Ioannina

Outside the city

• A few kilometres south of the city is the Vrellis wax statue museum, displaying scenes from Greece's history. A small dependance in the city centre is free to the public;
  
• The Dodoni oracle archeological site;
  
• The Vikos-Aoos National Park, including the Vikos gorge, through which the Voidomatis river flows;
  
• Mount Smolikas, with 2637 meter Greece's second highest mountain;
  
• The Zagoria villages, partly in the Vikos-Aoos National Park;
  
• Metsovo, in winter a ski resort;
  

Perama Cave

• The caves of Perama, a few kilometres northeast of Ioannina;
  
• The monument in Zalongo for the women of Souli;
  
• The war museum in Kalpaki. (There is also a fairly modern supermarket in the village of Kalpaki, in case you need to stop for some last minute items.)
  
• Bourzani Bridge, near Melissoptera
  
• Papingo, a favorite ski resort of Greeks and some knowing tourists. The area surrounding, or leading up to Papingo possesses an exquisite natural beauty, boasting dramatic cliffs, lush valleys, and the Vikos Gorge, the largest canyon in Greece and (disputably) in all of Europe. The gorge is a much sought-after destination for many serious hikers and mountaineers from around the world.
  
• The village of Papingo proper is surrounded by snowcapped mountains (in winter) and also has provisions for lodging as well as quaint, intimate tavernas serving up traditional Greek food, coffee, and spirits.
  
  

Sports teams

• Ioannina has a major sport team and is named Pas Ioannina.

Transportation

• Ioannina is served by Ioannina National Airport.
  
• The Via Egnatia roads passes by Ioannina. It goes from Igoumenitsa (port) to the Turkish Border.
  
• Air Sea Lines flies from **Lake Pamvotis** to Corfu with hydroplanes.
  
• **(Ioannina is on the shores of Lake Pamvotis)**
  
• Long-distance buses ride daily to Athens (7 hours) and Thessaliniki (6 hours).

Interesting facts

Ioannina is home to many Orthodox Christian churches, and to a mosque and synagogue.

• Thousands of Jews lived in Ioannina before WWII. A large part of the community was sent to concentration camps during the final months of german occupation (1944). There are only a few remaining today.
  
• Distances from Ioannina to..
  
  • Tirana-410 km
    
  • Athens- 466 km (via Rio)
    
  • Patras- 261 km
    
  • Igoumenitsa- 104 km
    
  • Albanian Border- 65 km
    

Aerial Photos of Ioannina

Links

• Ioannina Town Guide (http://ioannina.uoi.gr/index_en.html)
  
• University of Ioannina (new website, in Greek only) (http://www.uoi.gr/)
  
• Icons from the Byzantine Museum (French)