Explore the castle town of Ioannina
The castle town of Ioannina is the oldest Byzantine fortress in Greece and is one of the few castles that is still inhabited. It was built in 528 BC by the Emperor Justinian and it had an important role in the history of the town over the years.
The beautiful small island of Ioannina is located on Lake Pamvotida and is one of the few inhabited lake islands in Europe. There, visitors who make the 10-minute ferry journey across to the car-free island, can explore the quaint backstreets of the only village, enjoy time in nature with a walk through the woods, lap up the lakeside views, or understand the island’s past by visiting the museum and monasteries.
Explore Perama Cave
Located just 5 km away from the city center, it’s one of the rarest and most beautiful caves in Greece. It was created 1.500.000 years ago in the heart of Goritsa hill. It has a steady temperature of 17 Celsius throughout the year.
The tour takes around 45 minutes, during that time you will learn about the history of the cave and you will enjoy a great display of stalactites and stalagmites.
Visit Dodoni Sanctuary and Theatre
The archaeological site of Dodoni is located 21 km away from Ioannina and it is one of the oldest Oracles in Greece. The sanctuary was dedicated to Zeus and it had an Oracle area and a theatre that are still visible today along with a Prytaneum and a Parliament. You can climb at the theatre and enjoy a magnificent view of nature and the mountains.
Zagori
Once you’ve discovered Zagori, you may well have found your new favorite place in Greece. The combination of natural beauty and the traditional features of the Zagori villages has contributed to this region of Epirus becoming the country’s first candidate to be added to UNESCO’s list of Cultural Landscapes.
There are 46 Zagori villages (known as the Zagorohoria villages in Greek, some of them household names and others little known) and all hide a charm that changes with the seasons. Spring and autumn are especially beautiful, but you’ll adore the villages – with their stone-built houses, squares and tavernas – at any time of year.
