Elati and Pertouli

Elati sits at about 900 metres and Pertouli at around 1,150, connected by a mountain road that runs through some of the densest fir forest in Greece. Elati is the larger, a village of stone guesthouses and tavernas that fills with weekend visitors; Pertouli is smaller and higher, with the Pertouli plateau just above it, a wide grassy basin ringed by fir where horses graze in summer and the small ski centre operates in winter. Around them are the Pertouli university forest, managed for research since the 1930s, walking routes to Koziakas, rafting on the Aspropotamos, and the road on toward the Pindus watershed. The region markets itself as year-round mountain tourism, and the villages have been comprehensively rebuilt in stone to match.

What you actually see

• The Pertouli plateau - grassland ringed by fir, snowbound in winter.
• The fir forest - dense woodland along the road between the villages.
• The ski centre - a small winter sports area above Pertouli.
• Stone guesthouses - the rebuilt village architecture of Elati.

When to go

Winter weekends for snow, though prices peak and roads may need chains; June to October for walking, riding and rafting. Autumn colour in the beech and fir is excellent.

Honest expectations

Both villages are essentially resorts: much of the stone architecture is recent, and in high season the mountain road carries heavy traffic. Prices on winter weekends are high for the standard, and midweek many places are closed.

Nearby

Pyli and Porta Panagia lie east; the Aspropotamos valley and the high Pindus continue west.