How to Get to Zagori

The easiest way to get to Zagori is through Ioannina, the main gateway to the mountains of Epirus. From there, most travellers continue by rental car, taxi or private transfer to villages such as Monodendri, Aristi, Papigo or Tsepelovo.

The important thing to understand is that Zagori is not a single town with one bus station or arrival point. It is a large mountain region made up of traditional villages spread across different valleys and road networks. UNESCO’s Zagori Cultural Landscape includes 45 traditional villages within the property and its buffer zone, which explains why your final destination matters when estimating travel time.

For international travellers, the most practical choices are usually to fly from Athens to Ioannina and rent a car, drive directly from Athens or Thessaloniki, or take an intercity KTEL bus to Ioannina before arranging onward transport.

This guide explains how to get to Zagori from Athens, Thessaloniki and Ioannina, which airport to use, what travelling by bus is really like and whether visiting Zagori without a car is realistic.

Understand Where in Zagori You Are Going

Journey times to Zagori vary substantially because there is no single entrance point.

For Central Zagori, including Monodendri, Vitsa, Dilofo and Kipi, the drive from Ioannina is generally around 45–60 minutes. Monodendri, for example, is approximately 38 kilometres from Ioannina and normally requires about 50–60 minutes on the road.

For Western Zagori, Aristi is about 47 kilometres from Ioannina and usually takes approximately 50–60 minutes. Papigo lies farther into the mountains. Allow around 75–90 minutes from Ioannina, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the winding climb beyond Aristi.

Tsepelovo and other villages farther into Zagori also require roughly an hour or more.

These are normal-condition estimates rather than guaranteed travel times. Rain, fog, snow, slow traffic and stopping behind larger vehicles can all make mountain journeys longer.

If you have not yet decided where to base yourself, read our guide to where to stay in Zagori before arranging your transport.

What Is the Nearest Airport to Zagori?

Ioannina National Airport (IOA) is the most convenient airport for Zagori.

The airport sits just outside Ioannina, making it possible to collect a rental car soon after landing and continue directly towards the mountains.

AEGEAN currently operates the Athens–Ioannina route, making Ioannina particularly useful for travellers flying into Greece through Athens and connecting domestically. Flight schedules vary by date and season, so check the airline’s current timetable when booking.

Once you land, you have three realistic choices: rent a car, arrange a private transfer directly to your Zagori accommodation or take a taxi into Ioannina before continuing separately.

For a multi-day Zagori trip, collecting a car at or near the airport is usually the most convenient option. It avoids transferring into Ioannina only to arrange another vehicle later.

If your trip includes time in the city first, our how to get to Ioannina guide covers flights, buses and road connections in more detail.

How to Get to Zagori From Athens

Athens offers the greatest number of options. You can fly to Ioannina, drive directly to Zagori or take an intercity bus to Ioannina and continue from there.

Which one makes most sense depends largely on whether you intend to rent a car anyway.

Athens to Zagori by Plane

For travellers arriving in Greece by air, an Athens–Ioannina flight followed by a rental car is often the simplest combination.

Direct Athens–Ioannina flights are currently available, and the flying time itself is short.

This option becomes particularly attractive if you are connecting from an international flight at Athens Airport. You avoid crossing Athens to reach the intercity bus station and arrive considerably closer to Zagori.

Do not compare only the flight duration with the driving time. Allow time for the connection at Athens Airport, collecting luggage and renting a car after landing.

If your international flight and Ioannina connection are on separate bookings, leave a generous margin in case the incoming flight is delayed.

Once you have a car at Ioannina Airport, allow roughly another hour for Central Zagori and longer for Papigo.

Driving From Athens to Zagori

Driving directly from Athens works particularly well when Zagori forms part of a longer mainland Greece road trip.

Athens to Monodendri is approximately 450 kilometres by road, with driving estimates around five hours before meaningful stops or delays.

Most of the long-distance portion is straightforward motorway driving towards Epirus. The character of the journey changes once you pass the Ioannina area and turn onto the smaller roads leading into Zagori.

Budget extra time for fuel, coffee and meal stops rather than treating the fastest navigation estimate as your itinerary.

Driving directly can be especially practical for two or more travellers because you will already have the vehicle needed for exploring Zagori once you arrive.

If you land in Athens after a long overnight flight, however, spending several additional hours driving into the mountains may be unnecessarily tiring.

Athens to Zagori by Bus

KTEL intercity coaches connect Athens with Ioannina. Current timetable information puts the journey at roughly five to five and a half hours, although departure times and fares should always be reconfirmed before travel.

The bus arrives in Ioannina rather than Zagori.

From there, you still need to reach your village by local bus where available, taxi, transfer or rental car.

There is another important consideration if you are arriving at Athens International Airport: long-distance Ioannina buses depart from Kifissos Intercity Bus Station, not the airport itself. Your airport-to-bus-station transfer therefore needs to be included in the total journey.

For travellers who ultimately intend to rent a car in Zagori, flying to Ioannina may be more convenient than combining an airport transfer, five-hour bus journey and another onward transfer.

How to Get to Zagori From Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is an excellent overland gateway to Zagori because the motorway journey west towards Epirus is relatively straightforward.

For travellers already spending time in northern Greece, driving is usually the most flexible solution.

Driving From Thessaloniki to Zagori

Allow approximately 3½–4 hours from Thessaloniki to Central Zagori, depending on your final village, traffic and stops. Current route calculations place Thessaloniki to Monodendri at just under 300 kilometres and around 3¾ hours in normal conditions.

The majority of the long journey follows the Egnatia Odos motorway west.

The final stage is completely different. Once you turn towards the Zagori villages, expect narrower roads, bends and considerably slower speeds.

If Papigo is your destination, allow more time than for Central Zagori.

Driving from Thessaloniki is particularly sensible if Zagori is part of a wider northern Greece trip involving places such as Metsovo, Ioannina or other destinations in Epirus.

Avoid planning several hours of sightseeing after the drive. Reach your village, check in and leave the serious exploring for the following morning.

Thessaloniki to Zagori by Bus

KTEL operates direct buses between Thessaloniki’s Macedonia Intercity Bus Station and Ioannina.

Current published schedules show multiple departures and a scheduled journey time of approximately 3 hours 30 minutes. Times can change, especially around holidays, so check the current operator schedule before travelling.

Once again, Ioannina is the transfer point rather than your final Zagori destination.

If your accommodation is in Monodendri, Papigo or another mountain village, arrange the second part of the journey before leaving Thessaloniki.

A bus plus pre-booked taxi or transfer can work well if you intend to remain in one village. It becomes considerably less convenient if you want to spend several days moving between viewpoints, bridges and different Zagorochoria.

How to Get From Ioannina to Zagori

Ioannina is where the journey becomes local.

The simplest option is to rent a car and drive directly to your accommodation. Roads to the major Zagori villages are paved, and a normal car is sufficient under ordinary weather conditions.

Central and Western Zagori separate relatively early in your journey, so your destination matters.

For Monodendri, Vitsa, Kipi and surrounding villages, follow the route towards Central Zagori. For Aristi and Papigo, the normal approach continues north towards the Kalpaki area before turning into Western Zagori.

Do not plan your first drive purely by distance. The last 20 kilometres can require considerably more concentration than 20 kilometres of motorway.

Arriving during daylight is preferable, particularly for Papigo. The switchbacks climbing above the Voidomatis valley are manageable but less comfortable when you are tired, travelling in fog or seeing them for the first time after dark.

If you are staying in Ioannina rather than overnight in Zagori, use our dedicated Zagori from Ioannina day-trip guide instead.

Can You Get to Zagori by Bus?

Yes, but public transport is much better suited to reaching one village than to exploring Zagori.

Regional KTEL services connect Ioannina with selected Zagori settlements, but frequencies can be limited and schedules may vary. Travellers should check the latest information directly with KTEL Ioannina shortly before the journey rather than relying on timetables copied months or years earlier.

The larger problem is what happens after you arrive.

Zagori’s major sights are dispersed. Vikos Gorge viewpoints, the stone bridges, the Voidomatis River and villages such as Monodendri and Papigo are not arranged along one convenient public-transport corridor.

A bus may therefore get you to your accommodation without giving you an easy way to explore the region.

Public transport makes most sense if you plan to stay in one village for several nights, concentrate on walking locally and arrange taxis or transfers only when necessary.

For a conventional first-time Zagori sightseeing trip, renting a car remains considerably more practical.

Visiting Zagori Without a Car

A car-free trip is possible, but it needs to be designed as a different type of holiday.

Choose one well-positioned village rather than attempting to recreate a road-trip itinerary without a vehicle.

Monodendri works particularly well if Vikos Gorge and Central Zagori are your priorities. From the village you can walk to the Monastery of Agia Paraskevi, while other transfers can be arranged separately. See our complete Monodendri guide for the local options.

Papigo makes more sense for travellers interested in mountain scenery and hiking around Tymfi. Once there, Megalo and Mikro Papigo and several nearby walking areas can be explored without constantly driving. Our Papigo guide explains the village layout and hiking access.

Private transfers, organised excursions and taxis can then fill the gaps.

For serious one-way hikes such as crossing Vikos Gorge, arrange your finishing-point transport before starting rather than assuming you will find a taxi or bus when you emerge from the trail.

Using Taxis and Private Transfers

A taxi or private transfer is the most practical alternative to renting a car when you only need a small number of journeys.

Typical uses include transferring from Ioannina Airport to your hotel, travelling from the Ioannina bus station to a Zagori village or being collected after a one-way hike.

Pre-booking is wise for journeys from remote villages, particularly early in the morning, late in the evening or outside busy travel periods.

Ask for the fare or quote before confirming longer mountain transfers. Prices vary according to distance, vehicle and waiting requirements, so publishing one fixed figure is unlikely to remain useful for long.

For two, three or four travellers sharing the cost, a private transfer may also be more reasonable than it initially appears.

What it does not provide is spontaneous mobility once you are inside Zagori. If you expect to visit several villages each day, a rental car usually makes more sense.

Renting a Car for Zagori

You do not normally need an SUV or 4×4 simply because Zagori is mountainous.

The standard routes to the major villages are paved, and an ordinary rental car is suitable in normal conditions.

What matters more is being comfortable with bends, narrow village approaches and occasional steep sections.

A smaller vehicle can actually be useful when parking near older villages where space is limited.

Before leaving Ioannina, check your fuel level and avoid assuming that every Zagori village has a petrol station. If your itinerary takes you deep into the region for several days, refill when convenient rather than waiting until the tank is almost empty.

If you are renting during winter, discuss suitable winter equipment with the rental company before collecting the car.

And when booking accommodation, check whether parking is beside the property or at the village entrance. Many historic Zagori streets were designed for pedestrians and pack animals, not modern vehicles.

Getting to Zagori in Winter

Winter changes the transport equation.

Snow, frost and ice are realistic possibilities in the Zagori mountains even when conditions in Ioannina appear relatively mild.

Greek Civil Protection recommends checking weather and road conditions before travelling in snow, carrying appropriate anti-skid equipment and, when possible, travelling during daylight on main roads.

Do not assume that because a road is normally paved and easy in September it will offer the same driving conditions in January.

Keep the itinerary flexible after significant snowfall. If necessary, delay the journey rather than forcing a remote mountain drive because an accommodation booking has already been made.

Travellers uncomfortable with snow or ice should consider reaching Ioannina first and arranging local advice or a professional transfer.

Our best time to visit Zagori guide explains how seasonal conditions affect the wider trip.

Should You Spend a Night in Ioannina First?

Sometimes, yes.

If you land at Ioannina early in the day, there is usually little reason to delay continuing to Zagori.

The decision changes after a late arrival.

Driving mountain roads for the first time in darkness after a long international journey is not the ideal introduction to the region. Spending the night in Ioannina gives you time to collect your vehicle, have dinner and continue into Zagori the following morning.

The same applies if your KTEL bus from Athens or Thessaloniki reaches Ioannina late in the evening.

An overnight stop also makes sense if you actually want to see Ioannina rather than use it only as a transport interchange.

For most itineraries, two very different destinations are involved: a compact lakeside city and a dispersed mountain region. Combining both is usually more rewarding than repeatedly commuting from one to the other.

Common Transport Mistakes

The biggest mistake is treating Zagori as one destination.

Booking a hotel first and only later discovering that it is 60–90 minutes from the attractions you planned to visit can create unnecessary driving.

Another common mistake is assuming that a bus to one Zagori village solves the entire transport problem. It may solve your arrival, but not your sightseeing.

Avoid arriving in Papigo late at night if you are nervous about mountain driving. Do not schedule a long Vikos Gorge hike immediately after travelling from Athens. And do not rely on a navigation application’s shortest estimate without allowing for slower rural roads.

Most importantly, decide what part of Zagori you want to explore before deciding how to reach it.

Our best villages in Zagori guide is useful if you are still choosing between Monodendri, Papigo, Aristi, Dilofo and the quieter Zagorochoria.

How to Get to Zagori: The Practical Choice

For most international travellers wondering how to get to Zagori, the simplest strategy is to treat Ioannina as the gateway and arrange a car from there.

From Athens, flying to Ioannina is particularly convenient if your international journey already passes through Athens Airport. Driving directly makes more sense if Zagori forms part of a longer mainland road trip.

From Thessaloniki, driving is straightforward and gives you the vehicle you will need once you reach the mountains. The direct KTEL bus to Ioannina is a useful alternative for travellers who do not want to drive the full distance.

Visiting Zagori without a car is possible, but plan around one base, walking and pre-arranged transfers rather than trying to move continuously between villages.

Once the transport is arranged, use our Zagori Travel Guide to decide how many days to stay and which parts of the region deserve your time.