Ioannina

In autumn the city looks like a glass as the rain makes everything sparkle. And we become, even for a while , part of its imposing, theatrical setting.
In Ioannina , the first rains are suitable & stands as one of the best offbeat escapes in Europe because of the Lake, the perfect backdrop for romance and holidays.
This city sits in the center of a valley, among enormous mountains.
The town was built on the famous Egnatia Odos, the road that connects Europe with Asia minor , one of the most ancient routes in history and it is made by stone.
Stone is everywhere either by nature or by humans.
The history trails leads to the unmissable attractions of today’s multicultural city of Ioannina: six amazing museums, a unique primordial cave, art galleries, twelve churches, one synagogue, sixteen monasteries, twelve well preserved Muslim monuments, and an array of townhouses and public buildings of architectural interest.

Ride, wander, taste, Live!!

The simplest experiences turn into something magical in Ioannina!!
A walk or even a bike ride around the lake offers breathtaking views.
Some experiences that you do not get to live every day!

Walk in the town and wander in the silversmith shops.
You will find the legendary craftsmen whose work and creations are known all over Europe.
The local cuisine will satisfy the appetite of even the most demanding visitors. The local pastries are well known all over Greece!!
Every last bite is a mouthwatering reminder ,why Ioannina is a culinary crossroad between Europe and East.

The coastal road around the castle and under the shade of the trees is full of couples on romantic walks, young officers, lively students, while the wooden platforms of cafes and restaurants are full of people and travelers gazing at the calm surface of the water.
The bike path along the local bank building, gives the opportunity for exercise and a charming ride to the mountain.
Every now and then, boats sail for the island of the Lake, with the live eels and seafood in the windows of the fish taverns and the being that Ali Pasha left his last breath, with the marks from the bullets on the walls.
This island lake is one of Europe’s few inhabited lake islands, the only inhabited one on the world without a name!!
The only 10 minutes crossing from the town to the lake island via a boat offers spectacular views and make the visitors feel like they have travelled back in time. On a foggy day it feels like you are part of a fairytale!
A 30minute walk on its cobblestone alleys will send you picking up echoes of folk songs and psalms of Christians , Jews and Muslims who lived on this land peacefully for centuries.
It is filled with pine trees, unique stone houses, a natural port, full of fishing boats and it is the home of seven monasteries, the third largest group after Mount Athos and Meteora.
With no cars at all, every walk will calm your soul, the chirping of the birds and the sound of the leaves underneath your feet will remind you of the simple pleasures of life.
Blue is everywhere as a color and sensation too.
Look at the lake!! With the lake surface reflecting sky blue, the lake and the sky seem to be one and undivided. Add the reflection of the surrounding mountains in the lake and get the fairy tale.

Let’s go back in the lively city.
Sounds of nature harmoniously tied with the people talks and children laughs in the streets of this town.
As you exploring of the city center ,you will suddenly feel that you are in another world: in the imposing castle.
It was built in 528AD by the emperor Justinian and is the oldest Byzantine fortress in Greece, with an uninterrupted history.
Over the years it developed into a real state, within which the intellectual life of Ioannina progressed to a high degree.
Ali Pasha, this emblematic and enigmatic figure of the Ottoman Empire, lived in the same castle.

This city never sleeps as the nightlife options are countless, especially during the summer season. The bars and clubs by the lake make for unforgettable fun, under the star lit night sky.
Must to visit the Aslan Pasha Mosque, the most beautiful of the city’s three mosques, which has been turned into an ethnological museum.
Walk in the cobbled streets and hear the heart of the city beating eternally, fueled by the students’ adrenaline and energy.
Suddenly, while you enjoy the city walks, you smell food cooking in a distance. Somewhere near you a handmade, herb-flavored, cheese or meat pie is baked!!
You won’t stop yourself of having second piece of it. Yummy!!

We could ask ourselves if this unique part of Greece could be a calm or a wild place to visit?
And the answer would be that, if we could explore each part of the city, the lake, the island, a few kilometers away, up on the great wild mountains, or the lively stone-built villages where within roaring rivers with white foaming water rushing down edgy slopes, drifting huge rocks.
It’s up to you!!
Choose whatever makes you feel happy. Is this calm or is this wild? You will find the answer by visiting Ioannina.
Let’s go!!