Vasiliki Koimtzidou: The Girl Who Took to the Mountains

Vasiliki first visited Petrilo in 2020. The imposing nature, the tranquility, and the energy of the place immediately captivated her. In less than a week, she had already made the big decision: to settle there permanently. With minimal infrastructure, harsh winters, limited access, and almost zero tourism, this decision was not easy. But it was genuine.

With the support of her partner, she moved her belongings – and her animals: horses, dogs, cats – and settled in the village, seeking a different way of life. "I came to live with the few and the real," she has said. And that's what she does.

Ecotourism and a Festival Based on Human Connection

Her daily life involves much more than mere survival. Vasiliki founded Finix Adventures, a small business that offers visitors another way to experience the wild beauty of Agrafa: hiking trails, wildlife watching, stargazing, experiential workshops, and experiences of living in harmony with the environment.

She acts as hostess, guide, cook, companion, and confidante. Visitors don't come for tourism – they come for life experiences. Her guesthouse, built with stone and wood, provides a warm refuge within the harshness of the landscape. Activities are adapted to the season, the weather, and the visitor's psychology. Nothing is automated. Everything is personal.

In addition, Vasiliki organizes the annual ecotourism festival "Stefaniada Lake Festival" at Lake Stefaniada, showcasing the nature, history, and culture of the region. Her next dream is already underway: the creation of the first agritourism guesthouse in Agrafa, with organic farming and the production of local products.  

Her efforts are already bearing fruit. In five years, she has mobilized a network of locals, visitors, and volunteers who support her project. This network is becoming a catalyst for the revitalization of the village. In the hikes and summer workshops she organizes, the few permanent residents see life returning to their home.

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Agrafa as Place and Symbol

The Agrafa region is among the least developed in Greece. Access is difficult, tourism is almost non-existent, and infrastructure is lacking. Nevertheless, it possesses a rare wealth: untouched landscapes, clean waters, mountains with history and culture. Petrilo, an old administrative center, has a rich tradition in the art of wood carving and a long history of participation in the struggles of the region.

Vasiliki's presence is not simply the story of a young woman who "returned to nature." It is the act of a person who chooses to create where everything around her seems to be fading away. Every initiative she takes, every guest who comes to Petrilo, every small glimmer of life in the village, reinforces the idea that depopulation is not inevitable.

The Value of Staying

In a country and a region struggling with urbanization and the depopulation of the countryside, the choice of people like Vasiliki acquires social, political, and cultural significance. Her presence proves that state intervention is not needed to start something. What is needed is faith, perseverance, and connection to the place.

Vasiliki Koimtzidou is an act of resistance with a human face. Instead of waiting for change, she creates it herself. And if Petrilo has a reason to hope today, it is because a "girl who took to the mountains" continues to light a fire where others see darkness.

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Finix Adventures https://finixadventures.com/

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