PLACES TO VISIT:

THE CHURCH OF AGHIOS MINAS:
If you love nature and fresh air you cannot miss a nice walk on the road that brings to Ioannina. After few meters outside Iliochori you will find the little church of Aghios Minas. The door of the church has been replaced with a new one in the summer 2009 by the countryman Georgios Polimeris. In this church the first days of august it celebrate the mass for Aghios Sotirios, which many countrymen partecipate who return from other localities.
In the entrance of Iliochori there are turistic signal that they indicate a tourist distance that drive to visit the town and the surronding territory.

Who loves touristic tours can follow the appropriate signals, placed on the side of the road that penetrated inside of Iliochori. Inside of the town there is founds the new main square finds where us situated a building that before accomodated the elementary school now is destinated at the comunal offices. Click in the images in order to enlarge them.

If we keep going down we get to Mesochori that means "Center of the Town" as this was the old main square of the town that extended up to "Sochora"; in this public square there is the famous plane-tree, one of the largest of Greece.

THE PLANE-TREE (Aghios Nikolaos):
Its one of the most important naturalistic beauties, with perimeter of 10.5 m, between the largest of Greece. Lot of tourists who has visited this plane-tree are remained stupefy. ' Some says that it has more than 600 years and it has used as meeting place after the mass. At moment is also place of festivities from the countrymen, where they meet to lanch made up of meat and fish, in order to continue with the traditional dances of the place. The place is also suitable for for children concerning beside the plane-tree is finds a small park plays and for those who loves sport outdoor is finds a small basketball court.

THE CHURCH OF AGHIOS NIKOLAOS:
Beside the square is finds the church of Aghios Nikolaos, constructed in 1850, one of the bigger church of Zagori. A wide courtyard, where the countrymen, relax after the celebrations in order to exchange the wishes and news of the relatives, leading to the porch, supported by lowland columns. Inside of the church is one of most evocative with the central altar for the player where in external rows there were the chairs situated in indian row facing the altar. On the walls precius icons and bizantine frescos of hagiography object. The roof has been recently completely re-made, using the big plates of slade that come from the far away Kavala.

Keeping, after the big Plane-Tree we can find the bridge of Peccios made of stone; if you keep going you can find the Church of Aghios Athanasios.

THE BRIDGE OF PECCIOS:
This bridge in stone probably laughet to the period is the Ottoman empire and has become also one turist attraction. Like the majority of the bridges of the regions, the bridge of Peccios was constructed with the donations of the Epirotes. A large sum was donated by its benefactor which the bridge takes the name. The expense for its construction has been covered by the family of Antonis Peccios. In the earthquake of 1967 the little bridge has suffered serious damages but later has been restored. In the summer 2005 ulterior intensive activities of maintenance they have been concurred to put the bridge in safety. Do not exist information on its constructors.

THE CHURCH OF AGHIOS ATHANASIOS
The church of Aghios Athanasios is found approximatly 500 m from the town, alond the path that brings to Laista. According to some testimonies, the church has been constructed around 1770 by the Blasio monk, than it has chosen as player place. At moment does not find in optimal conditions as it was shelter by Albanians who after the fall of the Oxa goverment, arrived clandestinely in Epirus and insulted the temple lighting fires, destroying icons etc. It has visted by the tourists, directed to the waterfall of Balta Stringa. Keeping along the path to the right side, close to the Kriopotamos river can be visited the ruins of the old flour mill of water, still more ahead is find the great waterfalls in locality "Balta Stringa".

THE WATERFALL OF BALTA STRINGA
The waterfall distants 20 minutess on foot from Iliochori, properly marked from the beginning of the town. The waterfall is found at 780 m from the sea level, is formed from thress waterfalls, the largest is high 25 meters with a majestic swimming pool on the base. In october 2009 the television SKY has shooted a documentary on this natural beauty and in Iliochori. In order to visualize the video click on the following link.
- Video in Iliochori & Balta Stringa

THE CHURCH OF PROPHET ELIA:
In the vicinity of the Church of Aghios Nicolas there is the rural path that leads, after 2 km, to the little hill on top of which there is the little church dedicated to the Prophet Elia.

This road continues for the city of Koniza joining the road Ioannina - Thessaloniki.

THE CHURCH OF PANAGIA:
Not far from the central square of Iliochori is the church of Panagia, about 10 minutes from the country. Built in 1350 by monks Cretan. It was one of the richest before the Turks robbed after the killing of Ali Pasha. n this church you can admire the ancient icons, the old altar and expertly carved wooden furnishings. Opposite the church is a small covered porch which also has a big bell with a Venetian 'Latin inscription. Near the church were discovered two well-preserved catacombs where the monks of the ancient monastery, hid themself in the Ottoman period, to escape the Turks. In 1822 the soldiers of the Ottoman sultan, having murdered Ali Pasha in the island of the lake Pamvotis island of the lake of Ioannina, took possession of many works of the monasteries in the region of Zagoria. The church of Panagia (dedicated to Madonna), of Iliochori, was victim of robbers who did not spare even the monks, believing that there were hidden money in the temple and sacred objects. Adjacent to the church was the cemetery in the twentieth century moved next to the church of Agios Nikolaos, due to the depopulation of the country. In 1943 it was devastated by the Nazi soldiers who do not spared. The epirotean Costas Krystallis, writing some articles in a newspaper in that 'year, the villages of Pindos, reported that the church of Panagia of Iliochori was the source of much historical information.

THE RIVER RASCIANITIS:
Interesting to see is Rascianitis River, which flows downs the vallaey from the town it is a tributary of the great Aoos, where you can go fishing. The place is also ideal for hiking or biking in one of the most healthy and beautiful landscapes. The road, which from Iliochori leads to Vrisochori, continues to Palioseli a small village in mid path exceeds Aoos by a sturdy bridge built a few years ago to replace the old, who was carried away by winter floods.
This road continues for the city of Koniza onto the road Ioannina - Thessaloniki.

GYFTOCAMBOS:
In locality Gyftocambos, every year, on the first weekend of August the descendants of the ancient tribe of Sarachazani, great breeders, meet up for a great festivity that begins on friday afternoon. They come from all Greece and other nations of the Balkans like Romania, Bulgaria etc. On their arrival they set up the tents and light large bonfires for the preparation of the roasts and in order to warm themself because at night temperature goes down. On saturday afternoon in the center of the public paved square is ignited a big bonfire around which people will be dancing until Sunday afternoon.

Dances are accompanied by the orchestra consisting of mandolin, clarinet, tambourine, and various solists. People drink, eat and dance; on sunday morning professional dancers perform, dressed with the typical Epirus costumes. Celebrations go on until the afternoon when people begin to take apart their tents and leave again towards their residences. It is a communitarian moment much felt that reminds the periods in which the flocks, at the beginning of spring move from the coasts to the green mountains of the Epirus. The shepherds used to move not only the flocks but also their respective family and someone has ended up with taking residence in these mountain villages. From the town of Iliochori we can admire the mountain of Papingos where the den of the famous bandit "Ndavelis" is situated. According to the historians he spent 1 year in this den during the period in which the Epirus was under the Turks domination. Papingo is also destination of the Tzai pickers (one variety of tea).