Plikati

Plikati lies at an altitude of 1,240 metres in the Gorgopotamos Valley and combines a high-altitude mountain landscape with a strong religious tradition. Hiking trails on the forested slopes of Grammos, the village’s oldest church, and an annual icon celebration give the village distinct points of interest. If you are weighing up active days in the mountains against cultural discoveries for your trip, these highlights are easy to distinguish: Plikati is a starting point for mountain hikes and also a place with its own religious festival traditions and a memorial.

Hiking on the Slopes of Grammos

Several hiking trails begin or end in Plikati and run along the forested slopes of Grammos. The village is also a starting point for mountain hikes to the range’s major peaks. These are two different reference points for planning your hikes: the trails are connected to Plikati by their starting or ending point, while the mountain hikes head for the peaks. If hiking is to be a defining part of your stay, you can consider whether Plikati suits your plans as a starting point for these particular Grammos hikes when looking for a holiday apartment.

Church of Saint Athanasios

The Church of Saint Athanasios is the oldest church in Plikati and dates back to the 17th century. It has an iconostasis and a ceiling of unique artistic value. An iconostasis is a screen decorated with icons in front of the altar area; the term explains a distinctive element of sacred design. The church’s age and features offer two different perspectives on the same building: on the one hand, they point to the church’s architectural history, and on the other, to its artistic design. It is therefore a cultural highlight, while the trails on Grammos provide a landscape-focused one.

Icon Celebration on February 16

Every year on February 16, Plikati celebrates the finding of the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary of Plikati, the “Panagia tis Plikaditissas”; pilgrims gather for a procession with the icon. The recurring date and the procession give the religious tradition a concrete form, distinguishing the celebration from the church’s architectural history. February 16 is a clear point of reference for travel plans centred on this festival.

Memorial and Local History

Visitors can also see the memorial in Plikati to those who fell in 1946–49. As a place of remembrance, it adds a distinct historical dimension alongside the sacred architecture and the annual icon celebration; religious tradition and remembrance are both part of the village’s cultural identity.

Choose the Right Focus

When looking for a holiday apartment in Plikati, you can first decide on the purpose of your trip: are mountain hikes to the Grammos peaks your main focus, or would you like to plan around the annual icon celebration? February 16 is the specific date for the celebration; the mountain hikes offer a landscape-focused option. This allows you to compare an activity-based reason for travelling with a cultural event on a fixed date before choosing the village as your base for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Eleousa, Arísti, Tsepelovo, Papingo, Kastania, Doliana, Konitsa, Monodendri

Go to the main travel overview: Ioannina.