Zagorochoria soon formed a federation that lasted for 2 centuries and achieved a series of privileges unheard in the rest of the occupied territories. No Turk was allowed to enter the zone of Zagorochoria, the Turkish law had no power there and the people of the villages had the right to practise their religious beliefs in freedom. The area soon flourished both economically and culturally and one can still see the old stone mansions and the old schools, remnants of that era.

               Doliani is one of the most "intellectual" of the Zagorochoria as it used to be inhabited by highly educated people. One can admire the stone mansions and the belltower of the church of the Assumption.

               Tsepelovo has a very traditional atmosphere with well preserved mansions and a picturesque square with platans centuries old where the elders used to gather and socialise. Often enough the village is used as the basis for national and international conventions due to its beauty.

               Monodendri and Vitsa are very known to all that love nature or extreme sports because they are located very near the entrance of the Vikos ravine. From Monodendri there is a view of Vikos ravine and close by there is Voidomatis river which is very a very popular place for kayak. It is where the famous bridge of Kleidoniavista is located.

               Aristi and Vikos are two more traditional villages west of the Vikos ravine. From there one can visit the monastery of Spiliotissa and Voidomatis river which is one of the most beautiful places in the area.

               The erection of a bridge, especially one that had to cross a wild river or a deep ravine, was not always an easy or safe task. Very often the bridge would collapse causing numerous victims. The building of a bridge was always seen as a sacred task, sometimes even sacrilegious, as it was meant to rise over nature, to defy danger and bring human spirit against divine forces. The building of stone bridges was one of the areas where the deep Mediterranean spirituality of the Greeks would meet in a unique way with their ancient but not forgotten paganistic beliefs. Very often sacrifices of roosters or other animals would take place on the basis of the bridge with prayers and spells to ensure safety and sturdiness. A great number of folk songs and legends describe the anxiety of the builder and the dangers he would face to rise above the natural forces. One of the most famous legends is the one about the bridge of Arta that became a song. It is said that even though 45 skilled builders and 60 apprentices were employed to build it (a symbolic number indicating the difficulty of the task) it would collapse every night no matter their efforts, their prayers or their sacrifices. It was not until the most valuable offering was made, the head builder's wife herself, that the bridge finally was build. Since then the spirit of the woman hounds the bridge and it can be seen as a black dressed figure standing under the central arch of the bridge during noon throwing in the river anyone who dares to cross the bridge at that time.