Mikro Papigo 1700 Hotel & Spa

At the highest point of Mikro Papigo above the Vikos Gorge, Mikro Papigo 1700 Hotel & Spa is a remarkable 15 room mountain retreat created from a cluster of stone buildings whose oldest house dates back more than three centuries.

Zagori provides a magnificent setting, but the hotel earns its place within it. Five stone buildings climb through the village at different levels, their slate roofs, courtyards and terraces following the same architectural language as Mikro Papigo itself, with the great limestone Towers of Papigo rising behind and the forested depths of Vikos opening below.

Behind those traditional walls is a far more eclectic world. Pieces by Philippe Starck, Patricia Urquiola, Le Corbusier, Zaha Hadid and other leading designers sit among stone, timber and fireplaces, bringing an unexpected contemporary confidence to the old buildings. The contrast works beautifully, giving Mikro Papigo 1700 an identity that belongs equally to its history and to the present.

Rooms & Suites

With only 15 rooms and suites spread through the different buildings, no two stays feel quite the same. Thick stone walls and warm natural materials keep the mountain character intact, while Coco-Mat mattresses and carefully selected contemporary furnishings bring considerable comfort to the interiors.

Some rooms have balconies, others fireplaces, and the Mini Suites introduce either a fireplace or private Jacuzzi. The Junior and Master Suites provide more generous spaces, while views move between the surrounding forest, mountains and the dramatic landscape of Vikos.

The Jacuzzi Suite with Gorge View is the one for a special stay, pairing one of the hotel’s most privileged outlooks with its own Jacuzzi. In autumn and winter especially, there is something wonderfully satisfying about returning from the mountains to stone walls, warm interiors and your own place to soak.

Dining

Veranda at 1700 is rooted firmly in Zagori. The kitchen works with local producers and fresh free range ingredients, bringing regional recipes and the flavours of Epirus to the table rather than simply transplanting a city restaurant into the mountains.

Breakfast is particularly good at establishing that sense of place. Homemade sweet and savoury pies, seasonal preserves, local dairy products, herbal infusions and Greek coffee make mornings unmistakably regional, with the mountains providing a formidable backdrop beyond the windows and terrace.

Later, the lounge and bar become some of the most inviting spaces in the hotel. Fireplaces, deep mountain evenings and a drink after dinner are a combination that feels exactly right here, particularly once the temperature begins to fall outside.

Experience

Mikro Papigo 1700 is somewhere to come because of the landscape, not simply to admire it through a window. A path leads directly from the hotel towards the mountain refuge and Drakolimni, while the Vikos-Aoos National Park opens up an extraordinary network of trails through forest, gorge and high alpine country.

Hiking is naturally one of the great experiences, but cycling, horse riding, canoeing and guided walks offer other ways into Zagori. The surrounding stone villages deserve time too, each with its own bridges, squares and mountain views, making this a part of Greece where the journey between places is often every bit as rewarding as the destination.

Wellness

After a day in the mountains, the spa suddenly feels like one of the hotel’s greatest luxuries. Its heated indoor pool is joined by a hammam, sauna, steam room and hot tub, creating a warm sanctuary from the landscape outside.

Massages, body treatments, facials and wellness rituals provide plenty of reasons to linger, while yoga and fitness sessions add a more active dimension. Few spa experiences make quite as much sense as this one after several hours walking the paths of Zagori.

Where

The hotel sits within Mikro Papigo itself, with the village marking the beginning of some of Zagori’s most memorable mountain routes and the Vikos Gorge, Voidomatis and neighbouring villages all part of the wider landscape. Even arrival has its own character, with luggage collected from the parking area by St Taxiarchis Church and carried up through the village while you make your way into this extraordinary corner of northern Greece.

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