Metsovo - Greece's Vlach Mountain Town

August 2024. Greece (Ελλάδα). Epirus ( Ήπειρος) Region. A Greek mountain town is a welcome break from Greek island hopping, and the one I chose was Metsovo (Greek: Μέτσοβο; Aromanian: Aminciu), the largest center of Vlach life in Greece, a town in the mountains of Pindus (Πίνδος), known for its meat, local cheeses, and wine.

Referenced Videos:

Greece Road Trip Series:

[austria]

My great-grandfather was of Aromanian origin, I heard that many Aromanians live in Metsovo. I love Greece and will not forget my origins❤

[micron]

My wife is Vlach, and I don't think that you will ever find any Vlach to tell you that he is not Greek but is Romanian! My grandparents came from Turkey (Trabzon) and spoke only Turkish and Pontus dialect at that time (exchange) no modern Greek at all, but they were and feel 100% Greek! Even the Greek revolution started in Vlach province in Romania due to the huge amount of very rich Greeks living there at that time! And thanks to Averov's contribution to Greece in the Greek-Turkish war, the east Aegean Islands belong to Greece today!

[horror]

metsovo is an amazing place.
i was 2 times this year in metsovo and it checks all marks i want to have in a traditional mountain village while having everything u would want from a modern city.
its also a great place to use as a base for exploration of the surrounding areas like the vikos gorge and such.
i prefer the hot months when its rly empty and the nights are not hot so u dont need ac to sleep.

[MrKozanitis]

The beer shown takes its name Valia Calda, from the valley next to it meaning “Hot Valley”

[AnastasiaAna-vb]

Vlachs and Macedonians are brother, too!

[johnpappas]

Glad you went to main Greece. Greece is not the islands only!...Continental Greece has a lot to offer besides the sea. Try Karpenisi, Evrytania in Central Gr next time.

[saebica]

The saddest years, the saddest era where Aromanians are either considered Romanians or Greeks.. But not what they are: AN ETHNIC GROUP, SPEAKING A LANGUAGE WITH FOUR DIALECTS....

I will fight for this comunity for my whole life.

The language is Romance with no ROMANIAN words but Latin words

Who needs help with speaking/learning the language, let me know

[rkgrant]

my buddy from Montréal married a Bronx Vlach

[xtradj]

Wonderful, real food, I'm jealous 😀

[MrKozanitis]

The local names must be pronounced correctly, with emphasis where the accent indicates emphasis of pronunciation e.g. Metsovo’ne. Metsove’la, Flogero’ wine (the flaming one!), Ave’rof-Tosi’tsas, etc
BTA, the Vlach language hails mostly from Latin, as does the Romanian one; both are Romance languages I.e. their roots are Latin or Roman, from Rome). Ursa from Ursus (Latin) etc etc
Incidentally, not only gas stations but many shops are in the street level of a house and the proprietor/owner lives in the upper floor(s). Very convenient especially when you are required to stay open 24 hours on certain days of the week; and economical! 😊
Finally, Anilion, which literally means “Without sun” is another Vlach village, it baffles me though how it got its name as it is bathed in sun!
Finally, for a second your pronunciation of the village Milea (Μήλαια) had me confused as I thought to myself, hmmm a village in the area that I do not recognize? Then I saw the sign Μήλαια and laughed! It’s not pronounced Milia (like (E)milia, but MilAEa, and it means Apple tree!

[nickmavro]

Eddi the tip of the day. Vlachs in Greece dont say the word Mulțumesc which means thank you in Rumanian but Evxaristo in Greek for thank you. That explains a lot for those who are from there and distinguishes them from Rumanians. Eddi are you a Vlach? But off course I am sure you haven't heard that before. Facts are sacred comments are free.

[gerassimos.fourlanos]

The idea that Vlachs are Greeks living in Romania is one of many expressions of Balkan stupidity. You will come across many similar "theories" in Boulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania. Balkan ultra nationalists claim that the Romans came to Rome from Romania, that Anatolians were Serbs, that Vladivostok is Boulgarian and all that kind of crap, not to mention the official national mythology of North Macedonia. The Greeks, are not exempt from this deplorable phaenomenon, which is a proof that there is a very long distance - and a lot of things that have happened in the meantime - between Plato's rationality and Modern Greece's Balkanism.

[ApostoleNitsotolis]

The Latin speaking Romans ruled Greece for 1600 years. No other Romance language nations ruled Greece not even Romania. Greek Vlachs can't understand Romanian. Romanians have no connection to Greek Vlachs. They don't speak the same language at all. Just visit Metsovo and find out. Let me state it again. The Romans ruled Greece for 1600 years.

[christo]

Lovely Bulgarian Town in Greece. Btw Metsovo means Bear Town in Bulgarian...