Syrrako is one of the most beautiful villages of Epirus. It belongs to the municipality of North Tzoumerka and belongs to Ioannina.
Tzoumerka with its picturesque villages and wild green nature is now a destination for all seasons of the year and not only for winter, as it has been unfairly identified.
Syrrako is the largest stone-built village in Greece. In fact, it has about 300 houses, as many as Papigo and Aristi combined. The closest village, Kalarrites have about a hundred houses less.
No vehicles are allowed inside the Syrrako village, so its traditional colour is kept intact. Syrrako is a declared traditional place and keeps its traditional Epirus architecture unchanged with its stone-built houses and slate roofs.
In Syrrako, the old stone, three-storey school stands out, which is the largest building in the village and now it’s open as a hotel.
It is worth mentioning that important personalities such as the first constitutional Prime Minister of Greece, Ioannis Kolettis, the poet Georgios Zalokostas and the poet Kostas Krystallis, all come from such a small village.
Syrrako: A village with huge history
Syrrako was built around the 15th century by mainly Vlach-speaking populations. It may be a small village, but it has a huge history. Located above the gorge of the river Hrousia, you’ll find fairytale stone-built mansions and cobbled streets.
Syrrako participated in the Greek Revolution of 1821 led by Ioannis Kolettis and along with neighbouring Kalarrites were the only villages in Epirus to participate in the revolution during its first year.
Syrrako submitted to the Turks, but after securing preferential tax treatment and a kind of autonomy. This privileged status gradually led the village to growth and prosperity.
Many inhabitants of the mainly lowland areas, in order to avoid the arbitrariness and oppressions of the Turks, began to take refuge in the mountainous and inaccessible Syrrakos. Thus at the end of the 18th century the population reached 4,000 inhabitants.
In 1821 the Turks completely destroyed Syrrako. The neighbouring Kalarrites were liberated from the Turks in 1881 along with Arta, while Syrrako remained Turkish.
Thus the river separating the two villages at that time was a natural border between the two countries. The Cretans from Sfakia liberated Syrrako from the Turks on November 23, 1912.
When the Turks left Syrrako they burned the big school and the church. The inhabitants chose to save the church, so the school was burnt to the ground and had to be rebuilt from scratch.
In 1925 they started the construction of the school and it was finished in 1929. Because of safety reasons, the school was the only building with a tin roof rather than a stone one.
The children once numbered over 300 and at night, when their parents were still in the mountains with the sheep, goats etc., they stayed in the boarding house next to the church or inside the school.
Until 1978 there was no road to Syrrako and to reach it one had to come on foot!
The school stopped operating in 1980 with 84 children and from then until 2000 the school remained empty.
The school to this day is still operating as a hotel. More specifically, the residents saw that they needed to use it and in 2004 they rented it to a man who kept it until 2017, because after that he went to live permanently in Ioannina.
The building remained empty in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and in 2021 it was put up for auction through the municipality. So in February 2021, Mrs. Matina and Mr. Vangelis took it from the auction and in June the beautiful The Old School Boutique Hotel opened.
If you are planning a trip to Tzoumerka, The Old School Boutique Hotel is the best accommodation you can choose. From the excellent hospitality and wonderful owners, to the beautiful rooms and delicious breakfast, your stay will be a dream.
What to do in Syrrako
Attractions in the village that you should not miss include the house of the poet, Kostas Krystallis, which serves as a folklore museum and library.
You will take a walk in the village square, explore the stone-built alleys, admire the Goura Fountain and most importantly enjoy the wonderful architecture of the village. Finally, don’t forget to see the church of Agios Nikolaos.
In 1821 the Turks completely looted the church. The church was restored by the people themselves who voluntarily carried the stones and marbles from the mountains and paid only the wages of the master-builders. The completion of the church was completed in 1888.
When you get hungry you can stop for a meal at the tavern “Stavraetos“. We tried delicious hot cheese pie, handmade galotyri dip, fresh salads and a variety of meats including burgers, steaks, sausages and many other meats.
If you want to see more about my trip in Syrrako, visit my profile on Instagram.
