The fabled monasteries of Meteora and a day trip to Corfu
Ioannina is the capital of the Epirus region in Northern Greece. The small city is home to around 120.000 people and stretches along the shores of the lake Pamvotis. The old city center is defined by the Ottoman building style, due to the long rule of the empire in Epirus, which only came to an end during the first Balkan war in 1912. When we arrived in the early afternoon on Sunday, the whole population of the city seemed to be out and about, strolling along the lake shore, flocking to the terraces of the cafes and restaurants, soaking up the first rays of sunshine anyone had seen for days. The most noteworthy buildings in the city are the city walls, which encircle the old center, and the castle. The present fortifications largely date back to the late Ottoman period, but some Byzantine elements are still present. The tomb of Ali Pasha and one of his wifes Probably the most famous inhabitant of the castle was Ali Pasha, a bandit and rebel who turned into on of the most powerful ...