# Ioannina: A Lake City of Silver, Stone and Slow Winters

> A practical guide to the castle and Its Kale, the island in Lake Pamvotida, Epirote silver, Perama Cave and a city break that works best when it turns cold.

- **Section:** Travel Guides
- **Country:** Greece
- **Published:** 2026-10-16
- **Author:** Voyage Editors
- **Publisher:** Voyage (https://thevoyage.gr)
- **Type:** practical travel guide, our own editorial writing
- **URL:** https://thevoyage.gr/en/destinations/ioannina

Morning in Ioannina starts with a slice of bougatsa, custard or cheese in crisp phyllo, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and a walk to the water. Lake Pamvotida lies at the city's edge, 470 metres above sea level, with mountains on every side and a small inhabited island a short boat ride out. On the shore, a walled castle quarter still holds mosques, a Byzantine museum and a whole museum devoted to the silver that Ioannina has worked for centuries.

It is also a university town, which keeps it lively all year: cafés along the lakefront promenade, bars in the old bazaar streets, tsipouro and meze when the evenings turn cold. That is why it works so well in winter. The sights are close together, the museums are warm, the food is made for the season, and the villages of Zagori and the oracle of Dodona are an easy day out.

## The Areas

Ioannina is compact. Most visitors stay within walking distance of the castle and the lake, and the choice is mainly about atmosphere.

- The Castle (Kastro) — the walled quarter on a promontory over the lake, with lived-in lanes, the Aslan Pasha Mosque and, at its south-eastern tip, the inner citadel of Its Kale. The most atmospheric base, with small guesthouses in restored stone buildings.
- The old town and Averof Street — the streets just outside the castle gate, where the silver shops cluster and the old bazaar becomes the city's bar district at night. Good for anyone who wants food, shopping and nightlife on the doorstep.
- Shiarava — the historic district outside the walls on Zalokosta Street, with old mansions turned into boutique hotels. Quieter, but still a short walk from everything.
- The lakefront — the promenade along the water, lined with tavernas, cheese shops and cafés, and the quay for the boats to the island. Good for walkers and anyone who wants the lake in view.
- The Island (Nisi) — a small inhabited island in the lake, about 800 metres long, with seven monasteries and waterfront tavernas. Best as a half-day visit rather than a base.
- Perama — a settlement on the north-western edge of the lake, about 5 km from the city, known for its cave.

## What to See and Do

Begin inside the castle. The walls you see today hold layers from many eras: the Norman Bohemund, who took the city in 1082, probably walled the south-eastern citadel; the Despots of Epirus built churches and a palace here between the 13th and 15th centuries; and an inscription on the Central Gate carries the date 1843. The inner citadel, Its Kale, is open daily from 08:00 to 22:00 and is free to enter.

Inside Its Kale, the Byzantine Museum occupies a building raised in 1958 on the site of Ali Pasha's seraglio. Its seven halls run from the 4th to the 19th century, from early Christian finds out of Nikopolis to post-Byzantine icons. Two annexes complete the visit: the Fethiye Mosque, with aniconic frescoes and an exhibition on the city's late Ottoman years, and the Treasury, a permanent display of silverwork. From November to March the museum opens 08:30 to 15:30; a full ticket is €5.

At the other end of the castle, the Aslan Pasha Mosque, built in 1617–1618, houses the Municipal Ethnographic Museum. Its three collections represent the city's Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities: church silver and vestments, curtains from the old synagogue and costumes of the Jewish community, Ottoman fabrics and furniture from the Ali Pasha era.

Outside the walls, the Archaeological Museum in Litharitsia Park covers the region from prehistory to the end of Roman rule, with a hall devoted to Dodona and the lead tablets on which pilgrims wrote their questions to the oracle of Zeus. Then go and see the oracle itself: the site of Dodona lies about 22 km south of the city, with a theatre beneath the walled acropolis, and a winter ticket costs €4.

Perama Cave, about 5 km from the centre, was the first cave in Greece to become a visitor attraction. It formed around two million years ago in the limestone hill of Goritsa, and bones of extinct cave bears were found inside. The guided route is 1,100 metres of stalactites and stalagmites, at a steady 18°C, and it is open every day from 09:00 to 17:00.

## Silver, the Lake and the Island

Ioannina is known across Greece for silversmithing and goldsmithing, and craftsmen here have made buckles, plates and jewellery for more than 400 years. The best place to understand it is the Silversmithing Museum of the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation, opened in September 2016 in the western bastion of Its Kale. The first level explains the techniques of shaping and decorating silver, with films and multimedia; the second shows Epirote silver and gold from the 18th to the 20th century, from jewellery and weapons to household silver, alongside work by silversmiths active in the region today.

Afterwards, walk Averof Street, where shops sell both antiques and modern pieces based on old designs. It is the natural place to buy something to take home.

Then take to the water. Pamvotida is the largest lake in Epirus, filled by runoff and springs for about three million years, and the lakefront is busy most days with walkers, cyclists and the boats to the island. The crossing from the lakefront quay takes about ten minutes; boats run every half hour in summer and less often outside it.

The island is small and easily explored on foot. The Monastery of the Philanthropenoi, restored in 1291 by Michael Philanthropenos, is the one to see: its 16th-century wall paintings are masterpieces of post-Byzantine art, and on the wall of the southern side narthex stand painted figures of ancient Greek philosophers. At the Monastery of Agios Panteleimon, where Ali Pasha was killed in 1822, a small museum of the revolutionary period occupies the old cells. Stay for lunch at one of the waterfront tavernas before the boat back.

## What to Eat and Drink

Ioannina claims to be the original home of bougatsa, and breakfast here is serious business. Select has been serving bougatsa and tyropita, a feta pie, since 1964, and people of every age queue for them.

Ioannina-style baklava is the city's best-known sweet, and syrupy desserts in general are a local strength. The lake shapes the rest of the table: on the island, tavernas serve frog legs, trout and eel, and you will also find pike and carp, and eel soup for the curious.

In the evening, the old bazaar is the bar district, and tsipouro with meze is the way locals spend a cold night out. Bars and tavernas change often, so ask your hosts what is good this season.

## Getting There and Around

Ioannina's airport is about 4 km from the city centre, with Aegean flights from Athens and seasonal charter flights from Scandinavia. By road, drivers from Athens take the highway to Patras, cross the Rio-Antirrio bridge and continue north; from Thessaloniki, the Egnatia motorway runs all the way to Ioannina. KTEL buses leave Athens from Kifissos station and take about seven hours; from Thessaloniki the trip is about three hours. Timetables and online tickets are on ktelioannina.gr.

In the city you walk: the castle, the old town, the museums and the boat quay are all within a few minutes of each other. A car is useful for Dodona and for a day in Zagori, whose villages begin about a 40-minute drive north of the city; we cover them in our separate Zagori guide.

## When to Go

Ioannina is a year-round city, and late autumn and winter suit it particularly well. Fog often settles over the lake in the cold months, the museums are quiet, and the food is at its most comforting. Days are shorter and the weather less predictable, so plan indoor sights for the afternoon: from 16 October to the end of February the Silversmithing Museum opens 10:00 to 17:00, and from November the Byzantine Museum closes at 15:30. Dodona's ticket is cheaper from November to March.

Summer brings more frequent boats to the island and long evenings on the lakefront. In September, the Lake Run takes over the shore road, a race around the lake that draws at least 2,000 runners.

## Good to Know

Tuesday is the day to avoid for museums: the Silversmithing Museum and the Archaeological Museum both close that day. The Silversmithing Museum is also closed on 17 January, the city's patron saint's day, and on major holidays; children up to 17 enter free. Its Kale itself costs nothing to walk around. Bring a layer for Perama Cave, which stays at 18°C, and expect steps. Opening hours and prices change, so check them on the official sites before you go, and in winter call ahead to restaurants in the villages.

## Our Picks

- To see · Its Kale — Ioannina Castle — The inner citadel, free and open until 22:00, with the Fethiye Mosque, the Byzantine Museum and views over the lake.
- To see · Silversmithing Museum — western bastion of Its Kale — Epirote silver from the 15th century onward, explained from technique to finished piece; closed on Tuesdays.
- To see · Byzantine Museum of Ioannina — Its Kale — Seven halls from the 4th to the 19th century, with its Treasury of silverwork as an annex; in winter, go before 15:30.
- To see · Municipal Ethnographic Museum — Aslan Pasha Mosque, in the castle — The city's Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities told through their objects, in a 17th-century mosque.
- To see · Monastery of the Philanthropenoi — the Island — 16th-century wall paintings with ancient philosophers among the saints.
- To see · Archaeological Museum of Ioannina — Litharitsia Park — The lead tablets of the Dodona oracle, best seen before the site itself.
- To see · Perama Cave — Perama, 5 km from the centre — A 1,100-metre guided route through stalactites, open every day.
- To see · Dodona — 22 km south of the city — The oracle of Zeus and its theatre beneath the acropolis, cheaper to visit in winter.
- To eat · Select — central Ioannina — Bougatsa and tyropita since 1964, the classic Ioannina breakfast.

## Where to Stay

- 12 Pyles Living History — the Castle — An adults-only retreat of six rooms within the historic walls of Ioannina Castle, with a stone-paved courtyard, inspired by the castle's twelve historic gates. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/PYLES12)
- Naiades The Residence Ioannina Castle — the Castle — A boutique hotel of eight rooms in the historic castle of Ioannina, mixing quality materials with earthy references and traditional elements. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/NAIADESIOA)
- Kamares Boutique Hotel & Spa Ioannina — Shiarava — A late 18th-century mansion on Zalokosta Street, one of the few houses saved from the 1820 fire, restored as a boutique hotel. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/KAMARESHOT)
- Lake Spirit Hotel Ioannina — city centre — A renovated 1960s building with ten rooms, a café-bistro with an open kitchen and a courtyard served all year round. [Book](https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/LAKESPIRIT)

## The Essence

Ioannina is a city you can hold in a weekend and still want more of. Eat bougatsa in the morning, follow five centuries of silver in a castle bastion, cross the lake for painted philosophers and a plate of trout, go underground at Perama, and end the day with tsipouro in the old bazaar while the fog comes in off the water. It is a city made by craftsmen and cooks, and the cold months show it at its best.

## Hotels in this guide

- 12 Pyles Living History, Ioannina: https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/PYLES12
- Naiades The Residence Ioannina Castle, Ioannina (3★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/NAIADESIOA
- Kamares Boutique Hotel & Spa Ioannina, Ioannina (5★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/KAMARESHOT
- Lake Spirit Hotel Ioannina, Ioannina (4★): https://trvl.gr/en/stay-wh/LAKESPIRIT

## Sources

- Bougatsa: custard-filled layered phyllo dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar; Select bakery since 1964, bougatsa and tyropita, queues of all ages; Ioannina a university town; lakefront promenade with tavernas, cheese shops and cafés; boat trip on the lake; craftsmen have made buckles, plates and jewellery for over 400 years; Averof Street shops sell antiques and modern versions of old designs; Kato Pedina (Zagori) about a 40-minute drive (Monocle, 2025): https://monocle.com/travel/zagorohoria-greece-guide/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lake Pamvotida at 470 m, filled by runoff and springs for ~3 million years, largest lake in Epirus; lakefront with boat rides to the island, walks, cycling, cafés; rowing track: https://www.travelioannina.com/en/sights/axioteata-1/10-limne-pambotida (checked 2026-10-16)
- Castle: Bohemund 1082 probably walled the south-eastern citadel; Despotate 13th–15th c. churches and palace; Central Gate inscription 1843; Its Kale = inner castle; open daily 08:00–22:00, free entry; Aslan Pasha türbe: https://www.travelioannina.com/en/sights/axioteata-1/12-to-kastro (checked 2026-10-16)
- Byzantine Museum in Its Kale: building of 1958 on ruins of Ali Pasha's seraglio; museum since 1995; seven halls 4th–19th c.; early Christian finds incl. Nikopolis; post-Byzantine icons; annexes Fethiye Mosque (aniconic frescoes, late Ottoman exhibition) and Treasury (silverwork); hours Apr–Oct 08:00–20:00, Nov–Mar 08:30–15:30; ticket €5: https://efaioa.gr/?page_id=2065&lang=en (checked 2026-10-16)
- Aslan Pasha complex 1617–1618; Municipal Ethnographic Museum with Christian, Jewish and Muslim collections (church silver, synagogue curtains, Jewish costumes, Ottoman fabrics, Ali Pasha-era furniture): https://www.travelioannina.com/en/sights/mouseia-3/1-dimotiko-ethnografiko-mouseio (checked 2026-10-16)
- Archaeological Museum in Litharitsia Park; prehistory to end of Roman rule; Dodona hall with lead oracle tablets; closed Tuesdays: https://www.travelioannina.com/en/sights/mouseia-3/2-arxaiologiko-mouseio (checked 2026-10-16)
- Dodona ~22 km south; oracle of Zeus and Dione; theatre beneath walled acropolis; ticket €4 Nov–Mar, €8 Apr–Oct: https://www.travelioannina.com/en/sights/arcaiologikos-coros-dodones-13/13-arcaiologikos-coros-dodones (checked 2026-10-16)
- Perama Cave: ~5 km from Ioannina on NW edge of lake; first cave tourist attraction in Greece; formed ~2 million years ago in Goritsa hill; cave bear bones; 1,100 m guided route; 18°C; daily 09:00–17:00 (municipal tourism site): https://www.travelioannina.com/en/sights/to-spelaio-peramatos-11/18-spelaio-peramatos (checked 2026-10-16)
- Silversmithing Museum (PIOP): western bastion of Its Kale; inaugurated September 2016; two levels: techniques with films/multimedia, Epirote silver and gold 18th–20th c. (jewellery, arms, household silver); contemporary regional silversmiths; hours 1 Mar–15 Oct 10:00–18:00, 16 Oct–28 Feb 10:00–17:00, closed Tuesdays, 17 Jan (local patronal feast) and holidays; free for children up to 17: https://www.piop.gr/en/diktuo-mouseion/silversmithing-museum/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ioannina known for silversmithing and goldsmithing; Ioannina-style baklava and syrupy sweets: https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/epirus/ioannina/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Island: population 187 (2021); up to 800 m long; seven monasteries; Philanthropinos 1291/92; St Panteleimon with museum of the (pre)revolutionary period in its cells; Ali Pasha killed there 1822: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ioannina_Island (checked 2026-10-16)
- Monastery of the Philanthropenoi restored 1291 by Michael Philanthropenos; 16th-c. wall paintings in three phases, masterpieces of post-Byzantine painting; ancient philosophers on the wall of the southern paranarthex: http://epirustreasures.gr/?p=3353&lang=en (checked 2026-10-16)
- Boat from the lakefront quay, every 30 min in summer, hourly in shoulder season, ~10 min; Ali Pasha killed at Agios Panteleimon in 1822; island tavernas: eel, pike, carp, eel soup (article dated 29 April 2026): https://www.maptrotting.com/ioannina-one-day-guide/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ioannina claims to be the original home of bougatsa; island tavernas serve frog legs, trout and eel; university town; old bazaar is the bar district with tsipouradika: https://www.greecetravel.com/ipiros/ioannina/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Airport ~4 km from centre; Aegean to Athens; seasonal Scandinavian charters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ioannina_National_Airport (checked 2026-10-16)
- Road from Athens via Patras highway and Rio-Antirrio bridge; from Thessaloniki via Egnatia; KTEL from Athens Kifissos ~7 h, from Thessaloniki ~3 h: https://www.greeka.com/epirus/zagorochoria/car-bus/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- KTEL Ioannina online tickets (eticket.ktelioannina.gr): https://www.ktelioannina.gr/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lake Run every September around the lake, at least 2,000 runners: https://www.travelioannina.com/en/experiences/atlese-drasteriotetes-2/10-o-guros-tes-limnes (checked 2026-10-16)
- Winter fog over Lake Pamvotida typical; shorter days, less predictable weather in winter: https://tourismattractions.net/greece/winter-ioannina-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- 12 Pyles Living History: adults-only, six rooms, within Ioannina Castle walls, stone-paved courtyard, inspired by twelve gates (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/PYLES12 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Naiades: boutique hotel in the historic castle, 8 rooms, quality materials with earthy references and traditional elements (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/NAIADESIOA (checked 2026-10-16)
- Kamares: late 18th-c. mansion, Shiarava district outside the walls on Zalokosta Street, one of few houses saved by the 1820 fire (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/KAMARESHOT (checked 2026-10-16)
- Lake Spirit: renovated 1960s building, 10 rooms, café-bistro with open kitchen, courtyard all year (official description): https://trvl.gr/api/hotels/LAKESPIRIT (checked 2026-10-16)

## Photo credits

- Lake Pamvotida and its island seen from above Ioannina: photo by Renaldo Kodra (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Autumn plane trees along the lakeside promenade in Ioannina: photo by Nikos Kavvadas (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Fisherman in a small boat on Lake Pamvotida: photo by Vasilis Caravitis (Unsplash, Unsplash License)
- Prophet Elias chapel above the village of Kalarytes in the mountains of Epirus: photo by Hippo FromEarth (Unsplash, Unsplash License)