Ioannina & Zagori

Ioannina, capital of Epirus, sits on a lake, while Zagori's 46 stone villages and arched stone bridges are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Vikos Gorge trail and Dragon Lake ranking among Greece's finest hikes.

Ioannina is the capital of the Epirus region in northwestern Greece, set on the western shore of Lake Pamvotida at about 500 m above sea level. It flourished in the Ottoman era under Ali Pasha, and its castle, mosques and lake island give it a distinctive blend of East and West. From a base in Ioannina, the Zagori region begins about 40 km to the north: 46 stone villages are scattered around Mount Tymfi and the Vikos Gorge, linked by arched stone bridges and old mule paths, and were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2023. The area divides into three parts: Ioannina itself, with its castle, the lake island, Perama Cave and museums; central Zagori, with its stone bridges, Monodendri and the Oxya viewpoint; and western Zagori, with Papingo, the northern section of the Vikos Gorge, Dragon Lake and the Voidomatis River. To the south you can visit the Oracle of Dodona, and to the east the mountain town of Metsovo. The best seasons are May–Jun and Sep–Oct, ideal for hiking; in Jul–Aug the mountains are cool but the city is hot, and in winter the stone villages are often snowbound. Getting there: Ioannina has an airport, or take a bus from Athens (about 6 hours) or Thessaloniki (about 3 hours). Public transport in Zagori is minimal, so renting a car is strongly recommended. Allow 3–5 days, ideally spending a night or two in a stone village.

Top sights

• Ioannina Castle & Its Kale – A lakeside Byzantine and Ottoman citadel, home to the tomb of Ali Pasha, the Fethiye Mosque, and the Byzantine Museum.
• Vikos Gorge – Once listed by Guinness as one of the gorges with the greatest depth-to-width ratio, Vikos is the classic hike in Greece, walking the full…
• Oxya Viewpoint – A cliffside viewpoint above Monodendri that looks down on the deepest and most dramatic stretch of the Vikos Gorge.
• Papingo – The twin stone villages of Great and Little Papingo sit beneath the Astraka cliffs and are the most beautiful stone villages in Zagori.
• Aslan Pasha Mosque & Ethnographic Museum – A 17th-century mosque on the northwest corner of the castle, overlooking the lake, that now houses the Municipal Ethnographic Museum of Ioa…
• Lake Pamvotis & Ioannina Island – A car-free fishing village on an island in the lake, with Byzantine monasteries and a museum at the site where Ali Pasha was killed.
• Perama Cave – One of Greece’s most beautiful caves, with a stalactite-filled chamber about 1,100 meters long, accidentally discovered during World War II.
• Archaeological Museum of Ioannina – A museum displaying archaeological finds from every period of Epirus, with its prized possession being the oracle lead tablets from Dodona…
• Silversmithing Museum of Ioannina – A silverwork museum housed in the castle fortress, showcasing centuries of craft tradition from Ioannina, long a silversmithing center of t…
• Pavlos Vrellis Museum of Greek History – A wax museum built single-handedly by a sculptor, recreating episodes of Greek history such as the Greek War of Independence in lifelike sc…
• Ancient Dodona – Greece’s oldest oracle, dedicated to Zeus, with a well-preserved ancient theater that once held about 17,000 people.
• Beloi Viewpoint – A canyon viewpoint reachable by a half-hour walk from the village of Vradeto, facing Oxia across the gorge for a more complete view of the…
• Monodendri & Agia Paraskevi Monastery – A stone village at the starting point of the gorge hike, with a 15th-century monastery perched on a cliff overlooking the Vikos Gorge.
• Papingo Rock Pools (Ovires) – A chain of emerald-colored natural rock pools carved by a stream between Greater and Lesser Papingo; in summer you can take a dip to cool o…
• Drakolimni of Tymfi – A high mountain lake at about 2,050 meters above sea level, home to alpine newts, directly opposite the cliffs of Gamila Peak.
• Kalogeriko (Plakidas) Bridge – Zagori’s most photogenic three-arch stone bridge, spanning the Bagiadikos River, and the first stop on a stone bridge tour.
• Kokkori (Noutsos) Bridge – A graceful single-arch stone bridge built in the mid-18th century, spanning the upper entrance to the Vikos Gorge, with a stream and boulde…
• Vradeto Steps – An 18th-century stone staircase trail winding up a cliffside, once the only route in and out of the village of Vradeto.
• Voidomatis River & Klidonia Bridge – One of Europe’s clearest rivers, its emerald water flowing beneath a stone arch bridge; a popular spot for rafting and kayaking.
• Dilofo – A small stone village closed to vehicles, preserving intact 18th- and 19th-century mansions and a flagstone square.
• Konitsa Bridge & Aoos Gorge – A large single-arch bridge at the mouth of the Aoos Gorge, spanning about 40 meters; one of the largest stone arch bridges in Epirus.
• Metsovo – An Aromanian mountain town in the Pindus range, known for traditional stone houses, cheese, wine and winter skiing.

Where to eat

• Fysa Roufa Cookshop – A long-running cookshop in central Ioannina that is said to be open all day; the dishes change daily, and students and…
• I Pita tis Kikitsas – Family taverna on the square in Monodendri village, serving flour pies since 1958 and one of Zagori's best-known pie sp…
• Metsovitiki Folia – A small grill house near the castle's main gate with a short menu focused on charcoal-grilled skewers and bread, and co…
• Stoa Louli – Glass-roofed arcade restaurant in a former inn built in 1875, serving tsipouro with small plates, with traditional Gree…
• Astra Restaurant – Family restaurant at the edge of Megalo Papigo village, with a grape-arbor terrace facing Astraka peak, using vegetable…

Itineraries

• Northern Greece: Cities, Monasteries & Mountains – A one-way route heading west from Thessaloniki through Vergina, Meteora, and Ioannina to Zagori.
• Zagori Stone Villages & Vikos Gorge Hiking – A village-to-village trek through the Vikos Gorge, continuing to Papingo and Dragon Lake. Best for experienced hikers.