The Pindus is the long, mountainous spine that runs down the heart of mainland Greece, a broken cordillera of fir forests, river gorges and high pastures where villages cling to slopes and roads thread through endless hairpin turns. It’s less a single peak than a world: bear country and shepherd country, stone bridges and misty plateaus, the quiet, rugged interior that binds the gorgeous Greece regions of Epirus and Thessaly and feels, even now, a step removed from the Mediterranean clichés on the coasts.

To cross the Pindus from one end to the other is exciting, demanding, and deeply rewarding. It also comes with a fair amount of suspense. Endless bends, steep changes in elevation, and landscapes of striking beauty define both sides of this northern mountain spine.

This is a difficult drive, ideal for travelers who love nature and are willing to explore some of Greece’s (and the world’s) most mountainous regions. This suggested journey begins in quaint Metsovo, among lush green slopes, and ends at the imposing rock formations of Meteora, on the eastern side of the range.

Read more at Travel.gr/en