Zagori is a World Heritage Site just the way I like it: a beautiful landscape, vernacular architecture, great hiking opportunities and not crowded with tourists.
The inscription in 2023 was controversial. It was initially proposed as a mixed site, ICOMOS recognised the cultural OUV, but IUCN had concerns about the biodiversity criterion. They proposed extending the core zone to include the entire Northern Pindos National Park. The final compromise was to inscribe Zagori only for its cultural values (criterion v only). Most visitors come to Zagori for the nature, but that may now change after inscription. I came for both, nature and culture, and was not disappointed by either.

Cultural values in Zagori mean in particular the villages, the stone stairways and the stone arch bridges. For centuries, these bridges and steps were the only connection between the villages. The modern road network was only opened in the 1950s. If you find a small car park at the side of the road, you can assume that a stone bridge is not far away. Two of the most beautiful are the three-arched Plakidas (or Kalogeriko) bridge (photo) near the village of Kipoi and, nearby, the Noutsou (or Kokkoros) bridge (photo in Els' review), with its picturesque location between two high rock faces. The area near the villages of Kipoi and Koukouli is a hotspot for these stone bridges. On a loop of about 10 kilometres you can hike to six bridges. All types are represented: one, two and three arches.
The Vradeto Steps are another masterpiece of engineering. Until the 1970s, this was the only way to reach the village of Vradeto. Well, "steps" is an understatement here. The staircase meanders its way uphill on more than 1000 steps and climbs 250 metres in altitude. But refreshment awaits after the steep climb: there are two taverns in the tiny village. And you can walk on to the Beloi viewpoint, from where you have a beautiful view of the Vikos Gorge.
There are around 20 villages in the core zone. The villages are quite similar: traditional stone houses with slate roofs, narrow cobbled streets and a central square with a church, a public fountain, an old plane tree and a taverna. I visited quite a few of them, the most picturesque being Megalo Papingo and Mikro Papingo. I also liked the village centres of Tsepelovo, Ano Pedina and Monodendri. The churches are large compared to the size of the villages. Usually, they were closed. The best chance of finding them open is probably on Sunday mornings after the mass.

Monodendri is by far the most lively village in Zagori and the starting point for hikes through the Vikos Gorge. I started my hiking tour in the morning in Monodendri and arrived in Vikos in the early afternoon. The trail starts with a steep descent down to the bottom of the gorge, then about 10 kilometres along the Voidomatis River until it climbs steeply uphill again to the village of Vikos. The return trip by taxi (40 euros, 25 km, 40 minutes). Alternatively, you can also start in Vikos, hike as far as you like and return the same way (then I would skip the steep climb up to Monodendri). In any case, the landscape is marvellous. You have magnificent views of the gorge, best from Vikos, so it is a good idea to arrive at Vikos when the sun is at its highest and you can take the best photos. I would also recommend the detour to the Panagia Virgin Mary chapel, a lovely spot right on the riverbank (the trail branches off a little before the uphill climb to Vikos).
A second hiking recommendation is the Drakolimni (Dragon Lake), but only if you have a good physical fitness. The trail starts in Mikró Pápingo and climbs to more than 2000 metres above sea level and an altitude difference of about 1100 metres. The first part to the Astraka hut (about 3 hours) is quite demanding, but worth the effort: the last section to the Dragon Lake (1 hour) is a marvellous landscape with panoramic views in all directions. And the lake itself is a real gem. I had the scenery all to myself for about an hour, I only had to share it with some birds of prey high above me and the population of newts, which are easy to observe in the clear water of lake.
Not to be missed are the Papingo Rock Pools, a small gorge with limestone rocks and small waterfalls, surrounded by forest. It is only a few steps from the car park at the road from Mikro to Megalo Papingo.

The best means of transport is the car. It is fun to drive in the Zagori Mountains, the roads are in good condition, there is almost no traffic. There is also public transport, at least I saw a few bus stops, although I saw almost no bus. And I don't think that all villages are accessible by bus.

I stayed in Monodendri, it is the most touristic village in Zagori and probably the only place where you can have problems finding a parking spot. You can find numerous options for accommodation and also several restaurants. However, this does not mean that you have a wide choice. The restaurants in Greece all seem to have the same menu. Others have complained elsewhere on this website about food in Greece (Els and Nan, as far as I remember). I totally agree with them. But Monodendri has an alternative: the Hotel Arktouros. The owners are from Italy, from what I understood, and they have pasta, pizza and risotto on the menu (and a delicious orange cake). That was very welcome after a week with Greek cuisine.

I spent three and a half days in the Zagori Cultural Landscape. If you focus on the cultural values, I would recommend to visit the stone bridges near Kipoi, the Vradeto steps and stop in some of the villages. If you also want to catch a glimpse of the nature and geology without going on a long hike, I would recommend the viewpoints into the Vikos Gorge: from the village of Vikos, the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi (700 metres from the central square of Monodendri) and/or the Oxya viewpoint (accessible by car).
A proper visit to just tick off this WHS is even possible on a day trip from Ioannina. But I would recommend spending at least one night there. If only for the atmosphere of walking through the sparsely lit cobbled streets between the old stone houses in the dark. Very special, like travelling back in time.