With vast, pristine forests, bountiful waterways, and lavish local products, it is no wonder that the region of Grevena has become a hotspot for travellers, despite its small size and its out-of-the-way location.

The city of Grevena, one of the smallest cathedral towns in the country, boasts a rich history of rebellions during Ottoman rule and resistance during the Nazi occupation, with many local heroes commemorated in various memorials in the city’s picturesque squares placed around the Grevenitis River.

The landmark Public Library hosts one of the biggest rare history books collections in Greece, for anyone wishing to know more about the region’s tumultuous history. But the region’s main charm lies right outside the city, starting from the lush green mountain slopes.

The surrounding Orliaka Mountain is covered with pine and fir trees, as well as robola vines. Trekking paths and activities are virtually endless, but should always include at  least some of Orliaka’s legendary stone bridges and impressive caves, with the Deskati Cave being one of the region’s must-sees.

A visit to the picturesque Mastorohoria complex of villages, as well as an expedition to the amazing Valia Calda National Park are also a must. Nature lovers will also find a scientific aspect to their interest, as the village of Milia hosts a rare palaeontology collection which includes the largest mastodon tusk in the world, officially entered in the Guinness book of records.

And as all this trekking may bring an appetite, Grevena is up to the occasion: with more than 1,300 mushroom species growing in the area, Grevena is the official mushroom capital of Greece. There is no end to the mushroom delicacies available at the local diners: hot mushroom soups, mushroom pies, dishes with wild, cultivated, powdered or dried mushrooms, mushroom sauces and even mushroom liquor, it’s all there to impress mushroom lovers and gourmet specialists alike.