Lake mist, Ottoman history and one of Greece's most distinctive food cities.
Ioannina wraps a lively university city around Lake Pamvotida, with a lived-in castle, silversmithing heritage, museums and strong Epirus cooking.
Ioannina's walled castle is still a neighbourhood, containing the Its Kale citadel, Byzantine Museum, Ottoman mosque and the grave of Ali Pasha. Boats cross Lake Pamvotida to the inhabited island, while the Silversmithing Museum explains the craft visible in local workshops.
The city's restaurants draw on Epirus pies, lake fish, mountain cheeses and modern cooking, and its bars stay busy through winter. Ioannina is also the practical gateway to Zagori, Tzoumerka and the ancient theatre of Dodona.
Practical information
The city has an airport and intercity buses. The historic centre is walkable; rent a car only when heading into the mountains, where weather changes quickly.
