Weekend escape to Koukouli: Nature, history, and adventure in Zagori

"This plant was brought to me by my buddy Nikitas Kapsalis. On March 30, 1986, he located it on the Dovra plain. Its flower is not in good enough shape to properly identify its scientific name." I've never been more captivated by handwritten notes about plants. They are detailed, numerous - estimated to be about 1,260 - and accompanied by the actual plants. These notes belonged to Kostas Lazaridis (1904-1989), a tireless researcher, naturalist, and teacher who meticulously documented every plant he encountered. He spent years exploring Zagori, leaving behind an invaluable legacy of publications on the region's history, flora and folklore.

In another display, for example, there is an archive of handwritten cards, alphabetically sorted, chronicling the superstitions of the people of Zagori. The Rizarios Foundation assembled the entire collection and stored it in Lazaridis'...