Best Things to do in Ioannina, Greece!

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Wow, what an underrated city this is! Being the capital of the Epirus region of Greece, Ioannina has so much to offer! Ioannina (pronounced Yannina) is tucked away in northwest Greece, surrounded by the national parks of Vikos, Tzoumerka, and Pindus. If nature is your thing, Ioannina is definitely the place to be to explore the beautiful surrounding areas!

Aside from the surrounding areas, the city itself has lots to offer and should definitely not be overlooked when deciding destinations for your mainland Greece adventures!

Castle of Ioannina

By far, my favorite part of this beautiful city was exploring the Castle of Ioannina. It was built in the 6^th century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Then, in the early 19^th century, it was reconstructed by Ali Pasha. This castle is thought to be the oldest Byzantine fortress in all of Greece.  

When visiting the castle, there are two citadels, both worth exploring.

The northern citadel is filled with Byzantine architecture, which you can see in the walls surrounding it, the southern gate, and the circular tower next to the gate where the Byzantine leaders would sit to address the crowds. The northern citadel is home to the Aslan Pasha Mosque (now a museum) and the founder’s tomb.

The southern citadel, also called Its Kale (translated: “inner fortress”), is home to the Silversmithing museum, the Byzantine museum, and the Fethiye Mosque, which also includes Ali Pasha’s tomb surrounded by a beautiful iron lattice work.

The views of the lake from both the citadels are incredible and an absolute must-see when you visit Ioannina. If you are only able to do one thing in this city, it should be visiting the castle. It will not disappoint you. The grounds of the castle are free and open to the public 24/7.

However, if you would like to visit the museums, make sure to check the operation hours before you go because Greece is known to have random opening times and closed days. Most museums have a standard entry fee of no more than about 6€, with options for discount tickets for senior citizens and students (with valid ID). Prices can be found posted on the entrances to the museums.

Perama Cave

Another great attraction this city has to offer is the Perama Cave. It is located only five kilometers outside of the city center, with buses running a few times a day (check the bus schedule for when you will be there because they change depending on the season). There is a 7€ entrance fee (or 3.5€ for students), which comes with a guided tour through the cave. The Perama cave is a three-story cave with breath-taking beauty (check out some photos here). I was bummed because I was not able to make it to the cave during my time in the city, but I have heard nothing but amazing things about it and it’s definitely on my list for my next trip to Ioannina!

Lake Pamvotis

One of the staples of Ioannina is its beautiful Lake Pamvotis lining the eastern side of the city. At almost any time of day, you will find locals going for a run along the edge of the water, friends enjoying a cup of coffee at one of the many small parks lining the water, or photographers at any one of the hundreds of vantage points of the lake attempting to capture its beauty. The lake is a great place to relax with a book, do some journaling, or enjoy a nice picnic. It provides a peaceful vibe and beautiful scenery to get lost in. Taking a stroll along the lakeside is definitely a must-do on your Ioannina trip.

Ioannina Island

For just a 2€ boat ride (one way), you can explore the lovely little Ioannina island right in the center of Lake Pamvotis. You can see the island from the shore, so the boat ride takes only about ten minutes. During the peak tourist season months, the boat runs back and forth from the island every half hour. However, during the winter/off season, the boats run only every hour, on the hour.

When dropped off on the island, you are greeted by small picturesque village filled with an assortment of cafés, sweet shops, and souvenir shops. This is the perfect place to practice your Greek! The shop owners will be so excited if you greet them by saying yassu instead of hello. I was able to have so many great conversations with the locals just from knowing a few words of Greek and genuinely trying to speak to them in their own language.

After grabbing a coffee, some lunch, or a few Greek keepsakes, start your journey exploring the perimeter of the island. There is a walkway that follows the waterfront around the entire island, which gives you beautiful views of the lake, the city, and the mountains in the distance. Also, how cool is it to say you’ve walked around an entire island?! I stopped many times to enjoy the silence and the natural beauty of the island, so it took me about two hours to walk around the perimeter, but you could probably do it in about a half hour if you just want to walk it without stopping.

This simple island is packed with so much history, which you can find in the seven monasteries sprinkled around. Five of the seven monasteries are open to the public at various times. Even without going inside, you can still admire the incredible history and architecture from the exterior of the monasteries. While walking around, you can also visit the Pre-Revolutionary museum located inside the Panteleimonas monastery, where Ali Pasha was murdered.

My favorite part of the island was hiking up to the highest point and just sitting in the silence of nature. This is a perfect place to pack along a picnic and enjoy a nice, peaceful afternoon among the trees.

Cafés

I know that Athens officially has the title of being “the city that never sleeps”, but honestly, I think the entire country of Greece should hold that title. No matter what time of day or night you find yourself out, you will be sure to find crowds of people filling every café in this small city.

If you’re looking for a nice place to hang out with friends and get a drink, or get use of some wifi, head over to one of the countless cafés Ioannina has to offer. My personal favorites are Skala Café, Palia Agora, and Ludost Café.

Skala is a cozy little café right near the lake with a great view and a great vibe. The hazelnut hot chocolate is divine! You’re also given a few Greek biscuits (cookies for all the Americans reading this) free with every coffee/hot chocolate purchase!

Palia Agora is one of the cutest cafés ever with string lights everywhere, soft fuzzy chairs, and funky wall art to give it a great vibe. It has a great location, right in the city center, easy walking distance to all the highlights of the city. I ordered a traditional spinach pie, which was great, but a little on the pricey side.

Ludost Café is probably my new favorite coffee shop in the world. It was three levels high all with their own vintage, funky vibe. I spent all of my time on the top floor, which makes you feel like you’re transported to a fun loft room from the 60’s. They’ve got globes everywhere, which just deepens your wanderlust, vintage furniture to relax on, and an overall relaxed, but fun vibe. I ordered a hot chocolate (I know, shocking, right??) and it came with a cute tiny mug of Nutella with some Greek biscuits, which was all so delicious! This café is a little on the pricier side of cafés in the city, but it’s in a great location, in the modern side of the city, right on the beautiful waterfront, and you get a cup of Nutella when you order hot chocolate! I mean, come on, who wouldn’t pay an extra Euro for that?!

Day Trips from Ioannina

Just one hour north of Ioannina, you will find yourself in Zagoria, which is a region made up of 46 stone villages that date back to the 18^th century. The largest of these village is Monodendri, which is home to Vikos Gorge, claimed by Guinness Book of World Records to be the deepest canyon in the world! The canyon is absolutely magnificent, with many vantage points to truly take your breath away. From the city center, take the cobblestone path towards the gorge.

Along the way, be sure you take the time to stop and explore the Monastery of Aghia Paraskevi, built in 1413. As you’re exploring, just take a moment to imagine having this view as your backyard!

Monodendri is also home to the stone forest, my favorite part of this small village. I felt like I was stepping into an enchanted forest from a fairy tale. The way the vibrant green moss is engulfing the naturally-formed layered rock structures is unbelievable. It truly transports you to another world. You can access the stone forest at the viewpoint from the main road, or you can take the more adventurous route and bushwhack your way through the forest from the city center. I could have spent the entire day here, exploring every single corner and turn, climbing every single rock tower! It is a climber’s dream! The stone forest also provides you with incredible views of the canyon. Definitely a must-see on your adventures to Zagori!

I, unfortunately, only had enough time to visit Monodendri, but it is definitely on my list to find my way back to Zagori to explore the other 45 villages and the thousands of other breathtaking hikes around the area!

About an hour in the opposite direction from Ioannina, you will find yourself right in the heart of the Athamanki mountains. Here, you will find countless beautiful, authentic Greek villages. Among these, I spent time in Prosilio, Pramanta, Syrako, and Kalarrytes. You can read more about my adventures in those villages here. Among these, my favorite was probably Pramanta. It is a cute little city that has a nice city center to hang out at, but the best part is the incredible hikes surrounding the city. There are hikes you can start right from the city center and within a few minutes, you will find yourself transported into the natural beauty of the Tzoumerka National Park.

Where To Stay

If you’ve read any of my other travel posts, you know that I’m a budget traveler through and through. Hostels are one of my absolute favorite places to stay when traveling, not only for the incredible budget-friendly prices, but mostly for the communities you find there.

I stayed at Backpackers and Travelers Hostel right outside of the castle walls and absolutely loved it. The owners, Kostas and Gianna were so incredibly welcoming and generous. They even offered for me to work for a few hours a day to earn a free stay! They create such a community vibe that makes you never want to leave! I loved my stay here and I would recommend it to anyone! You can book your stay at the Hostel World website.

Well, that’s all my favorite things to do in Ioannina, Greece! Have you done anything in this city that you loved that I didn’t include in this list? Tell me in the comments, I would love to add new things to my list for my next visit to Ioannina!

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