The Northern Pindos National Park is located at Epirus and Western Macedonia regions and can be approached by the road network between the settlements of Northern Pindos. The prefectures included in the National Park are Ioannina and Grevena. There are frequent public bus routes between those cities and Athens and Thessaloniki. Bus routes between Ioannina and Grevena and local settlements also exist.
Road Access
Northern Pindos National Park can be approached from North, South, East and West. Its southeast and east borders are connected to the Egnatia Highway. Grevena is 165km (approximately 1h and 40min by car) from Thessaloniki and 414km from Athens (approximately 5h and 31min by car). Ioannina is 262km (approximately 2h and 30min by car) from Thessaloniki and 454km from Athens (approximately 5h and 45min by car).
In order to get to Grevena from Thessaloniki take the Egnatia Road E90/Α2 and take the exit 9. In order to get to Ioannina from Thessaloniki take the Egnatia Road E90/Α2 and take the exit 5. From Ioannina, someone can access Zagori and Konitsa regions, which are located at the south west and west part of the Park. Metsovo region is 218km from Thessaloniki, through the Egnatia exit to Metsovo.
The rest of the Egnatia Road interchanges access the east and northeastern part of the Park. Someone can access East Zagori from interchange 06-Aracthos-Zagori, and from interchange 07 at Metsovo area someone can reach the Park area in about 20 km. Consequently, from Egnatia Road interchange to Thessaly (interchange 07B-Panagias) someone can follow the old National road and through Katara access the National Park (not possible during winter). Finally, from interchange 08A-Venetikos at Grevena area the visitor can follow the old local roads to Metsovo, Perivoli or Vasilitsa and access the area of the Pindos (Valia Calda) National Forest. Also, the visitor can follow the road to Samarina and reach the northern part of Smolikas and from there through mountainous passages they can reach the part of the Park that leads to the Ioannina region. Finally, from Grevena and following the road to Dotsiko and Eptachori someone can reach the northern part of the Park.
The southwest and west part of the Park can be reached from Ioannina-Konitsa-Kozani national road and more particularly from 19th km at Metamorphosi village; from 34th km at historical Kalpaki and from 38th and 48th km someone can reach Zagorochoria and the area of National Park of Vikos-Aoos.
Also, from 63rd km where Konitsa settles to 80rd km, the western boundaries of the Park perfectly match the national road of Ioannina-Konitsa-Kozani. So, from 63rd km someone reaches Konitsa and from there he can reach the inner part of the National Park following the local road to the villages of Lakkas Aoos at the hillsides of Smolikas. Also, from 80rd km (junction to Agia Paraskevi) the borders of the Park turn east from where someone can reach the northern part of Smolikas (which matches the northern boundaries of the park) and through mountainous passages unites the part of the Park which settles into Grevena region.
From Athens take the E75, E65 and E92 motorways in order to visit the Grevena region of the Park and then follow the district street from Kalambaka to Grevena. To go to Ioannina take the E75, E65 and E92 and from Malakasi follow the E90 motorway to district road Arta/Ioannina E951/ΕΟ5.
The National Park can also be reached from Albania. Zagori and Konitsa which are located in the southwest part of the Park and are 15 km away from the border stations of Kakavia, and Mertzani (Tris Gefires). Of course, the visitor of the Park following the opposite direction can easily access Albania (Argirokastro and Premeti regions).
Airports and Ports
There is an airport in the city of Ioannina at 25km distance from the National Park’s borders. The next nearby airports are at Argos Orestiko (60 km) and Thessaloniki (180 km) and the closest international port at Igoumenitsa (108 km).
