The park's protected area spans elevations from 144 m to 2,429 m at Mount Kakarditsa, the highest point of the Tzoumerka range. Within its boundaries lie five traditional settlements, including Syrakon, Kalarites and Raftanei, alongside 139 recorded cultural monuments from the classical, Byzantine and later periods.
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