Epirus, Greece – A gateway to remember!

A few days ago, we had a unique experience, in Epirus, Greece! We enjoyed nature and had a magnificent five star hotel experience in the area, during the weekend. We got all the relaxation we were in need of, going horse riding! As a Tinggly ambassador  I chose to experience horse riding while staying at Epirus Palace Hotel.  I took my first horse riding lesson and although it was my first time trying a Tinggly experience, everything was perfect!

Our starting point was Thessaloniki by car (the city has an airport, where several airlines fly from all over Europe). Our destination was the city of Ioannina and the hotel we stayed was the Epirus Palace! The ride to reach the hotel is less than 3 hours, no hard road and pleasant with many tunnels scattered along the way. We arrived at Ioannina promptly and found very easily the Epirus Palace Hotel which is located at the entrance of the city. The hotel provides its own convenient parking area so we did not have to waste  time finding a place to park our car .

We checked in immediately although the hotel is fully booked this time of the year.

The room was impressive! Large, spacious, sparkling clean, with nice bathroom and a very comfortable bed, with a coffee machine also included! The  WiFi connection was perfect with no lagging! We settled in, took a refreshing shower and felt the craving of a large cup of coffee!

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We went downstairs at the pool bar. We sat by the pool bar, right next to the relaxing pool water! The sun was setting soon and we started making plans for the next day!

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Reception arranged our riding lesson in Papigo  for the next morning.. Papigo is a beautiful village in the mountains part of the Zagoria villages complex! All village buildings are built of harsh stone  in the traditional architectural way of the area! A unique, impressive sight!

We used our mobile GPS application to load our route and we arrived to Papingo easily, just following the map. A five minute further walk through the narrow streets of the village brought us to the ranch of our horse riding lesson.

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The trainer was friendly on her welcome. I had never approached these beautiful animals so close before  and I admit that the experience was overwhelming! We got our detailed instructions and during our ride through the narrow paths we were always accompanied by the experienced trainer. Horse riding was something completely new for us but it was worth the effort and time! We had a ball and time just flew by!

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Finishing our riding lesson we spent some more time in the village walking down the narrow streets and admiring the buildings and decorative plants all over! A flower pot on each balcony or window ledge!

On the way back we stopped  in Voidomatis River to enjoy the unique landscape! Nature is imposing and beautiful in this region, and visitors experience unforgettable moments.

The next day was dedicated to our rest and was spent  at the hotel! The Epirus Palace is a luxurious five star hotel, very well organized, offering excellent service! We started our day with a delicious breakfast by the pool! The served dishes were excellent, nutritious enough to load us with energy at the very start of our day!

We checked our emails from the tablet while drinking a cool coffee in the pool bar! I have to admit that the free WiFi connection was really fast! Our next stop was the pool! We chose two lounge chairs and enjoyed the Greek sun and the coolness of the water until late afternoon! We relaxed, reading a book, ordering juices and fresh fruits until late in the afternoon !  Best word describing our feelings is rejuvenation.

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We had a shower, got dressed and went down to the hotel’s restaurant, MEDITERRANEAN for dinner. The night was falling and the pool was lit up. A beautiful sight! We ordered pasta, a dish with chicken and salad and the flavors were really wonderful! We enjoyed two excellent dishes, overlooking the illuminated pool drinking a glass of wine! We had a very nice evening and slept quietly until morning, resting our minds and bodies! Next day we got prepared to depart soon after breakfast!

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We had spent a wonderful weekend that offered us relaxation and rest plus we enjoyed some unique experiences. Tinggly is amazing! What more can you ask from any trip ?

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Thank you Maria for sharing your Tinggly experience!

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