Further into Pindus.
Closer to the silence.
A village above the valley.
A gateway to wilder country.
Built amphitheatrically on the mountain slopes west of Pertouli, Neraidochori is one of the highest and most historic villages in the Municipality of Pyli. Its houses spread across the hillside above the valley, surrounded by forests and the increasingly rugged terrain of the Pindus.
The village was once known as Veternik, and earlier as Chatzipetrio. Its history is closely connected to the wider Aspropotamos region, and Neraidochori is also known as the birthplace of Christodoulos Chatzipetros, a general of the Greek War of Independence.
What defines Neraidochori today, however, is the way the village sits within the landscape. The road rises and bends across the mountainside, opening towards deep valleys and forested ridges, while streams descend through the surrounding terrain. The sense of distance from the plains is stronger here than in Pertouli or Elati.
Despite that feeling of remoteness, Neraidochori remains welcoming and well suited to visitors. Guesthouses, tavernas and local hospitality make it possible to stay comfortably while using the village as a base for exploring the surrounding mountains, historic paths and quieter roads towards Aspropotamos.
It is a place that works particularly well for travellers who want the mountains to feel a little less polished and a little more open-ended. Come for the views, stay for the atmosphere, then follow one of the old or new roads leading further west.
At a glance
Follow old paths.
Discover a deeper mountain story.
Some of Neraidochori’s most interesting experiences lie below the village, where older routes reveal how people once moved through the Pindus long before the modern road network existed.
The Chatzipetros Bridge, a large single-arched stone bridge dating from the eighteenth century, crosses the Pertouliotiko stream below the village. Nearby survives one of the best-preserved sections of the Vlachostrata, the network of old cobbled paths that once connected Aspropotamos and the mountain communities of Pindus with the Thessalian plain.
From the bridge, the old Skala Veternikou route can be followed towards the Ftelia spring, while the wider area offers trekking and mountain-bike routes through forests that form part of the Natura 2000 network.
The village itself also has several religious landmarks, including the Church of Agios Nikolaos, the chapels of Agios Panteleimon and Profitis Ilias, and the Monastery of Agia Paraskevi, also known as the Monastery of Tsouka.
Whether you follow a historic trail, venture into the forest or simply spend the day exploring the surrounding roads, Neraidochori offers a quieter kind of adventure — one rooted as much in the history of movement through the mountains as in the landscape itself.
Questions before you go.
Answers for the road ahead.
Neraidochori is known for its high mountain setting, amphitheatrical village layout, historic connections with Aspropotamos and nearby landmarks such as the Chatzipetros Bridge and the surviving section of the old Vlachostrata.
Neraidochori is only a few kilometres west of Pertouli and can be reached in roughly ten minutes by road, depending on conditions. The Municipality of Pyli places it about 9 km from Pertouli Ski Center.
The village sits at roughly 1,150–1,200 metres above sea level, making it one of the higher settlements in the mountain region of Pyli.
The Vlachostrata is the name used for the network of old paths and cobbled routes that once linked the mountain villages of Aspropotamos and Pindus with the Thessalian lowlands. One of the best-preserved sections can be found below Neraidochori, near the Chatzipetros Bridge.
Yes. The surrounding area offers trekking routes through mountain and forest terrain, including the historic route from the Chatzipetros Bridge along the Skala Veternikou. The wider forests around the village are part of the Natura 2000 network.
Yes. Neraidochori has guesthouses and places to eat and is well positioned for visitors who want to stay close to Pertouli while experiencing a quieter and more remote mountain atmosphere.
Very easily. The two villages are close together, so it is possible to explore the Pertouli Meadows and Ski Center, spend time in Pertouli village and continue to Neraidochori in the same day. For a slower trip, Neraidochori also makes a natural starting point for continuing west towards Pyrrha, Desi and Aspropotamos.
The villages grow quieter.
The mountains grow bigger.
Beyond Neraidochori, the road continues west and the character of the journey changes again. The landscape becomes more dramatic, settlements become smaller and the route begins to enter the mountain world traditionally associated with Aspropotamos.
Pyrrha lies further along the road, built steeply into the mountainside above the valley. Continue beyond it and the route reaches Desi before branching into the deeper landscapes and villages of the Thessalian Pindus.
This is where travelling becomes less about reaching a single attraction and more about following the geography. Stone churches appear above valleys, rivers cut through the mountains below and roads trace old connections between communities that once depended on these routes for trade, livestock movement and communication.
Neraidochori is therefore an ideal final stop before going deeper. Stay here, explore the valley and old Vlachostrata, then continue west when the road begins calling again.
Go beyond the guidebook and
discover Pertouli.
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