Kipi stone bridges

What they are

Zagori has around forty stone arch bridges, built mostly in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the region's merchants paid for roads and bridges to cross mountain torrents on their routes. The greatest concentration is around Kipi (Κήποι), the lowest village in Zagori, on a hill surrounded by rivers south of the Vikos Gorge. Kipi was called Bagia until 1928 and was at one time the centre of the region.

They are bridges without parapets, with one arch or several, and a back so steeply curved that you climb them like a slope. They are beside the road or a few minutes' walk away, and you can see them in a morning.

The ones you cannot miss

• Plakidas or Kalogeriko bridge. The most photographed: three almost equal arches, with spans of 15, 13.5 and 11.2 m, and 56 m long. It was built in 1814, replacing a wooden one, at the order of Abbot Serafeim of the Prophet Elias monastery in Vitsa; hence its name, “the monks' bridge”. The Plakidas family repaired it in 1863 and 1912, which gave it its other name. In August 2018 stones came loose from a pier and it was restored while the riverbed was dry.
• Kokkori bridge. A single arch, about 3 km from the Plakidas bridge along the same road.
• Other Kipi bridges: around the village there are also those of Kontodimos, Milos and Petsonis. Ask in the village for the way to each.

Getting there and parking

Kipi is in central Zagori, about 15 minutes by car from Monodendri. The Kokkori and Plakidas bridges are on the Dilofo to Kipi road: there are lay-bys beside the carriageway to leave the car. From there, flat gravel paths lead down to the river: about 400 m round trip for Kokkori and 300 m for Plakidas. Beside Plakidas there are stones for crossing the riverbed and seeing it from below.

Allow about 20 minutes at each bridge. With the village ones and a stroll around Kipi, about two hours.

Kipi museum

In the village is the Agapios Tolis folk art museum, with more than 40,000 objects from traditional life. The sources we have consulted give no opening hours or price: ask in the village.

If you want to walk

The Vikos-Aoos Geopark proposes an easy circular route of about 4 hours, Kipi – Vitsa – Kipi, over limestone slabs, a river terrace and natural rock towers. It is the way to see the area on foot and unhurried.

When to go

All year. In summer the riverbeds are usually almost dry and you can go down to the bed to see the arches from below; in spring and after rain the river carries water and the reflection photo is a different one, but do not cross the riverbed. First thing there are fewer people at Plakidas.

With children and precautions

The paths to the bridges are short and flat, suitable for children. On top of the bridges there is no railing and the cobbles are uneven and slippery when damp: go up slowly and hand in hand. With a pushchair you get close, but not to the top of the arch.

How to combine it

The bridges fit into a morning with the Agia Paraskevi monastery and the Oxia viewpoint, in Monodendri. If you are staying in the area, the Hotel Monodendri and the Archontiko Zarkada are close by.