Metsovo - Definition and Overview

Metsovo (Greek: Μέτσοβο, Aromanian: Aminciu) is a town in Epirus on the mountains of Pindus in Northern Greece, between Ioannina to the north and Meteora to the south. It is inhabited by a majority of Greek Aromanians or Vlachs. It is bypassed by GR-6 (Ioannina - Trikala) and will be bypassed by Via Egnatia.

The town is famous for its local cheeses (Metsovone and Metsovela) and winemaking industries, including the Katogi vineyard of the Averoff family. Metsovo is also a popular winter vacation destination and a ski resort.

Metsovo is the home of the benefactors Nikolaos Stournaris, Eleni Tositsa, Michail Tositsas and Georgios Averoff, to the honor of whom the National Technical University of Athens is called Metsovion in Greek. Another notable individual from Metsovo is the former minister and former leader of the New Democracy party Evangelos Averoff.

The Metsovo Ski Centre is situated nor far from downtown.

In the 1980s, a tunnel was under construction and was the longest in Greece. It alleviated traffic and does not use curvy roads. In 2006, the connection with Via Egnatia will make the sect of GR-6 (Ioannina - Trikala) into this superhighway and will have two interchanges for Metsovo.

Historical population

In the late 1980s, the communal population of Metsovo surpassed Konitsa making it second largest city in the Ioannina prefecture. The municipal population is smaller than Konitsa which makes it one of the largest.

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