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    Ioannina

    Greece

    Ioannina

    City

    Ioannina is the capital of Epirus and lies at an altitude of around 480 metres on the western shore of Lake Pamvotida. The walled old town, the Kastro, was the seat of Ali Pascha, who ruled the region from here around 1800.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Greece
    7. Epirus
    9. Ioannina
    Ioannina is the capital of Epirus and lies at an altitude of around 480 metres on the western shore of Lake Pamvotida. The walled old town, the Kastro, was the seat of Ali Pascha, who ruled the region from here around 1800. Mosques, an old synagogue, and Byzantine churches recall the Muslims, Jews, and Christians who lived here. The large university ensures bustling cafés, and the city is a good starting point for the Zagorochoria and the Vikos Gorge.

    Sights in Ioannina

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Kastro von Ioannina

    1Kastro von Ioannina

    The Kastro is the city's oldest inhabited part, a Byzantine fortress refortified by Ali Pascha around 1815. Behind its walls isn't a museum complex, but a residential quarter with cobblestones, ivy, and small shops. Two citadels stand at the corners; between them, you'll find the old Kahal Kadosh Yashan Synagogue, a testament to the Romaniote community that lived here until 1944. The rampart walk takes just under an hour and repeatedly offers views of the lake.
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    The island in Lake Pamvotida (Nisi)

    2The island in Lake Pamvotida (Nisi)

    From Molos, small ferries depart for the island every half hour during the day; the journey takes about ten minutes. On its 0.7 square kilometers live just under 200 people. There are no cars, but six monasteries from Byzantine and post-Byzantine times. In the Agios Panteleimon Monastery, Ali Pasha was shot by Ottoman envoys in 1822. The bullet holes in the floor are part of the tour through the small museum. Along the alleys are taverns serving eel and trout from the lake.
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    Its Kale, the Acropolis of the Kastro

    3Its Kale, the Acropolis of the Kastro

    The southeastern citadel was Ali Pasha's seat of government and is now the quietest part of the Old Town. In the center stands the Fethiye Mosque from 1795, fronted by the Pasha's tomb with a wrought-iron grille. In the former Seraglio, the Byzantine Museum displays icons and regional finds, while an adjacent building houses the Silversmith Museum. From the ramparts, you can see the lake, the island, and beyond it the Mitsikeli mountain range.
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    Aslan-Pascha-Moschee (Ethnographisches Museum)

    4Aslan-Pascha-Moschee (Ethnographisches Museum)

    The Mosque of 1618 stands on the northeastern bastion of the Kastro and is the city's best-preserved Ottoman sacred building. Since 1933, it has housed the Municipal Ethnographic Museum, which displays costumes, silverwork, weapons, and tools of the three communities that lived here: Greeks, Muslims, and Jews. The prayer room with its Mihrab niche is preserved; the display cases are arranged inside. In front of the entrance lies a terrace with views over the lake.
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    Cave of Perama

    5Cave of Perama

    Four kilometers north of the center lies one of Greece's largest show caves, discovered during World War II by residents looking for an air-raid shelter. The tour covers approximately 1.1 kilometers through halls full of stalactites and stalagmites; stairs and steps make it somewhat strenuous. The temperature is around 17 degrees Celsius year-round; a jacket is advisable even in August. From the exit, you have a wide view over the lake and the city.
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    Silversmith Museum

    6Silversmith Museum

    Ioannina was for centuries the center of Greek silversmithing, and the museum in the western bastion of Its Kale showcases how the craft worked. On display are tools, filigree work, weapon fittings, and belt buckles, along with video footage of the production process. The exhibition is modernly designed and takes about an hour to see. In the alleys of the lower town, workshops still operate to this day, where you can buy these pieces.
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    City walks in Ioannina

    Curated walking tours through the city's highlights, handpicked by experienced travel journalists.

    Ioannina Beyond the Walls: City Life and the Magic of the Lake Island

    Experience a different Ioannina beyond the historic fortress. This walk takes you through the vibrant modern city center, where you discover local life and the famous silversmithing craft. The highlight is a boat trip to the idyllic island of Nisaki in Lake Pamvotida, where you explore the unique monasteries and the Ali Pasha Museum before ending the evening in a cozy lakeside taverna.

    ~2 Std. 45 Min.
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    Stops (8)

    Restaurants & Cafés

    1

    Fysa Roufa (Φύσα Ρούφα)

    Fysa Roufa is a Mageirio on Averof Street: Dishes are pre-cooked from early morning and served from the display, rather than individually made to order. Every day features soups, meat or vegetable stews, casseroles, and fish.
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    2

    Metsovitiki Folia (Μετσοβίτικη Φωλιά)

    The Metsovitiki Folia is a grill restaurant on Averof Street with outdoor seating. The menu features lamb or pork Souvlaki, baked cheese, Saganaki, and farmer's salad, served with thick bread.
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    Metsovitiki Folia

    Restaurant in Averof 101.
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    3

    Poco Loco Cantina

    Poco Loco is a Mexican cantina with a cocktail bar on Garivaldi Street, on the edge of the Old Town, below the walls of the Kastro. The menu features Mexican and Latin American dishes, with cocktails available in the evening.
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    Food and Drink

    Ioannina features Pindos cuisine, with abundant pastry, cheese, and meat, plus lake fish. The university ensures budget-friendly student spots exist alongside the tavernas.
    Pita from the sheet

    Pita from the sheet

    The hand-pulled dough is the specialty of the region. It is filled with cheese, leek, wild herbs, or pumpkin, baked in round tins. In the old town bakeries, you can get several varieties by the piece.

    Fish from the Pamvotida

    In the restaurants on the lake island, eel, carp, and frog legs feature on the menu, a tradition from before its road connection. The lake is shallow and nutrient-rich; its flavor accordingly robust.
    Sweets and Baklava

    Sweets and Baklava

    Ioannina has a long pastry tradition dating back to Ottoman times. Well-known specialties include Baklava, Kataifi, and the syrup cake Sokolatina, sold in the old confectionery shops around Averof Street.

    Silver craftsmanship as a souvenir

    Not food, but the city's true craft: For centuries, Ioannina was the center of Greek silversmithing. At the Silver Museum in Kastro, you can see the technique; in the Old Town's workshops, you can buy.

    Culture, Art & History of Ioannina

    Ioannina, the capital of the Epirus region, looks back on a rich and multifaceted history that significantly shaped its culture, art, and architecture. The city likely emerged in the 6th century AD and experienced a heyday during the Byzantine era, which is reflected in the preserved fortifications and churches within the Kastro.Also influential was the over 480-year-long Ottoman rule, especially the era of Ali Pasha at the beginning of the 19th century. This period left behind numerous mosques, such as the Aslan Pasha Mosque, hammams, and traditional mansions that still characterize the cityscape today. Within the castle walls, there are also testimonies of Jewish life, such as the old synagogue, which underscores the city's former multi-ethnic and multi-religious identity.Local art is closely linked to **silversmithing**, a centuries-old tradition that made Ioannina a center for intricate jewelry and utilitarian objects. Modern art galleries and museums complement this historical heritage, with the Archaeological Museum and the Byzantine Museum offering important insights into the past. Ioannina is thus a living testament to the coexistence of different cultures and eras.

    Nightlife

    Ioannina's nightlife, largely shaped by its student population, offers you a diverse selection of bars and cafés. Along the lakeside promenade and in the Old Town, you'll find popular spots like the Ippotes Pub, which are open until late and offer live music in summer.

    The Bar (Stoa Liampei)

    Small bar in Stoa Liampei, a covered central passage featuring several establishments side-by-side. From late evening, guests gather in the alley between the entrances. Ioannina is a university town, so the crowd is accordingly young.
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    Santa Tsikita

    Bar on Koletti Street, just minutes from the Kastro walls. The space is small; on warm evenings, some guests sit outside. An address for starting the evening before moving on to the passages.
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    Li Tseri

    Li Tseri is a small bar on Tsirigoti Street, slightly off the central nightlife alleys. The Greek bar magazine FlagInLife has often featured it, with its sister bar Trypokarydo. The room is narrow, the atmosphere accordingly close.
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    Ippotes Pub

    Pub on Georgiou-Soutsou Street near the Kastro. Serving beer and spirits, along with snacks like burgers. The clientele is more mixed than in the student bars in the passages.
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    1

    Tourist Pavilion (Pavilion of the Society for Epirotic Studies)

    The pavilion of the Society for Epirotic Studies is nestled in greenery overlooking the lake, operating as a café and bar. By day, guests come for coffee; by night for drinks and the view over Lake Pamvotida. The terrace is the real draw to come here.
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    Prova Live (Summer Stage)

    A live music venue that moves to an outdoor location in summer. Programs start late and continue into the early morning hours. Before visiting, it's worth checking the current schedule, as dates are irregular.
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    Agrimia Live Stage

    Stage at the Polychoros Agora Cultural Centre on Kosta Katsari Street. Live Greek music is performed, with the program changing seasonally. The hall is intimate, so the audience sits close to the stage.
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    Exploring Locally

    Getting ThereThe small airport is located about five kilometers northwest of the city center and is mainly served by flights from Athens. Via the Egnatia Odos, you can reach Thessaloniki in about three hours, and Patras in about two and a half hours via the Ionia Odos. The KTEL bus station connects Ioannina with Athens, Thessaloniki, Igoumenitsa, and other towns in the region.In the CityThe Kastro, bazaars, and lakeside are all close together and easily accessible on foot. City buses run to the suburbs and Perama. From Molos, boats depart regularly during the day for the island; the trip takes about ten minutes.ExcursionsFor Dodona, Metsovo, and the Zagorochoria, you'll need a car or a taxi, as buses to the mountain villages are infrequent. The drive to Monodendri takes about 45 minutes.

    Accommodations in Ioannina

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    Nearby

    Epirus

    Epirus

    Epirus, in northwestern Greece, stretches from the Pindos Mountains to the Ionian Sea coast. The mountains are home to the stone villages of Zagorochoria, the Vikos Gorge, and old arched bridges, while coastal towns include Parga and Sivota. Its capital is Ioannina, situated on Lake Pamvotis, featuring an Ottoman-influenced castle town. May, June, and September are ideal for hiking, while summer is best for swimming.
    Monodendri

    Monodendri

    Monodendri sits at 1,060 meters in Central Zagori, 41 kilometers north of Ioannina, directly on the edge of the Vikos Gorge. The stone village serves as a starting point for traversing the gorge and for its viewpoints above.
    Papingo

    Papingo

    Papingo consists of the two stone villages of Megalo and Mikro Papingo at the foot of the Astraka rock faces in the Vikos-Aoos National Park. From here, hiking trails lead up into the Tymfi Massif, and between the villages are the rock pools of Ovires.
    Meteora

    Meteora

    Meteora lies on the edge of the Thessalian plain above the small town of Kalambaka. Orthodox monasteries stand on tall conglomerate rock towers, the first of them built in the 14th century. Six are inhabited and open to visitors, including the Great Meteoron and Varlaam. The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon and wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees.
    Trikala

    Trikala

    Trikala is located in the west of the Thessalian plain at the foot of the Pindos Mountains. The Lithaios river flows through the city, with life unfolding along its banks. The castle on the hill, the old Varousi quarter, and the Ottoman Koursoum Mosque tell tales of Byzantine and Ottoman times.The city is a good base for Meteora, located about 20 kilometers away, and can be explored on foot or by bike in half a day.

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