Guest House Mousafir Ontas
| Telephones: | +30 26530 71727, |
| +30 69744 43640, | |
| +30 69477 75955, | |
| +30 69447 44559 | |
| Fax: | +30 26530 71727 |
| E-mail: | [email protected] |
Facilities: |
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Περιοχή
The guest house is located in Kapesovo, a village that is 43 klm north of Ioannina and height of 1.100 m. The settlement is built in the east foothills of Garditsa, in inclined and rocky ground, over the gorge of Mezaria. The natural scenery is mountainous with small flora and the rocky area to overbear. Kapesovo was the chair of Epistasia Zagoriou until Ali Pasas came.
At the village you can find traditional local products that people of the village make, like honey, dairy (not standard) etc. At Kapesovo you can enjoy traditional menus while there is a shop that produces and sells local products. The village’s feast is every year at 20th of July.
Near destinations
Koukouli was founded during the 13th century. It was later included in the treaty signed between the villages of Zagori (there were 14 at the time) and the Ottomans at 1430. The villages of Zagori formed an autonomous federation for the next centuries. The privileges which were granted to the federation of Zagori and which are due, in the biggest part, to the influence of rich Zagorians over the Sublime Porte, were preserved until 1868. According to these privileges, Zagori was autonomous and self-governed under the surveillance of Vekili of Zagori.
Many inhabitants, during the 18th century, became merchants, travelled abroad and made huge profits. The Plakidas family was one of those that made a fortune. Alexios Plakidas, a benefactor, donated huge amounts of money for the village and the Zagori region.
Founded in the 16th century, Tsepelovo became the administrative center of Zagori since the 18th century and reached its peak until the end of the Ottoman occupation (1913). The village was a local trade center, especially because of the trade of timber. In 1820, before the outbreak of the Greek Revolution and the defeat of Ali Pasha, the poet Ioannis Vilaras and the famous Epirote scholar Athanasios Psalidas, came from Ioannina, to prepare the people for the great national revolt. Psalidas also taught for 2 years at the local school.
The traditional stone architecture is dominant in every building, in the village paths, dwellings and churches. The historical church of Agios Nikolaos was renovated at 1753 and decorated with unique wall paintings by exceptional painters of nearby Kapesovo.
Two kilometers out of the villages, in the Vikaki (Greek: small Vikos) canyon lies the monastery of St John Rogovou, founded at 1028 by the sister of Emperor Romanos III Argyros of Byzantium. It was rebuilt in 1749, possibly after it was damaged by fire, and the frescoes were painted by iconographers from Kapesovo. Neofytos Doukas wanted to establish there the Higher School of Epirus (Greek: Ανωτέρα Σχολή), a high level educational institution. Because of the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence and the military conflicts the idea could not become reality.
Today, the village is a popular destination for tourists during winter season.
Sightseeing
The church of Saint Nikolaos was built in 1793 on Ioannoutsos Karamesinis expenses. Its interior is full of wall paintings by the painters Ioannis and Anastasios from Kapesovo, while the temple of the church is particularly impressive.
The Paschaleios Shool, which functioned until 1985, was built – from a local family as a legacy – in 1861, in order to host the school of the village. Its ground floor has been designed properly to represent the traditional house of Zagori. During your tour you will see plenty of tools that were used the past centuries.
The Church of Virgin Mary was built in 1763 and locates at the entrance of the village.
Beloi is a Slavic origin word and perhaps means “balcony” because this place looks like a balcony. If anyone wants to visit Beloi, it’s easy because we have placed many signs along the way. The distance from Vradeto is almost two kilometers and about 15-20 minutes by foot. You should walk northeastern and you will see a sign and a fenced cave hole. It is the "Nun's cave". According to the myth a nun had fallen inside this hole.
The Riga’s Charta is one of the 18 copies of the famous “Riga’s Charta” and is being protected at Paschaleios School.
Vradeto’s Skala was built using the method of drywall and the construction date is unknown. Vradeto’s Skala is the biggest among the four paths that are still remained in central Zagori. Without a doubt it is a sight that you must visit.