In Byzantine times, the settlement was located on the northern bank of the Portaikos (or "Portiatis") river, where today we find the neighborhood and the magnificent Porta Panagia church. Back then, it was called Megalai Pylai (Great Gates), a name that during the Ottoman period gave way to "Porta Pazar." The modern settlement “moved across” to a naturally cooler and shadier area.

Religious Monuments

Today’s small town has the charming, laid-back atmosphere of the Greek countryside, and it’s worth strolling through its narrow streets. But the most impressive attraction lies in the old “territory,” which you can access by crossing a pedestrian bridge 120 meters long and 2 meters wide. You can also reach it by car via another nearby bridge. There, where Megalai Pylai once stood, you’ll encounter a Byzantine masterpiece: the church of the Holy Virgin, better known as “Porta Panagia”, a three-aisled, domed, cross-in-square basilica. It served as the katholikon of a stauropegic monastery founded in 1283.

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On this side of the river, a little further away, about 5 km from Pyli at an altitude of 650 meters on the slopes of Koziakas, stands another major religious monument, the Monastery of Saint Vissarion of Dousiko. It was founded in 1535 by the most prominent native of Pyli, Saint Vissarion (patron saint of Pyli, Trikala, and Kalambaka), during his tenure as Metropolitan of Larissa. It is one of the few monasteries outside Mount Athos where the avaton applies—women are prohibited from entering, based on the recorded wishes of its founder.

Externally, it resembles a fortress—it actually served as a kind of castle and refuge for Greek fighters during difficult times for the nation. At the peak of its operation, it had 365 cells, one for each day of the year. The frescoes of the katholikon are stunning and attributed to the renowned Constantinopolitan artist of the Cretan School, Tzortzis, while valuable treasures are housed in the monastery library.

The Dousiko Monastery is not the only legacy of Saint Vissarion in Pyli. He funded the construction of many stone bridges in the mountainous regions of Thessaly, and one of the most impressive lies just a few kilometers outside of Pyli. The Bridge of Pyli (also known as "Saint Vissarion's" or "Porta Panagia’s") is one of the largest single-arch bridges in Greece and remains in excellent condition.

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A Dreamlike Bridge

A few kilometers past Pyli, crossing a narrow bridge at a spectacular point in the Portaikos valley marks the beginning of a route along the slopes of Koziakas (or “Kerketio”), passing through some of the most famous mountain resorts of Trikala: Elati, the Pertouli Meadows, and Pertouli (each deserving its own “chapter”). But before continuing along that route, a detour is a must at the signs pointing to Stournareika and the Palaiokarya Bridge. This stone bridge is perhaps the most beautiful and most photographed in Greece, as it stands in a magical setting with two waterfalls completing the fairytale scenery. In the settlement of the same name, you’ll find a traditional dristela (a water-powered fulling mill). A short detour will take you to Ropoto, the “sinking village” with its striking, tilted Church of the Dormition of the Virgin. Continuing westward along this route, passing through charming villages like Stournareika and Mesochora, you’ll eventually reach Tzoumerka and Arta.

The “Therapeutic” Mountain

Returning to the “main” route, you’ll follow the slopes of Koziakas. Its forests are known for their rich fauna and the great variety of aromatic and medicinal herbs. According to myth, the god of medicine, Asclepius, roamed these wonderful landscapes in search of ingredients for his healing remedies.

From Elati, the Pertouli Meadows, and Kori (among other options), trails lead to the Koziakas Mountain Refuge (Contact: +306939173337, +306979293482, +306977662569 & +306947819298), which opened in 1959 at an altitude of 1,750 meters. From the refuge, the highest peak, Astrapi, at 1,901 meters, is just a 30-minute hike away.

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Passage to the Vlach Villages

Leaving Pertouli behind, you’ve essentially (though not “officially”) entered the “territory” of the Aspropotamos, as the residents of the next Kozias villages share Vlach heritage and common traditions with the “true” Aspropotamians. The first village after Pertouli is the region’s third tourist hub, the beautiful Neraidochori, amphitheatrically built on a slope—like all the villages from this point on—and offering excellent accommodations. Below the village, in the Kamniaitis valley, you’ll find the stone bridge of Hatzipetros near a well-preserved section of the old “Vlachostrata”. Asking locals will greatly help you locate them.

Continuing westward, you'll come across the impressive stone-built church of Saint Paraskevi overlooking the entire valley. A few meters ahead, you’ll enjoy the panoramic view of the very “steep” Pyrrha, where it’s worth seeking out the Church of Saint Modestos with its reddish dome and beautiful frescoes.

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The next village is also steep—Desi. To its north, in the Kremasti area, look for the towering waterfall, especially in spring when the waters flow vigorously. South of Desi, below the road, is the village of Agios Nikolaos (formerly "Kamniai") and nearly across from it, “drowned” in vegetation, is Drosochori (formerly "Tyfloseli"), where you’ll find another waterfall known as “Mana tou Nerou” (Mother of Water).

Always heading west, a bit further on you’ll see to your right the very unique church of Saint Nikolaos Asfakas, “wedged” into an imposing vertical rock. Just a few more kilometers and you’ll reach Aleksiou Bridge, which means you’re now, officially, in Aspropotamos!

The fact that ancient Trikki was, according to the geographer of the 1st century BC Strabo, the birthplace of the god of Medicine, Asclepius, has given it timeless glamor over time. The oldest written mention of Trikki is found in the Homeric catalogue of ships, where it is mentioned that the city participated in the expeditionary force of the Greeks in the Trojan War with 30 ships and leaders the two sons of Asclepius, Machaon and Podaleirios, who had been taught the medical art by their father. The ancient city extended from the northern banks of the Lithaios River to the hill of the Byzantine castle, but few traces of it are visible, due to continuous habitation. On the contrary, what is visible to the naked eye in Trikala is the familiarity with new technologies that have given the city the unofficial title of the most "Hi-Tech" city in Greece.

The Lithaios River has been the reference point of the city from ancient times and remains so today. Over 10 bridges cross the river, but it is the central one, a wonderful metal construction, that wins the eyes. It is also known as "French" because it was designed and built in 1886 by French engineers of the company "Thessaly Railways" and is the classic meeting point of the city.

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Walking in the city

Starting from the "French" bridge, and after admiring the landscape with the plane trees on the banks of the Lithaios, most visitors choose to start their acquaintance with Trikala from the Asklipiou pedestrian street, the most "lively" street of the city, south of the river. The street, which the Trikalinos call "Paralia", gathers dozens of commercial stores and cafes and is bustling with movement almost all hours of the day. The extension of the pedestrian street reaches the Railway Station.

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Returning to the "French" bridge and passing to the north of Lithaios are the Manavika, a once infamous neighborhood that housed brothels, but transformed into another pole of the city's social life, with the opening of restaurants, mezedopolia  and tasteful bars. Nevertheless, the most famous point of Manavika is the 150 square meter mural, which turned the awkward wall of an apartment building into a work of art.

Where Manavika ends, the Varousi begins, the old city of Trikala which experienced great prosperity between the 17th and 19th centuries, when most of the mansions that the visitor admires today were built. The walk in the narrow alleys offers a wonderful journey in time. Above Varousi, dominates the Byzantine Fortress and the Clock Tower which is the "trademark" of the city.

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Cultural Spaces

Trikala has a great cultural tradition and its contribution especially in the field of folk music is enormous. The composer Apostolos Kaldaras, the lyricist Kostas Virvos, the great singer Dimitris Mitropanos were all Trikalinos! But above all stands, leading and unsurpassed, the great figure of Vasilis Tsitsanis. If you want to learn everything about the life and work of the great folk bard, a visit to the impressive Tsitsanis Research - Museum Center is a must.

Next to the Tsitsanis Museum is one of the most important monuments of Trikala, the Osman Shah Mosque also known as "Koursoum" or "Koursoun" ("lead") mosque, which today is used as a venue for cultural events.  It is the only work of the leading architect of the Ottoman Empire, Mimar Sinan, in Greece. We should note that Mimar Sinan was of Greek origin, from the village of Agioi Anargyroi (now "Agirnas") of Caesarea. 

Another important cultural space is the Kliafa History and Culture Center where a museum of local history and an industrial museum operate, while it also has a large hall for cultural events and a library with 6,000 books. 

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A very important industrial monument of the city is the Matsopoulos Mill which was the first industrial flour mill built in Greece and the largest in the Balkans. The Mill operated for a century (1884 - 1984) and has been declared a historical preserved monument. Today it has been transformed into a multi-purpose art and culture space that includes the Industrial Museum, a cinema hall, a summer cinema, theater, painting and sculpture workshops and a cafeteria. For more than a month, during the Christmas season, it is transformed into the Mill of the Elves, the "Christmas Village" that has transformed Trikala into the top festive destination in Greece!

Spread amphitheatrically on the slopes of Titaros, Livadi impresses the visitor from the first, distant glance. The large slope of the village offers unobstructed, satisfying views of Olympus, from almost every neighborhood. It seems to have been there forever, but it is relatively "new". History has it that the village was founded "only" in the 17th century by Vlach livestock farmers, who came down from even higher, following, according to legend, a mare that was looking for a warmer climate to give birth. Apart from being "new", Livadi is also very "lively" with over 2000 permanent residents, most of whom are proud Vlachs who stubbornly continue to speak their language.

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The most eminent compatriot was Georgakis Olympios. A member of the Filiki Eterias, Armatolos of Olympus and close associate of Alexandros Ypsilantis, he met a glorious death in September 1821 in Moldovlachia when, taking part in the Struggle in the Paradanubian regions, he blew up the gunpowder warehouse of the Sekkou Monastery to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Ottomans. His paternal home has been transformed into a folklore museum where you can learn a lot about his history and the old way of life in Livadi.

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Gastronomic Journey

You will learn even more if you visit the Women's Cooperative "O Sofras" and the homonymous tavern. Here you will taste traditional flavors, nettle pies, stewed zygouri, yaprakia, handmade trachanas and their famous "good" xinotyri cheese, the "kasou nti bounlou". Beyond the impressive gastronomic journey, the women of the cooperative will take you on a mental journey with their descriptions of the great festivals of the Holy Spirit, the Prophet Elijah and the Fifteenth of August and will tell you about the special customs of New Year's, with the bells that drive away evil spirits, the meat pie they eat instead of vasilopita and the special Vlachian magiritsa, the "bazavousa". And of course they will praise the excellent local products, mainly cheeses and meats, which bring crowds of people to the village every weekend.

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In the vicinity of the village, it is worth visiting three important monasteries, of Agioi Anargyroi, Agia Triada and Prophet Elias with this last one offering the most beautiful view of Olympus. Going up towards the peak of Titaros (1839 meters), if you are lucky you will see herds of wild horses galloping freely. Perhaps some of them are descendants of that first mare that brought the first inhabitants to Livadi.