Ioannina, Greece Travel, Hotels, Attractions, Flights

Ioannina is a city of Epirus, north-western Greece. It is located 450 km northwest of Athens, 350 km southwest of Thessaloniki and 100 km east of the port of Igoumenitsa in the Ionian Sea.

Tourism

One of the most notable attractions of Ioannina is the islet on Lake Pamvotis. Passengers are ferried back and forth from the mainland to the island (about a 15-minute ride each way) on small motorboats which run on varying schedules, according to the season. (About once every half hour, or more, in the spring and summer, much less frequently in the winter.) Tourists can visit the Moni Panteleimonos monastery (Ali Pasha's aforementioned refuge) which has been converted into a museum containing information and paintings, as well as re-creations of Ali-Pasha's lounging and living quarters. The museum is not the only attraction on the island: there are many gift-shops, tavernas, churches and bakeries on the island's quaint, winding streets. Some of the people of Ioannina even choose to make the tiny island their yearlong home, with simple rowboats moored outside their homes, or in small marinas, in the event they need to get to Ioannina proper when the motorboats are not running.
Botanically, the region of Ioannina is dominated by robust, fragrant pine trees, many of which grow within the city itself, especially around the old castle, or fortress walls. The bizarre layout of the castle's streets, which either go around in circles or lead to dead ends, were supposedly designed to confuse pirates of old who breached the castle walls, so that they would get lost within the fortress, and be captured before escaping with their bounty.

Ioannina is famous throughout Greece for its silverwork, with many shops selling silver jewelry and decor (serving trays, recreations of shields and swords, trinkets, etc.). The ornate style of the jewelry and artwork reflects more Turkish, rather than Greek, sensibilities, due to the lengthy Turkish occupation of the area.
Ioannina is also one of the few places in Greece where one can purchase a hookah. Greeks rarely use hookahs; they are mainly sold to tourists as novelty items and vary in size from tiny to quite large (some are 4-5 ft. tall.) The larger ones in particular can be quite attractive and are often purchased by Greeks and tourists alike to be used as decor. For those who would like to experiment smoking with a hookah, most hookah merchants carry a variety of flavored tobaccos.
Within the castle in the centre of Ioannina city, the mosque of Aslan Pasha houses the Municipal History Museum, which includes works of folk art, as well as weapons and swords from the period of the Ottoman occupation of the area.
The neighbouring region of Zagori comprises many traditional villages, such as Papingo, Skamneli and Monodendri. The region is noted for its scenery and traditional food.
10 km south of the city lies the Paul Vrellis Greek History Museum, a museum with wax statues, like the Madame Thussaud Museum in London, England.
The island in Lake Pamvotis is referred to as "Nisaki" ('Νησάκι, Greek for "little island", literally) by everyone, including its inhabitants. It is linked to the city by small boats, as a form of public transport.





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			Website for Ioannina IOANNINA, TOWN GUIDE We have no traveler comments for Ioannina, Greece. Help us and your fellow travelers and be the first. Click here to log your comments. Thank you. Welcome to Ioannina Ioannina is a city of Epirus, north-western Greece. It is located 450 km northwest of Athens, 350 km southwest of Thessaloniki and 100 km east of the port of Igoumenitsa in the Ionian Sea. Tourism One of the most notable attractions of Ioannina is the islet on Lake Pamvotis. Passengers are ferried back and forth from the mainland to the island (about a 15-minute ride each way) on small motorboats which run on varying schedules, according to the season. (About once every half hour, or more, in the spring and summer, much less frequently in the winter.) Tourists can visit the Moni Panteleimonos monastery (Ali Pasha's aforementioned refuge) which has been converted into a museum containing information and paintings, as well as re-creations of Ali-Pasha's lounging and living quarters. The museum is not the only attraction on the island: there are many gift-shops, tavernas, churches and bakeries on the island's quaint, winding streets. Some of the people of Ioannina even choose to make the tiny island their yearlong home, with simple rowboats moored outside their homes, or in small marinas, in the event they need to get to Ioannina proper when the motorboats are not running. Botanically, the region of Ioannina is dominated by robust, fragrant pine trees, many of which grow within the city itself, especially around the old castle, or fortress walls. The bizarre layout of the castle's streets, which either go around in circles or lead to dead ends, were supposedly designed to confuse pirates of old who breached the castle walls, so that they would get lost within the fortress, and be captured before escaping with their bounty. Ioannina is famous throughout Greece for its silverwork, with many shops selling silver jewelry and decor (serving trays, recreations of shields and swords, trinkets, etc.). The ornate style of the jewelry and artwork reflects more Turkish, rather than Greek, sensibilities, due to the lengthy Turkish occupation of the area. Ioannina is also one of the few places in Greece where one can purchase a hookah. Greeks rarely use hookahs; they are mainly sold to tourists as novelty items and vary in size from tiny to quite large (some are 4-5 ft. tall.) The larger ones in particular can be quite attractive and are often purchased by Greeks and tourists alike to be used as decor. For those who would like to experiment smoking with a hookah, most hookah merchants carry a variety of flavored tobaccos. Within the castle in the centre of Ioannina city, the mosque of Aslan Pasha houses the Municipal History Museum, which includes works of folk art, as well as weapons and swords from the period of the Ottoman occupation of the area. The neighbouring region of Zagori comprises many traditional villages, such as Papingo, Skamneli and Monodendri. The region is noted for its scenery and traditional food. 10 km south of the city lies the Paul Vrellis Greek History Museum, a museum with wax statues, like the Madame Thussaud Museum in London, England. The island in Lake Pamvotis is referred to as "Nisaki" ('Νησάκι, Greek for "little island", literally) by everyone, including its inhabitants. It is linked to the city by small boats, as a form of public transport.