The Ioannina District of Epirus The district of Ioannina is a breathtakingly beautiful mountainous region on the northwest extremes of Greece where the physical environment and

the rich cultural inheritance have remained unaffected by the rapid and often irrational development of the modern age. For lovers of nature the region is a paradise: awe-inspiring mountain ranges with deep ravines carved out by gushing crystal clear streams, rare wild flowers, mountain lakes

and wooded hillsides with hidden meadows reminiscent of the Alps combine to create a perfect natural environment that provides an ideal habitat for rare species of animals, birds and aquatic mammals. Together with the delight of its varied natural beauty, the region offers endless opportunities

for all kinds of sport to those who seek adventure. At the same time however the area abounds with silent and relaxing havens for those wishing to leave the stresses and pressures of the modern world far behind them. The region is rich with religious and archaeological monuments, which bear

physical witness to its bright and fascinating history. The past is also reflected everywhere in the traditional homes, watermills and bridges found all over the region and in the ancient customs and traditional music with which the inhabitants continue to celebrate their way of life.

In ancient times the sacred oracle of Dodonis and the cities of the Molossi prospered here while the monasteries, churches and other places of worship found spread across the region record with masterly murals the ages of Byzantine and Turkish domination. Through these ancient spiritual

sites and the rich tapestry of local art, customs and folklore, history and legend are brought together here. A tradition of handing down skills through the generations in the cities' schools and workshops has ensured the survival of unrivalled craftsmanship in both letters and art which

continues to develop and blend with modern tastes and habits. The entire region is renown for the quality of its traditional art; gold and silversmiths, woodcarvers, stone sculptors, weavers and artists all continue to produce exquisite work and continue the deep-rooted creative traditions for which

the area is famed. The traditional local cuisine is also characteristic and uses pure fresh ingredients as its foundation. Specially cooked meat, delicious pitas, handmade bread and famous cheeses and wines form the basis of the traditional menu. The district of Ioannina offers an

unforgettable holiday experience all year round and invites visitors of all ages to experience its unique natural beauty, rich history and the warm hospitality of its people.

uilt at the edges o f Lak e P amvo tis, Io annina is a beautiful traditional tow n that co mbines in a unique way the historical memor ies with the r eality of a co ntempor ar y tow n. It is the tow n of legend, tr adit io n and silver mak er s. I n the gr een water s o f the Lak e, the legendar y tales o f Ali- Pasha and Kir a-Frosini take li fe, while in the traditio nal alleyways of the Cast le the memories of

By za nti ne p as t a nd y es ter d ay's his tor y a r e d o mi na nt.

The tow n is fir st mentio ned in the 9th C as episco pacy yet again others believe that it was founded by Emperor Ioustiniano s. In the 13th C it was an important town of Epirus do main and had flo urished eco no mically, that situatio n pr evailed over the next centuries. In 1430 the town was surrendered to the Turks under an agreement.

By the end o f 19th centur y, beginning o f 20th, the town became the capital centre of Ali Pasha

domain, his perio d o f legacy coincides with the biggest economic and cultural flourishing of

the area. Treasures of the town's history which appeal to the visitors

are its mo numents: The Castle, the island' s Monasteries with wonder ful w all paintings, the Turkish church, old wealthy houses, the Jewish Synagogue.

Castle Most of today's castle of Ioannina was built during Turkish rule and within it ther e are older, B yzantine buildings. Inside the castle there are tw o acropolis. In the north-east Acropolis the Royal estates of the B yzantine sovereigns were built. Today at the top, Aslan Pasha's mosque dominates (1618).

The Seco nd Acro polis, to the south-east is k nown as Its-Kale, meaning interior fortress. At the centre and at the place where in the 19th century A li Pasha serai (r esidence) was, nowadays one finds the Byzantine Museum and near it, the Fetihe Mosque (1795) and Ali-Pasha's to mb. Inside the castle betw een the houses o f the area is fo und Sufari Sar ai (a riding school o f Ali Pasha), the Turkish library, the Jewish synagogue, the ruins o f a Byzantine bath, the ho use of Pasha Kalos (in the castle walls). Evidence o f the B yzantine P ast are expressed in the so-called tower of Voimoundos in the south-east acropolis and the Tower of Thomas, to the right of the central entrance of the castle.

Ioannina Island The island o f Pamvotis Lak e is today one of the mo st picturesque sites in Ioannina combining natural beauty with rich historical traditio n. It was a big religio us and monastic centr e during late B yzantine times and Turkish occupatio n, a fact manifested today by the monastery's great artistic and historical value.

Monastery of Philanthropinon The monastery of Philanthropinon is one of the most important post- Byzantine monuments of Greece. The temple, dedicated in the St. Nikolao s, was built the 1292. The repr esentat ion o f ancient Greek Philosophers (16th C) is of great interest.

Panteleimon Church The church was founded in the 15th C. Today's temple is a result of r estoration done in 19th C. To the so uth one sees the cell where Ali-Pasha was murdered; here, one finds today the Museum of Pre-Revolutionary Capitals Era. Another cell to the north provides a ho me to the library and minutes o f the Island's Monasteries. Other Monasteries that may be visited include Strati- gopoulou Monastery, Prodromos Monastery, Eleousa Monastery and the Monastery of Metamor- phosis of Sotiras.

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Archaeological Museum Located in Litharitsa Park at the centr e of the town. I n its exhibits one sees findings fro m the greater Epirotic land, such as paleolithic tools, from Kokkino pilos, Aspro chaliko, Kastritsa, findings from Dodoni ruins, from ancient habitats and cemeteries of Vitsa, Oracle of Acheron etc. In the Museum's exhibits are included headstones, architectural items, inscriptions as well as an interesting collection of coins coming from many places and periods. (Address is Square of 25th of March. Tel.: 2651033357, 2651031908, 2651025490, fax: 2651071835).

Byzantine Museum Located within the Castle, in the great interior Acropolis (Its K ale). A mong the collections, findings include excavated objects, sculptures, icons, ceramics, coins etc ., originating fro m different areas of Epirus, dated from Paleochristian Period and up until 19th C. Near the Museum, the so-called 'Treasury' contains an exhibit ion abo ut Silversmithing, an artisanal craft form that was highly- develo ped in Epir us. Address : Ioannina Castle tel. : 2651025989, 2651039580 Fax: 2651039349.

Municipal Museum The Municipal Museum of the tow n is housed in the Turkish mo sque o f Aslan Pasha. Valuable traditio nal co stumes and jeweller y from different ar eas of E pirus, works of silver and ceramic art, woo dcraft furniture featur e amo ngst its exhibits and co ver a period fro m 18thC till 20thC. In the mentrese (hieratic scho ol) the R apakousi collect ion is displayed. (Addr ess : Municipal Museum, Io annina Castle Tel.: 2656026356).

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Folk Art Museum The Folk Art Museum w as fo unded under the auspices o f the Co mpany of Epirotic Studies. Objects of Epirot ic tr aditio nal art (weavings, woo dcraft, items of silver etc.) items found in churches, objects o f do mest ic use, ceramic art, local costumes etc . ar e among the precious collectio ns. (A ddress : Folk Museum, Mich. Aggelos str. 42 tel.: 2656020515).

Ath. Vrellis Museum Located near the main entr ance of the castle, it is also an important wax museum containing a collectio n of wax images fro m the ancient and more recent Hellenic history.

The Museum of Pre-Revolutionary Period. Located in the island and housed in the cells of St. Panteleimo n Monastery where Ali Pasha was murdered in 1822. In its collection are included exhibits from Pre-Revolutionary Period , souvenirs fro m the Ali-Pasha era (letter s, costume of Kira-Vassiliki etc.)

The Museum of National Greek Resistance Located in the restored mendrese (hieratic school) near Veli-Pasha Mosque opposite the Municipal Cultural Centre.

The Municipal Gallery Includes important works of Hellenic modern artists and is housed at Pircinella Manor house.

Limnea A personal collection of shells of Mr N. Pavlidis, “Limnea”, is exhibited permanently at the “Hotel Du Lac”. The collection is co mprised o f shells from the lakes, rivers and dry plains of the Epirus mountains.

Cultural activities Cultural activities tak e place in the tow n all year round. A t any time of the year visitors to Ioannina can enjoy an interesting range of cultural events and entertainment.

Athletic activities Ioannina town has modern gyms, an enclosed swimming pool sport complex, football, tennis, basketball grounds etc. In Pamvotis Lake, Panhellenic and Balkan races of sailing, skiing, etc take place. Operating under the marine associatio n, in Limno poula, there is a scho ol of swimming, rowing, canoe, kayaking etc . There is also an association of hang-gliding fans and a gliding school. The climbing association organizes excursions every Sunday to nearby mountains. In Ioannina there are annual races such as the Epirotic rally, 4x4 races, motor-cross races etc.

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“ Ioannina Basin”

t the ro ots o f Mitsik eli and all ar o und Pamvotis Lak e, encir cling the to wn of I oannina str etches the basin o f Ioannina; within it ther e ar e scatter ed the plain villages. H er e in antiquity flo urished the tow ns of P assaro n and Tek mo n. One o f the mo st impo rtant monuments in the ar ea is the well-k no wn geological for matio n of Perama Cave, the

stone built impo sing bridge o f Papastathis, and the fortresses of B izani.

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Perama Cave Dourahani Monastery Monastery of Kastr itsa

Perama Cave One o f the mo st remar kable Gr eek caves. It is lo cated at the centr e o f the sett lement with the same name. The cave w as cr eated 1 .400.000 year s ago in the interior o f Gor itsa hil l, and disco ver ed accidentally in 1940. I nside it mazy corridors with stalactites and stalagmites compose a dr eamlike world of for matio ns. T he cave stretches over an area of 14.800 sq. meters. however the tourist walk is 1100m and tak es abo ut 45 minutes to see it.

Dourahani Monastery Dourahani Monaster y is opposite the town o f Ioannina and at the foothills of Mitsik eli mo untain. A ccording to tradition it was built in 1434 by Durahan Pasha, when one winter night, he and his army crossed with the fro zen w ater s o f the lake mistak ing it for an iced valley. To day the monaster y is k now n for its great so cial w ork , as it spo nsor s schools and a boarding schoo l.

Ligiades By the slopes of Mitsikeli, Ligiades offers a panoramic view over the sett lement and the tow n. The church o f S t. G eorgio s is dated back to the beginning of 20th C., but is built at the site of an o lder important monastery.

Vassiliki -Tziora Monastery. Dedicated to St . Nik olao s, is built o n the w est side of Drisk o s, near V asil iki village. Its foundation is placed in Byzantine times but today's appearance of the temple sect ion is due to restoration in 1663. When at the same time r eli gi o us w all p ai nti ngs w er e m a d e.

Papastathis Bridge One of the b iggest br idges o f Ioannina. I t is a fo ur-arched bridge built in 1746. It joins the bank s of the River Arachtho s spans the villages of Driskos and Anatoliki.

Krapsi Today the settlement maintains sever al o f its o ld w ealthy ho uses. T he chur ch of S t. N ik olao s is a basil ica o f great size with wo nder ful r eligio us wall paintings dated in 1563 a work of Theban painters Fragos and Georgio s Kontaris.

Daphnoula-Old settlement of Kontinon Near Daphnoula is the old sett lement of Kontinon with panoramic view of the gorge of the Arachtho s River and the town of Ioannina.

Kastritsa-Monastery of Kastritsa An important nunnery r esponsible for r emark able social work. Kastritsa monastery is located at the top of a hill bearing the same name, so uth east of Lak e P amvotis and at the site of the ancient tow n T ek mo n that had alr eady existed o n the hill . Its foundation is placed in Byzantine times, to day' s temple is dated to 17th C.

Cave of Kastritsa At the western foothills of Kastritsa Hill and in the southeast shores of the lake, excavations that took place in 1966-67, revealed the earliest human settlement in Ioannina basin, dated ar o und 20.000 year s ago . Many of these findings are exhibited in the A rchaeolo gical Museum of Ioannina.

The Wax Museum of P. Vrellis

Bizani Know n in recent G reek histor y fo r the intense co mbats that took place ther e during the First Wor ld W ar in 1912/13, during which the tow n o f Io annina w as liber ated. T he fo rtr esses are st il l saved today. I n the area ther e is a mo nument for Bizani fighter s.

Wax Museum of P. Vrellis Near Bizani and housed in a building resembling a typical o f Epiro tic wealthy house; are 150 wax models, life size, repr esentat io ns o f figur es fro m r ecent histor y in thr ee thematic unities. Pr e- revolutionary period (illegal school, foundation of Friendly Company), events of 1821 (Ali-Pasha's death), Seco nd W orld W ar (wo men o f Pindo s etc.) ( tel.: 2 6 5 1 0 9 2 1 2 8) .

Passarona It is located in Big Gardiki Hi ll, near Eleousa, where gr eat po lygonal walls are preserved. Passaro na was the capital o f Mo lo sso i. It must have been founded in the 5th C, B .C. and is co nnected po ssibly to reformation efforts of King of Molossoi Tharipas. The town was destro yed in 167 B C. by the Ro mans.

Activites Activities tak e place througho ut the area during the year . Some o f the mo st important ar e the festivities of Carnival in Pamvotis municipality. The area is good for hang-gliding and climbing in Mitsikeli where (above Ligiades) there is an organised refuge. The event <Arachtho s- Yo uth meeting-A dventur e camping> attr acts visitors form all over Greece, and takes place every year on the first week end o f J uly. It is a thr ee- day meeting in Ar achtho s that inc ludes camping near the river, rafting, trekking, mountain biking , horse riding etc. A t the same time music events and theatrical per fo r mances ar e organised.

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peculiar geographical and cultural unity consisting of 46 traditional villages that are scattered in the east, central and west Zagori. It is geographically located between Ioannina, Metsovo and Konitsa with natural borders mainly Mitsikeli, Gamila and Aoos. The area is a combination of scattered pines and firs, crystal clear waters, traditional stone-made bridges, old manors,

beautiful churches and lush vegetation. An area with flora and fauna of the richest in Greece not only in number of species but in rare ones also. Here one meets the bear, deer, wild-goat, jackal and others.

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Greveniti -Voutsas Monastery It is nest led in a for ested slope, near the bank s o f the R iver V ardas, 5k m off Greveniti . According to tr adit ion the mo naster y was built by emperor Konstant ino s Pogonatos. The temple is dedicated to Panagia Theotokos, belongs to Agio n Oro s (Mount Atho s) school. Remarkable wall paintings are dated back to 1680.

Vovousa One o f the b iggest vlaho hor i of Pindo s. It experience exceptio nal grow th during late T urk ish do minatio n year s. It w as bur nt by the G er mans in 1943. The vil lage cro sses the A oo s River. A big single ar ched bridge, built in 1743, joins today the riverbank s and mak es co mmunicatio n easier for

Tsipianis Bridge

the people. T he br idge is a star ting point for kayak-lo vers in the Ao os River.

Kaberaga Bridge It spans the Zagorit ikos River, near Miliotades. A single arched bridge, its name is tak en fro m Kaber-A ga; the gent leman who do nated he gave the money to built it.

Tsipiani Bridge A single arched br idge, o ver the Var das River . W as co nstr ucted in 1875 with funds from A nastasis Paspaliaris and the people of Grevenit i.

Makrino -Panagia Monastery At the edge o f the settlement is the mo nastery o f Panagia, built aro und 1700 w ith w alls painted in 1792 by painter s fro m K apesovo. T he monastery developed important philanthropic and cultural activity during Turkish Occupation.

Flabourari Nested in a forested slope of Tsouka Rossa Mountain, at a height of 1000m. The o ld houses of the vi llage were burnt by Germans during Second World War. However the church of St. Nikolaos was saved, a building dated back to 1774. Flabur ari attracts, many tourists, since it is on the ro ad that leads to Vo vo usa and fro m ther e to Gr evena, thr ough a landscape of exceptional beauty.

Doliani One o f the prett iest vil lages o f E ast Zago ri, dr enched in gr eener y. Although o ld manor houses were burnt by Germans, the central church of the vil lage still stands and is dedicated to Panagia Theotok os dating back to 1791. It has wonderful wall paintings and a tower campanile on the east side. K

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Aristi - Monastery of Panagia Spileotissa Dedicated to V irgin Mar y the Mo naster y is built o n a rock, o ver the w est bank o f Voido matis R iver . The temple is dated back to 1665. It was an important mo nastery with cultural activity in the region o f Zagori .

Papingo A famous traditio nal settlement , built o n the sides of Mt . Astraka (at a height o f 2.436m). It consists of two settlements Small and Great P apingo that have k ept their tr adit io nal appear ance unaltered with big manor ho uses, stone paved streets and springs with cr ystal clear w ater . R emark able ar e the churches o f S t. Vlasio s and St. Georgios (Gr eat Papingo ) and Taxiarches (Small Papingo). Over small Papingo the <to wers> o f A str ak a rise, while near the settlement the visitor sees the <o vir es> natur al shallow basins with clear water in rocky formatio ns.

Drakolimni It is the biggest lak e o f the natio nal park o f Vik o s-Ao o s and is located in the mountains o f Timfi at a height of 2 .050m. It str etches to about 5 acres. Here l ives the alpine trito n, a rare

a m p hi bi a n s p eci es . A magnificent landscape as Mt A str ak a (2.436m.) and

Mt Gamila (2 .497m.) r ise high abo ve the lak e impr essive as they ar e.

For the visitor to get there, a road leads from Papingo to Astraka refuge, after 3 hours o f walking.

Fro m ther e fo llo w the mark ed path to Drakolimni (a p p ro xi m a tely o ne h o ur w al k).

Vikos Gorge Vikos gorge is at the west side o f the National Park Viko s-Aoos and crosses West and Central Zagori. Its length reaches approximately 12 km., and the height of steep cliffs exceeds 1200m. in many spots, while its width is aro und 100 to 1000m. The gor ge is w ater- made for matio n and is cut through by Vikos River, the water is seaso nal . Flora presents a wide variety o f willow tr ees, sycamores, sphendamo s but also flower s and herbs. In earlier days alternative doctors pick ed up herbs in the ar ea the so- called Viko s-doctor s. Sk ilful walk er s can cro ss the gor ge, it tak es 5 ho ur s to w alk to the Springs o f Vo ido matis R iver , in a magnificent landscape, character ised by the gr ey r ock s and the green vegetation.

Kipi - Plakidas Bridge Dilofo Vitsa

Monodendri Mo nodendri is one o f the mo st w ell k no wn tr aditio nal settlements o f Zagori. It is the home of Rizari Brothers benefactors, their fo undatio n is well known all o ver Greece for its great social work. The great manor ho uses and churches express the eco no mic pr o sper ity o f the c it izens during Turkish o ccupatio n. R ecently r estor ed manor of Pantazis ho sts occasional exhibitions, w hile in the o utdoor theatre impor tant theatr ical and musical per formances take place. Right at the centr e o f the sett lement S t. Athanasios church dates back to the beginning o f 19th C. The icons o f the temple are dedicat ions by the Rizari Brothers. In a small distance from Monodendri is Oxia, well-known for the beautiful view over Vikos gor ge, mo stly for its sto ne- forest. There ar e huge rocky cr eatio ns with horizontal layer s of stone one over the other that form a natural monument o f great geological interest.

Monodendri -St.Paraskevi Monastery It is built at the egde of Vikos gorge. Founded in 1413/14 at the expense o f Michael Vo evo das T heriano s and the peo ple o f near by Vitsa . The tr adit ion mentio ns that Therianos built the church as an act of thank sgiving for his daughter's savio ur suffer ing fro m an incurable illness. Wall paintings o f the temple ar e dated back to 15th C.

Monodendri -Church of St. Minas The cro ss- do med chur ch of St . Minas is near the squar e o f the vil lage and it w as built in the beginning o f 17th C. T he w all paintings w er e concluded in two stages. In 1619/20 are dated those of the main church and narthex is dated to 1734. Wood- engraved and gilt-edged

temple of the church is dated to 1782.

Vitsa (ancient settlement) Between Monodendri and Vitsa are lo cated the ruins of a small settlement of Molossi, dated in 9th C. up unti l the end of 4th C. B.C. Excavations bro ught into light r uins o f sto ne ho uses as w ell as tw o cemeter ies with important findings. (today ar e exhibited in the Archaeological Museum o f Ioannina).

Vitsa (contemporary settlement) One of the most important traditional settlement in Zagori. Well- maintained stone manor ho uses, built with gr ey stone, perfectly fit in the environment, present special architectural interest . Stone-paved streets, churches, house gates, create to gether with the environment a scenery o f outstanding beauty. T he inhabitants of V itsa, alr eady in existence since Byzantine t imes, <V izitsini> accor ding to inscr iptio n undertook the building of the mo naster y of S t. Parask evi in Mo nodendri in 1413/4. St . Nikolao s cro ss-do med church with later narthex is built at the edge of the village. It is dated acco rding to inscr iptio n to 1612. T he w all paintings ware made in 1618-19, woo dcraft temple of the church is dated to 17th C, and ico ns are o f 17th and 18th C.

Ano Pedina - Church of St. Nikolaos A church o f grate size dated fr o m the beginning o f 19th C. W all paint ings, woo dcr aft temple, r o str um ar e all o f the same era. I n the church a go spel with silver co ver is k ept, a wor k o f Tzimo ur is, a gr eat silver mak er fro m Kalarites.

Ano Pedina - Evagelistria Church Important nunner y at the entr ance o f the vil lage. It is surrounded by high yard- walls and impresses with its fortr ess-lik e character. T he temple was built in 1793 and religious paint ings made in 1809.

Vradeto Stairs Tsepelovo Giftokambos

Koukouli -Church of Panagia It is built at the centre of the settlement and is a basilica of great size with arched loggia (hagiati). The present shape is the result of the second restoration dated to 1788. Wall paintings of 1796 are a work of Lazaros whi le the north walls wer e rep ainted in 185 4. by painters f rom Chiona des . Re m ark able sa mples of Epirot ic wood craf t are the te mpl e, the rostrum an d bishop's seat with nice decoration.

Noutsou Bridge or Kokorou It was built in 1750 by Noutsos Kontodimos. A big single-arched bridge ov er Vikos. It i s also na me d Kok orou af ter the own er of a ne arby mi ll wh o took care of it s rep air.

Bridge of Plakidas or Kalogeriko A great three-arched bridge, that impresses one with its symmetry. It is near the village Kipi and joins Viko's banks. It was built in 1814 by Serafim, a monk in the monastery of Profitis Ilias in Vitsa , under whom it took its name. It was reconstructed in 1865 by Alexis Plakidas from Koukouli.

Vradeto stairs It is cobble stone pathway down a steep rocky slope that leads to the tradi t ional vi llage of Vrad eto, a work of great craf ts mans hip of Epirot ic arti sans. In older days it was the only acc ess to the vil lage, that maintains i t s traditional character. Vradeto is the most mountainous settlement of Zagori bui lt 1340 m abov e Vik os G orge . Fro m Beloi spot one ca n enjo y a ma gni f icent vie w of Vik os G org e.

Tsepelovo A w el l -preser v ed s et tle m ent , at a h eight of 1. 100 m heig ht . During Tur kish

occupation it was the administrative centre of Zagori. Its manors are famous for the folk wall paintings. Near the square of the village the church of St. Nikolaos impresses the visitor with well-maintained wall paint ings wor ks of painters of Kap eso vo in 178 6. Tow er l ike ca m pani le is dated to 186 8.

Tsepelovo-Monastery of St. Ioannis Rogovos It i s bui l t in Tsepelo vo vi llag e. The conte m por ary te mple i s dated to 1749. Wall paintings from 1765 are a work of Kapesovo painters. Among the wall paintings are the presentations of sponsors Kontodima and monk Nikodimos.

Giftokambos Well known for the meeting of Epirotes Sarakatsani which takes place every year on the first weekend of August. It is near the villages of Ska m nel i and Laista, at 1600 m . In Gi ftok a mbos there i s the Sarak atsaniki Stani an exhibitional ground from May till October. It is a place with big huts representing the li fe of Sarakatsani .

Kapesovo A traditional settlement known for Kapesovo painters (Bogades) who work ed in doze ns of churc hes in Epirus during 18th and 19th ce ntury. It is also the ho m e of i mportant m en l ike Ioannins Kar a mesinis his son Alexis Noutsos collaborators of Ali-Pasha and brothers Paschali who built Paschalios School. The great flourishing that Kapesovo experienced during the Turkish domination, is evident in the great manors with folk wal l paintings and chur ch es with wond erful paint ings. In the c entre of the village is Paschaleios School (built in 1861 as the most important edu cat ional foundat ions in Zagori ), wh ere on e of the four copies of Rigas Fereos chart i s kept .

the small paths and tracks in the area and find natural springs and the ston e bridg es of the vi llag e.

Kapesovo -Church of St. Nikolaos It was bui lt in 1793 , at the exp ens e of Ioa noutsos Kara m esinis, an e min ent ma n of Zagori and Ioannin a. The chur ch belo ngs to the typ e thre e-aisled - basi lica. Wal l paint ings ma de at the sa me t im e are wor k of painters f ro m Kapesovo. Among the wall paintings a distinctive one is that of the God blessing St . Nikolaos .

Negades -St. Georgios A great church, in the centre of the village was built at 1792. Wall paintings made at the same time also. Of interest are the paintings of Aristotle and Platon but also of the church's sponsors. The temple with wond erful woo dcr af t dec orat ion, the rostrum and bishop's seat are wor ks of creative imaginat ion of Epirot ic (tal iadoroi) wood-craftsmen.

Vrisohori -Church of St. Charala mbos Built at a height of 940m. Vrisohori is surrounded by forests of conifers and crystal water rivers at the foothil l s of Ga mila. The G er ma ns burnt the settlement in 1943. Very interesting is the church of St. Charalambos In the squ are of the vi l lage, date d b ac k to 181 4.

Museum of Agapios Tolis The folk museum of Agapios Tolis is located in Kipi-Zagori. The collections include local costumes, furniture, domest ic items, photographic mat erial and others f ro m Zag ori that hav e bee n gath ered by Aga pios Tol is hims el f in a n ef fort to sa v e h el lenic heri tag e in Z agori .

Elati The Elati is situated on the wooded southern slopes of Mitsikeli, a 960 m etre mo untain 30 kilo metr es f rom Ioa nnina. Th e old vi llage was burn ed down by the Germans in 1943. The climate is fresh and healthy and the view tow ards the forest and mo untain of T imf i i s breathtaking . The chur ch of Saint Ge org e (1 806 ) i s n earb y and w el l worth a visit . Visi tors ca n fol low

Dikorfo The village is built at an altitude of 1000 metres and is situated 42 kilometres from Ioannina. It is known to have been a human settlement since 1431 and its long history is reflected in the stone mansions, the library, the cob bled stre ets and the large ston es and gard en entranc es that link the houses. The church of Saint Mina (1770) is found in the large ce ntral squar e. Single cob bled trac ks of fer eas y ac c ess to the mo naster y of Stoupainas ( 144 0) a nd the bridg e of Captain Ark oud a

Museum K. Lazaridis In Koukouli it is worth visiting the museum of K. Lazaridis where 2.500 dried species of her bs and plants f ro m the area, m an y of which are kno wn for their healing nature are exhibited. (tel .: 2653051398).

Pantazi's Manor House At Rizarios Centre of Me et ings and E xhibi t ions in Mon od endri oc casion al photographic exhibitions are hosted. In Papingo a centre for nature ( W. W.F .) i s ope n to the publ ic.

Activities Various river activities (canoe-ka yaking, rafting and more. In Aspraggelos shoot ing gal ley, Pan hel leni c shoot ing gam es tak e plac e. In the sam e smal l set tle me nt ther e i s a centre of hang-gl iding. Near Kato-P edina there i s a brew ery of ostrich- birds a plac e of at t ract ion for visi tors. The area has an organise d mou ntain refug e near Astraka (at 195 0 m). Signs along pathw ays attract visitors to walk in an enviro n me nt with sm al l lakes, forests of oak trees and sub-alpine scenery.

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uilt on the green slopes of Trapezitsa at a height of 630m it is a border town with its own dynamic features; old m an ors, ston e pa ve d stre ets n e xt to Ao os G org e wher e the fa mous single ar ch ed bridge is bui l t . North of Ko ni tsa on e m e ets Pirsogian ni an d Vo urbiani h o mes of arti sans; p eople here w ork ed for c enturies wi th stone, bui lding mo nasteries, m an ors an d bridg es al l over Gre e ce.

Spa stea ming springs of A m arantos an d sulphur spas of Ka vasi la ar e w el l kn own for their heal ing n ature.

De r v i za n a

Pramanda

Konitsa Bridge Konitsa - Stomio Monastery

Konitsa Bridge It is located next to Konitsa settlement and spans Aoos Gorge. It was built in 1870 by Chief artisan Ziogas Frontzos, who came from Pirsogianni (fam ous vil lage for arti sans) wi th donations f rom rich Epirots and people of Konitsa.

Manor of Housein Sisko It is at the centre of the old town of Konitsa and remains one of the most representat ive exa mples of urban archi tecture. The manor, as i t i s today, i s dated bac k to 1845, but i t i s wel l kno wn that i t was bui lt in 17 71.

Hamko's Manor The deserted manor of Hamko, mother of Ali-Pasha of Ioannina. It is about a number of buildings resembling a fortress expressing its importance. In a bet ter state i s the two-storey-tower (Koulia) and arched columns with stone-curved decoration.

Klidi It is a rock shelter at a height of 30m. above the banks of Voidomatis River, well -known for the findings of pre-historic times that exca vations brought into l ight . Hu man presenc e in Klidi i s dated 16.000-10.0 00 years ago and is due to exploitation of the favourable ecosystem of the area. The stone tools that were revealed are made of pyrites stone coming from Voidomatis River.

Stomio Monastery The name of the monastery i s taken by the smal l opening, that is <stomio>, in Greek, of the Aoos Gorge River. The Monastery was built in 1774, but it was ignited the during Second World War by Germans. It is today a refuge point of climbers and starting point for climbing to Gamila and Drakon- Lakes.

Klidoniavista Bridge

Kokkini Panagia Dedicated to Zoodohos Pigi , i t i s located at a small distanc e fro m Konitsa. The church takes its name from the red colour of bricks with which it is built. It is dated to the end of 13th C- beginning of 14th C. Great interest present the wall paintings of 14th C., in the church's sanctu m.

Dopolitsa Bridge One more single arched bridge (1906) near Konitsa, over the Dopolitsa conf luent of Aoos River.

Liatovouni Liatovouni rises high at the centre of Konitsa's valley, near the junction of Voidomatis and Aoos Rivers. It is a significant site, at which an extended cemetery was discovered with worthy findings that are dated back to the first era of the Iron Ag e t il l the classical tim es. The cemetery belonged to an unknown, till today, Molossos settlement (Molossoi was one of the m ost imp ortant genders in the area of central and west Pindos). The findings (weapons, vases, jewel lery and more) f rom the ce metery are today exhibi ted in the Archa eological Museu m of Ioa nnina.

Klidonia (old settlement) It is located at the plateau Timfi (Gamila) at a height of 500m and is split off from Zagori by the famous Vikos Gorge. The view is magnificent from here. From this spot one sees the top of the mountains around it and the valley of Koni tsa crossed b y Voido matis and Aoos Rivers.

A great number of churches and monasteries are still standing today, like the churches of St. Athanasios and St. Nikolaos and the monasteries of St. Apostol i and St . Anargiri . The monastery of Meta morphosis was built even earlier, according to tradition it was built by Emperor Konstantinos Pogonatos.

Klidoniavista Bridge It takes its name by the neighbouring village of Klidonia and joins Voidomat is River banks. It i s a single-arched bridge bui lt at the entrance of the Gorge of Vikos bui lt in 1853.

Molivdoskepasto A Picturesque village =, built on a slope of a green hill, with a view over the Aoos and Greek Albanian borders. It is mentioned in Byzantine writings with the name Dipalit sa. From that distant tim e the church of St . Dimitrios has been preserved. The churches of St. Sozonta, Zoodohos Pigi and St. Apostoli witnessed the growth that the vil lage exp erienced during Turkish occupat ion.

St. Apostoli Church A parish ch urch of great size that took i t s conte mporary appearance in 1537 and wall painted in 1645. Yet

again the church of St .Apostoli i s ment ioned already in 1298 as the place of Pogoniani Head of

Church.

Konitsa Kastanea

Molivdoskepasto Monastery An important Byzantine monastery

found near Greek-Albanian borders, at the junction of

Voidomat is and Aoos Rivers. According to tradition its

founding is due to E mp eror K onst ant inos

Pogonatos.

The monastery takes i t s nam e fro m ( mol ivdos) lead-leaves that covered the roof of the temple. The wall

paintings are dated back to 16th C. The Monastery attracts man y visitors who com e as pilgrims to worship the

miraculous icon of Virgin Mary.

Aidonohori -Goura Monastery It was built possibly in 16th C. at the top of a big rock (gur in Albanian means rock) it took its name after it. It was set fire by Turks around 1829 and in i ts place it was buil t the conte mporary churc h in mid-19th C.

Amarantos The steam baths of Amarantos at a height of 1260m. are regarded as unique all over Greece. In the area of Konitsa other spa springs exist, like the sulphur waters of Kavasi la and Pixaria.

Plagia - Monastery of Zerma The Monastery of Zerma is found at the slopes of Grammos. It had already been mentioned in 1618, but it was restored according to inscription in 1656, the same time the wall paintings are dated. Im pressive is the entrance of the c hurch wi th the inscription and the b eaut iful stone carv ed d ecorat ion.

Bourazani In the midst of lush vegetation, Bourazani is an idyllic area near Aoos banks. It is a recreational site where the visitor can taste delicious dishes (deer, wild pig etc.) Here one finds a centre for environmental education and a water-mi ll , a water-driven m onu me nt .

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Rafting in Aoos Pirsogiani Vasilitsa Ski Resort

Mastorohoria (Pisrogiani-Vourbiani) Famous for its artisans who for years engraved stone and built churches, bridges and manors all over Greece. In Piirsogani is the church of St. Nikolaos which is dated to 18th c. i s quite signi ficant .

Molista, Gannadio, Kastaniani Built on the green slopes of Smolikas, they consist a number of dwellings of most beauty. Natural beauty is combined with stone paved streets, stone houses and c hurches f ro m 18th, 19th C with stone ca mpani les.

Chioniades A fa mous settle ment of local painters. Painters f rom Chioniades dominated the 19th C. and beginning of 20th C. in religious painting of churches and manors in Epirus and Western Ma cedo nia.

National Park of Vikos - Aoos - Aoos Gorge South East of Konitsa in northwest Pindus between Timf i and Smolikas the Gorge of Aoos, is a part of the National Gorge of Vikos-Aoos. The access to the Gorge is through a path near the old single-arch ed bridge, at the edg e of Konitsa. The area is characterised by changes in scen ery, intense contrasts, where the steep gorges and calm mountain slopes are found one next to another.

In the National Gorge of Vikos-Aoos find shelter the most rare birds and animals like the bear, the wolf, the jackal, wild goat and the most rare species of Gree k fauna. The species of amp hibians that have been recorded here exceed ten, remarkable is the Alpine Triton (Tritus Alpestris), with habitat the Drakol imni . The Gorge offers to the visitors unique chanc es for canoe-Kayaking (Aoos), climbing (Astraka top), climbing and walking along easy paths where on e can observ e nature.

Activities Evathlos is one of the most important athletic events in the area. They are races of adve nturous athlet ic gam es wi th internat ional participat ion, taking place each year in the last week of May. It includes rafting races, canoe- caya king, climbing etc. On the other hand musical happenings take place at the side of the river. Abov e Konitsa it operates a school of hang-sliding , the visitor can f ly with para-pente or a mou ntain parachute. In Vasi lit sa there is a modern ski ce ntre, at 1300 m.

Besides rafting and canoe-kayaking in the rivers of the area, many are the possibilities for climbing in near mountains. One of the best routes is that leading fro m Konitsa to Trapezitsa (2022 m) and Roidovouni (1977m). The brave ones can fol low the route f rom Konitsa bridge to Sto mio Mo nastery, Kartero passage, Skamneli Zagori. The route is through Aoos Gorge, through a forest of conifer trees and it takes 10 hours to cross it. Among the most modest activities are trout fishing in Voidomatis or Aoos (outside the borders of the National Gorge and the walks in the park of environmental education in Bourazani).

In the old town of Konitsa there is a photographic exhibition of the history of the town and of the surrounding area. Also of interest to the visitor are the collections of local art such as the Local Art Mus eu ms of Koni tsa and P ades, the Museu m of Natural History and Local Art at Mazi and m any others.

K o n i t sa

De l v i n a k i Tsepelovo

Zitsa

Metsovo

I o an n i na

etsovo, a cattle-raising se ttlement initially, became in time an important commercial centre, exploiting its geographical place and historical events. It is a representative example of resistance to the abandonment of the Greek countryside. It is built amphitheatrically in one of the mountain slopes of Pindos (1160m height). It attracts visitors with its wealth, the

diversity of the scenery and the way of life the people lead and experienced.

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Aoos Lake

Metsovo Metsovo already existed in late-Byzantine time, since it is mentioned in the <Chronicle of Ioannina>, however, exceptional growth during Turkish occupation, due to administrative autonomy allowed to the people by the Turks, especially for the protection of passage of Zigos (passage from Epirus to Thessaly). Fro m Metsovo co me man y of nat ional ben efactors like M. Tositsas, G. Hatzikostas, Stournaris and more, who undertook the erection of buildings and social wel fare foundat ions in Io annina a nd Athens.

St. Nikolaos Church Built in the south west of Metsovo, near the

bank of the Metsovi tikos (conf luent river to Arachthos), the Mo nastery of St . Nikolaos, was one of the most imp ortant m onasteries in the area. Its founding goes back to Byzantine era, it was restored in 1700. Wall paintings indoors of the temple

are dated to 1702.

Church of St. Paraskevi At the ce ntre of Metsovo, stands one of the m ost imp ortant church es. Ma ny precious findings are ke pt in this church, donations of wealthy Metsovian people l iving in Russia an d Egy pt .

Panagia Church The Monastery is at the edge of Metsovo settlement. The temple is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, built in 1754 and painted around the same time. Near the m onastery there i s a t radit ional water mi l l restored rec ently; it i s a w ater- driven mo nu me nt

Vallia Kalda The National Park of Valia Kalda (war m valley) one of the most important in Greece, is included in the list of the world's most endangered areas requiring protection. It is one of the most significant nature areas in Europe, providing shelter for over 80 species of birds, such as the golden eagle, water blackbird, gold-hawk, black wood-pecker and some of the rarest mammals such as the brown bear, wild goat, wildcat, vidra, all threatened with extinction. The flora here is one of the richest in all of Gre ec e. Wi thin the Park, grow ma ny blac k pinus and robolo (whi te pine), ma ny of which e x ce ed 700 years of age.

Chrisovitsa - Panagia Church The church of Panagia is known for the religious icon of Panagia Chrisovitsa (it is devoted to Evagelist Loukas), a work possibly of 16thC. The churc h was earlier a tem ple mo nastery that , acc ording to tradi tion, was buil t in Byzant ine t imes.

Anthohori - Monastery of Zoodohos Pigi Located at Kokkino L ithari . This m onastery was found ed in 18th C and has wall paintings dating from fro m the 19th C.

Profitis Elias Vallia Kalda Metsovo Ski Resor t

Politsies A small plateau, with forests of firs and beech trees, near Metsovo. The alpine scenery of the area in combination with the man-made lake of Aoos provides an ideal spot for recreation recreation.

Metsovo - Tositsa Manor. Tositsa manor houses a museum and Foundation of the same name. Tradi tional Metsovian wea ving, quil ted costumes, im portant late- Byzant ine icons are e xhibi ted in the roo ms of the m anor. (tel .: 26560 41084 ).

Metsovo - Art Gallery Found ed with care by the Evag elos Av erof Fou ndat ion and including works of important Greek artists from the 19th and 20th C., such as Litras, Gizis, Parthenis, Moralis, Hatzikiriakos-Gikas, and more (tel .: 2656041210).

Ostrakopama A personal collection of shells of Mr N Pavl idi that i s exhibi ted permanently at trade centre Diaselo. The collect ion contains around 100 different types of shells from all the oceans of the world. The ex hibit ion is open to the publ ic ev ery wee kda y apart fro m Mo nda y.

Activities The area is a popular dest inat ion with tourists througho ut the y ear.

In a short distance from Metsovo are two wel l -equipped ski centres; Prophet Elias and Foundation of Baron Michael Tositsas. The former has five ski areas of 700m and 1000m, degree of difficulty is moderate, with lift, restaurant etc. Th e latter has two s ki areas of 10 00 m a nd 1 200 m.

The climbing resort of Mavrovouni at the place of Pante-Laki (height 1950 m) is an ideal base for exc ursions to the National Park of Val lia Kalda and the Drakon Lakes. It is a traditional building with capacity to acco m m odate 30 people. The internat ionally m arke d path E6 crosses the Park, while in the area there are more walking paths, signed (P1,P3 and more ) of fering the visitor a variety of ro utes.

In the first weekend of July, the “Vlahi Meeting” takes place in Metsovo, while on the last week end of the sam e m onth the “Pihtios Walk” , i s organised which includes walks in the m ountain and over-night stays on the m ountain, at 2000m height, in Mavrovouni, with singing and dancing around campfires.

There are m any tradit ional festivals in the ar ea su ch as that on Prophet Elias, at a height of 1400m., of St . Paras kevi , in Metsovo and Ani lio such as the “night of catt le-bree ders” festival during w hich the b est animals of the village are adjudged and awarded.

Monastery of Kip ina

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I o an n i na

alking through the mountains and gorges around Arachthos River, four stone bridges help the visitor to reach Tzoumerka vi llage and to be conquered b y it s evergreen natural beauty and human creat ivity. The Gorges of Arachthos and Kalarit ikos, the rich eco-system of the area, stone bridges, monasteries, t raditional settle ments of Sirrako, Kalarites and Pramanta (thriving centre of the area), and many small vi llages are ele ments that impress and attract the visitor. Fans of rivers and mountain-sports will not be disappointed as

there are man y possibili ties for adventures in kayaking, rafting, climbing and revelling in nature's glory.

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Pramanda

Sirrako Pramanta

Pramanta Bui l t amp hi theatrical ly on the slopes of Mt . Strogoula (840 m . height) this is one of the most well known artisanal villages in Tzoumerka. Near the set tle me nt ther e i s the An e motripa Cav e, wh er e stalag mites and stalagt ites creat e a magic al world. The waterfal ls 'Ka mil i' and 'Vasi l i s ', water mi ll and gorg e of St . Atha nasios ar e the most r e mar kable sights in the area . The mo naster y of St . Paras ke vi ne ar the road to Pra m anta and Mel issourgi , is well known for the reason that in 1908-1912 it was the home of known chieftain of Epirus, Ioannis Poutetsis. Its foundation was by the monk Dionisios and dated possibly to 1878.

Sirrako - Kalarites Sirrako and Kalarites are two of the prettiest and most important settlements of Ioannina prefecture. Built on the remote slopes of Mt. Tzoumerka,theyimpresswiththeirarchitecturalvariety,andperfectlyfit the environment and land morphology. Although the settlements were aban don ed, the mul ti store y- ma nor hous es, the stone springs, gorg eo us churches, snaking, stone-paved streets, impress the visitor with the set tlement 's past history.

People of Sirrako and Kalarites had created commercial firms in big Euro pe an towns like L ivorno , and Triest , already by mid- 17th C, since the two vil lages wer e ce ntres for ex port ing produ cts of nearb y vi llag es but also Thessaly. Kalari t ians were also know n for the art of si lver- ma king. Ma ny of them like Tzimouris and Bafas worked on Ionian islands after the vi llage was d estroye d in 1 881 . Sirrak o w as ho m e of I. K olet ti s , G. Zalokostas, and K. Kristal li s .

Kalarites -Monastery of Kipina Bui l t in a long cav e stret ching ov er a ste ep slope, o ver the Kalariot ikos, a strea m of Ar ac hthos the mo naster y is p erfe ct ly f i tted to th e roc ky en viron me nt . Fro m h ere the visitors can take a glimpse over the peak of Tzoumerka (Athamanika Ìountains), where it is believed that ancient Athamanes lived. The mo naster y i s dated to 18th C, y et t radi t ion m ent ions it s foundin g in B yza nt ine t im e.

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Tsouka Monastery Potistika Plaka Âridge

Elliniko - Tsouka Monastery The mo naster y i s bui lt at the top of the hi ll near the vi llage El l iniko . It was founde d acc ording to t radi tion in 1190 by E mp eror Isaakios B' Ag gelos (118 5-11 95). Yet toda y's app ear anc e is due to how i t was bui l t possibly in 18th C. Wall paintings are dated in 1779. The Monastery of Tsouka is well-known in the area of Ioannina and also an important pilgrimage destination. In the backyard, the view over the Arachthos River is ma gni f icent . Th e g orge is a pla ce of spe cial natural be auty.

Plaka Âridge A big single- arc h bridge (length 40 m. and heig ht 20m .) that im press es wi th its symmetry. It spans the Arachthos River and eases communication of vi llages bui l t on the slopes of Tzoum er ka. It was buil t in 1866. The bridg e of Plaka is today a starting point for impressive routes for rafting or canoeing in the Arachthos River.

Matsouki -Monastery of Viliza The Monastery of Viliza is built on the slopes of Mt. Tzoumerka, between the village of Kalarites and Matsouki. The temple is dedicated to Theotokos Virgin Mary , and restored in 1783. The interior i s dec orated with wal l paintings ma de in 1797 . Apart f rom the te mpl e toda y the co m plex of cel l s and sm al ler chur ch of Prodro m os is well preserved.

Raftanei - Monastery of Plaka Plak a mo nastery i s locate d on the east bank of Arac hthos River, near the old bridge with same name and a small distan ce fro m Raf tanei Vi l lage. The interior i s de corate d with wall paintings dated back to 17th C. The temple is wood craf ted and ov erlaid wi th gi lt .

Activities The area is suitable for climbing in the mountains of Tzou mer ka. Ro ute f ro m Matsouki to Vi li za and Kalari tes is impr essiv e (signposte d, i t tak es 2 hours), one of the most impressive. Those who dare can follow the walk from Matsouki to the top of Strogoula, at a height of 2.429m. (wi thout signs, i t tak es four hours) . The mo untain refug e at 'Isioma' site has a capacity to host 40 people. Xerovouni slopes are offered for sliding while Arachthos River for kayaking or rafting (Plaka bridge is a junction point for breathta king routes along the river). The area also of fers a riding club in Lazaina.

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Delvinaki

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Metsovo

ogoni is a number of villages in the north west of Ioannina prefecture, bordering the Greek Albanian border. It is an area of special character due to its geography, an important passage to Iliria, since ancient times. In contrast to other areas of Epirus, Pogoni was not a favourable area during Turk ish domination. Soc ial turmoil and the migration of Pogoni's indigenous population are strongly expressed in its distinct

musical tradition.

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Kato Meropi Dolo - St. Nikolaos Pogoniani

Pogoniani - St. Nikolaos

Gr eat , thre e-aisled Basi l ika of 187 3, with thre e ed ges co min g out to the east side and bui l t -in ele me nts of urban archi te cture. Wel l -k now n Epirotes ben efactor Zosim ad es contributed to it s co nstruct ion. Inter est ing is the more recent , wood-carved te mple.

Pogoniani - Folk Museum of Pogoni -Deropolis In the collections here are included items of everyday life, agricultural tools, costumes, woodworks, needle-works and wood-crafts of the vi llagers of the gr eater are a of Po goni and Der opol is (Addr ess. Po goniani P C. 44005, tel .: 2657031230).

Gor mos Val ley Ex ca vat ion res ear ch in the south west of the riv er-side val ley of G or mos (near Meropi) disco ver ed v arious places wi th burie d to mbs and set t lem ent ruins dated to the Late Copper Age until Hellenic times and express the significant role of the area in antiquity. Important findings from these tombs ar e today e xhibi ted in the Arc ha eologic al Museu m of Ioa nnina. The area has b ee n char acterise d as having ex ce pt ional natural beauty an d has be en in clud ed in N AT U R A networ k.

Vissani

This important set tle m ent was dev elop ed during the Turkish do minat ion. It stil l possesses much of it s t radi tional architecture. The boarding school ,

the Hellenic School and great church of St.Nikolaos of 18th C. (wall paintings of same time) express still today the economic and spiritual growth of the p ast .

Vissani - Monastery o f Avel From the most important monasteries of Pogoni, its name is taken by Av el is, the own er and restorer. Th e tem ple, on e-aisle basi lica wi th dom e was buil t and painted in 1770 . Wal l paintings are in a goo d state, work of painters f rom Chionades-Konitsa.

Dolo

Tradi tional sett le me nt ne ar the Gorg e of Kou varas. Ch ara cteristic i s the parish church of St. Nikolaos with great loggia (roofed veranda) and inclusive b el l -tow er on th e south side.

Kato Meropi - Panagia A church with exceptional interest due to wall paintings made in end of 15th C by painter Xenos Digenis. Digenis, was a remarkable painter, forerunn er of a p aint ing style that pr e vai led in Epirus during 16th C.

Kato Meropi -Monastery o f Ioannis Prodromos The mon astery was bui lt in 161 4 by Nikolaos Logoth et is, a weal thy m an local ly-bor n, l iving in Vlahia. The wal l paintings f rom the sam e period are also of the temple. The monastery was rich and received grants by Russian imperial Fund, other monasteries in Epirus also ben efi ted.

The Folk Museum of Pogoni Doliana - Panagias Church Vissani St. Nikolaos

Delvinaki Administrative centre of Pogoni territory with remarkable traditional manor houses. At the centre of a small town the parish church dedicated to Panagia Theotokos, an d was bui lt in 1619 and restored in 1830.

Lavdani-Monastery o f Makrialexi Acc ording to t radition, which was not aff i rmed historically, the monastery was bui lt by E mperor Konstantinos Pogonatos and restored by Makrialexis, and subsequently na med af ter him. Today's building is dated to 1585. Wal l paintings are dated in 1599.

Kouvaras Gorge

This gorge was created bythe homonymous river. Natural beauties of the gorge, rich vegetation and changes of scenery are combined with architectural interest of surrounding vil lages.

Zaravina Lake or Delvinaki Lake Located on the road that leads to Delvinaki . The ecosyste m of the lake i s rich and is a habitat for birds and plants, man y of which are rare, l ike the vidra.

Water -driven Monuments Preserved monuments have been characterised water-mills and water- 'launderettes' found in Palaiopirgos and Oraiokastro. Water driven monuments provide important information on the way of life of the people in past ages.

Paleopirgos Special interest here includes geological formations (known to locals as 'fonts '), that are d ue to land corrosion b y the waters of Gorm os Riv er.

Activities

The area of fers climbing in the mountain Nem ertika (height of 2.209 m) and walks in wild virgin nature. There are no marked paths, but there are many walks that one can fol low wi th or without a guide. The most well -known are Kouvaras and the Gormos valley. During the first ten-days of August the municipality of Delvinaki organises a polyphonic folk-song festival, an important ev ent for the ar ea.

There are also many other festivals taking place during summer months. Festivals have a local character and here, the musical and dance tradition of the area co mes to li fe, with i ts own special character. In Pogoniani there is a Folk museu m, with interest ing col lections of everyday life objects, f rom the people of Pogoni and Deropol is.

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Metsovo

Ioannina

Vrosina

De r v i za n a

P r a m a n d a it sa is bui lt near the foothi ll s of Proph et El ias and is surround ed by fa mous vine yards famo us al l ov er Ioan nina. It und erw ent ec ono mi c growth and flourishe d during the Turkish domination. The church of St. Nikolaos at the centre of the settlement was built in 1890. Each year, in the last week of August the wine festival is organised in

Zitsa, ne ar the mo naster y of Pro ph et El ias, wh ere visitors m ay enjo y local fa mous wines.

Pateron Monastery

Zitsa - Prophetis Elias Monastery On e of the are a's most fam ous mon asteries. Lord Vironas was give n a roof here in 1809, travelling from Ioannina to Tepeleni. Witnesses tell of the existence of the monastery since 1647 and connect it with foundation of St. Ioannis monastery in Voukouresti. The temple is dated possibly in 1636. Wal l paintings wer e dec orated in 165 7/8 and prese nt spe cial interest includes the wood-carved temple.

Lithino - Pateres Monastery

Founded in 16thC and dedicated to Panagia Theotokos, it is found opposi te the vil lage of L ithino. It was one of the m ost im portant and rich est mo nasteries in Epirus, due to grants of Vlahia sov ereig ns. Two high walls surround the now deserted cells and the temple built in 1631/12. Of the sam e ti me ar e dated the woo d- car ved te m ple and se ver al of the c hurc hes icons.

Lithino - Theogefiro (God's -Bridge)

This natural bridge o ver Kala mas Riv er m ad e co m mu nicat ion for local peo ple easier, unt il rec ent t imes. It i s actual ly a rock con ne ct ing two sides of the river that nature gave the shape of a bridge. Folk tradition has con ne cted it wi th m an y leg ends and ga ve it the na me G od's bridg e. Un der Go d's bridge flow clear waters of Kala mas. The area again i s mag ni fice nt and ver y gr ee n.

Parakalamos - Sosinou Monastery D edic ated to Pa nagia, Theoto kos Sosinos m onast ery was found ed bac k in late B yzant ine y ears. Te m ple of the athoni t ikos typ e i s dated in 1598. It i s de corate d wi th wal l paint ings of 160 1/2 a nd of 18 38. T he mo naster y h as

Lithino - Theogefiro

Sosinou Monastery Prophetis Elias Monastery

great property, a rich l ibrary and man y heirlooms . Also betwe en 17th C and 18th C, a school was operating here wi th distinguished teachers.

Ieromnimi - Panagia Kakavitsa

A barrel -v aul ted chur ch of 19th C. Wal l paint ings are f rom the be ginning of 20th C and are the work of painter V.Filis who also decorated the adjac ent ch urc h of St . Triada.

Kalpaki - Vellas

Vellas monastery is built near the springs of Kalamas River, 2km away from Kalpaki. Its foundation is dated in 11th C, while its name is taken by the Byzantine town of same name, located on a hill known today as 'Pal iovel la'. The te mpl e, i s dated in 1745 and the interior i s dec orate d wi th paint ings fro m the s a me period.

In 1911 a Se minar y (rel igious sch ool) was foun ded ther e and re main ed ope n unt il 1977 . Toda y in V el la, a High er Hi erat ic Sch ool and Lyc eu m are ope-rating.

Water-driven Mon ume nts

The area has several water-driven monuments, such as water-mills in Kou kl ii , in Iero mni mi and Si taria that ha ve be en preser ve d and ha ve be en restored. N ear Kalpa ki , in a gre en en viron m ent of shadow y syc a mor es and crystal cle ar waters there are also water laundr et tes that are st il l toda y working.

Kalpaki -War Museum

Kalpaki -War Muse um

It includ es ex hibits rele vant to Gr ee k Ital ian war, of 194 0. In the pre mises of the small museum are exhibited army costumes, weapons, arms, publ icat ions, charts and oth er material rele vant to the intense f ighting that took place here during the Greek-Italian war.

Activities One of the most important festivities in the area of Zitsa is the wine festival ; it takes place eac h y ear in the fi rst fortnight of August , in the place of Proph et is Elias mo naster y. This festival includes also ma ny artistic and athlet ic happenings taking place in the surrounding vi llages.

The area has man y lan dsc ap es of sp ecial interest alongside Kala m as River. One of the most beautiful walks is that from Katarrakt is vi llag e t il l L ithino an d God's- bridge through an idyllic landscape with rich vegetation and clear waters.

For the visitor the festivals will remain unforgettable since the area has the best folk instrument players, (especial ly the ones who come from Parakalamos).

Do d o ni

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ortheast of Ioannina and at a distance of 22 km. is one of Greece's most ancient Sanctuaries, Do doni . The landsc ap e has e xc ept ional be auty and in co mbinat ion wi th m ytholog y ( Had es Gat es), historical m e mor y (Soul i ), paths of Soul iotes, the re mar kable B yza nt ine chur ch es and mo nasteries, (P ana gia Mo naster y in Sistrouni , Mo naster y of Sot iros in Ro m an os, Monaster y of

Pan agia in Ac hlad ea), are full of rel igious w al l paintings and wo odc arv ed te mples, of fer the visitor except ional experiences for nature worship walkers.

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Acheron R iver (Hades Gates) Sistrouni - Panagias Monastery Castle of Pente Pigadia

Dodoni Sanctuary The origins of the san ctuar y, kno wn for i t s historical reputat ion, go bac k to Copper Ag e (260 0-1 200 BC .) Ini tial ly the sanctuar y was outdoor and in it was worshipp ed the Great God dess, dei ty of land fert il ity and wel fare, who later was replac ed by the worship of Do don eos Dias. The priests said oracles l istening to the sounds of t ripods around Figos 'the holy oak tree' of Dias. To honour Dias the 'Naia'wer e organised fam ous Hel leni c rac es. In th e 14th C., the f i rst te m ple starte d being b ui ld the ' Holy Oikia'.

Yet i t was restore d radical ly in 3rd C. under Pirros's royal ty. It was then that Pri taneion, Vo ulef ti rion and the Th eatre one of the largest ancient theatres (17.0 00 seats) wer e bui lt . The sanctuar y was destroy ed in 219 B C. by Etol i an d later in 16 7 BC b y the Ro ma ns.

Kostaniani - Taxiarches Church

Taxiarc hes chur ch is an imp ortant B yzant ine mo nu m ent and is dated at the end of 13C. It belongs to the type of three-aisled cross roofed church with i mpr essive de cor at ion on the exter nal surfac es m ad e with mu d bricks. Interior i s de corate d wi th wal l paint ings of the sa m e period. In the chur ch there were icons of the 17th, 18th C, that are today exhibited in the Byz ant ine m useu m of Io annin a.

Achladea (Toskesi ) Kimisis ti s Theotokou Monastery

The mon astery of Kimisis i s b ui lt at th e foothi l l s of mo untain Ol i t sika,

2km north of the settlement. In the past it had a great fortune and supporte d the vil lage's sch ool . The tem ple i s dated in 177 2. Wal l paint ings were made in 1810 by the painter and priest Konstantinos and his sons Ioannis and Christodoulos from Kari tiani .

Achladea - Ch urch of Panagia Labovithra The church of Labovithra was the temple of a monastery. The date of bui lding is not kn own but the ar chi tectural detai ls conf irm the t radit ion that it is a Byzantine building possibly of 13th C. The wall paintings are dated in the 17 th C.

Alepohori - Botsari - Kimisis ti s Theotokou Church

The wall rel igious paintings wer e mad e in 1784. The chur ch of Kimiseo s was buil t in 1764 by the priest and m on k Ioannis, who is picture d also in a wal l painting. It i s a thre e-aisled basi lica wi th do m e and later buil t loggia to the south sid e, th e chur ch is tod ay a ce m eter y- chur ch of the vi l lage.

Romano - Metamorphosis tou Sotiros Monastery The monastery of Sotiros is found near the village of Romano and is one of the most named in the area of Lakka Souli. It is known for the benevolent action it took, since it financed a school and funded the restorat ion and construct ion of church es. Today's te mpl e i s dated in 1866 , while the wall paintings are made in 1907. The three storey-bell tower dates ba c k to 191 0.

Tomaros Mountain

Sistrouni - Genesiou Theotokou Monastery

Bui l t near the sourc e of the fam ous Ac hero n River. Tradi t ion plac es the bui lding in Byza nt ine t im es, now ada ys tem ple i s dated ba ck to 18th C. Of the sa me period are the wal l paintings, which althou gh primi tiv e, im press with the nu m ber of pictures and intense colors. Ne ar the m onast ery, in an idyl lic surroundin g with shado wy sy ca m ores, ther e are the springs of the legendary river Acheron.

Artopoula - Katammahi Monastery

Fa m ous mon astery bui lt in a gree n area ne ar the vi l lage Artopoula. It was built in 1830. Near the monastery old sycamores and stone-built water springs with crystal clear waters create som e magni ficent scenery.

Derviziana -Church of St. Apostoli A cross-ro ofed ch urch bui l t and wal l painted in 1764. It was previously a temple monastery.

Serziana -<Hades Gates> Near the sett le me nt of Serziana are the ' Gates of Ha des', the entranc e to a grandiose gorge, known as 'Acheron narrows', through which River Ac her on's waters f low. An cient Gre eks bel iev ed that the river led the souls of dead peo ple to Ach erousia Lak e, wher e kingdo m of Ha des was locat ed. The picturesq ue lands cap e wi th rich ve getat ion and the river's dashing waters ma k e u p a n e nviro n me nt of e xc ept ional bea uty.

Pente Pigadia - Castle Dat ed at the t ime of late Turkish do minat ion, it i s si tuated at the border of prefectures Ioannina-Preveza. The castle controlled the passage of Klisoura a junct ion point of the roa d from Ioa nnina to Arta and the ports of A m vra kikos Gul f , durin g Tur kish oc cup at ion t im e.

Chani Emin Aga-War museum 1912/13 Found at the 27km marker of the national road Ioannina - Athens and shelters the Chani of Emin- Aga. The headquarters of the 1912-13 war had their pre mises here. The m use u m's exhibi ts refer to the war perio d and the fights for the liberation of Epirus. In the collections are included personal items of the chieftain Konstantinos, arms and photographic mat erial f rom the surre nd er of th e to wn of Io annin a.

Louros River

Louros River crosses the area, creating small glades with clusters of sycamores, a p erfect place for rest and recreat ion.

Terovo -Lake Near the springs of Louros and the settlement of Terovo the lake of the same name is found. By the sides old sycamores and other water-living plants grow. It s waters tak e ma ny colors, gre en, pur ple and azure -gre y during th e da y and wi th the c han ge of the w eather .

Louros Springs

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spec ial area in the west of Ioannina on the road to Igoumenitsa, crossed by Kalamas River creating a valley of infinite natural beauty. The area is scattered with late - byzantine monuments (Panagia monastery, Gribovo, Paliouri Monastery , Monastery of Agelomahos), full of wall paintings. Here one finds the monastery of St. Dimitrios Dihounios where the bishop of Trikk i Dionisios, philosopher, in September of 1611, se t

off his revolution against Turks.

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Paliouri - Monastery of Paliouri Dihouni - St. D imitrios Monastery

Paliouri - Monastery o f Pa liouri

Toda y's te mple w as bui lt in 1688 -169 0, and restor ed in 1896. Th e te mple i s a thre e-aisled basi lica wi th dom e and later loggia in the south side whi ch has be en for me d into the cha pel of St .Ioan nis. The interior of the churc h is de corate d wi th wall paint ings dat ing fro m 183 3. Within the te m ple i s the temple of Panagia Palouriot issa.

Klimatia Im portant set tle m ent west of Ioan nina, know n for m arble pi ts, as wel l as its wine. According to some local opinion it is original location of Evri m en es, ancie nt town of Molosses. The set t le me nt f lourished in the 16th C, at which time many churches were built or wall-painted like Metamorphosis, St .Dimi trios and Panagia.

Klimatia -Ch urch of Metamorphosis The church of Metamorphosis is built on a hill in 1568, northwest of Kli mat ia and in earl ier t imes was a te mple m onaster y. At the sa m e ye ar i t was wal l painted, a work of the fa mous painter Frag os Kontaris. The wal l paintings in Metamorphosis are of high quality and the important paint ings are of th e m ost im portant art wor ks of 1 6th C in Epirus.

Kourenta -Monastery o f Agelomahos

The mon astery of Pan agia Ag elo ma ch os is foun d short ly after Kour enta. Its founding is dated in 1779. Today's appearance of the temple is due to restorat ion in 19th C. In the interior the wal l paint ings are f rom 1810- 12, a work of painters and broth ers Theo doros an d Stam at ios f rom C orfu. The mo naster y was fairly rich and supported a scholar and boardin g house in Kourenta.

Dihouni - St . Dimitrios Monastery The m onaster y of Dihou ni i s esp ecial ly kn own in Epirus, sinc e f ro m h ere the metropolitan of Trikki Dionisios, also named 'Phi losoph er', set of f the u nluc k y r evolut ion ag ainst Turks, in 1611. The revolution failed and he himself had a martyr's end while the monastery of Dihouni was destroyed by OsmanPasa as an act o f retaliation. The mo naster y de dicated to St . Di mi trios i s the o nly bui lding save d fro m d estruct ion. A cc ording to an inscript ion i t was re no vated in 176 3. In the interior the wal l paint ings are from Argos. Between them is distinctive the picture of m artyr St .I oan nis of Io annina .

Vrosina

Vrosina

A junction point for all who travel to Therprotia. The location of the settlement was already known since Byzantine times. Built near the Kala mas River, Vrosina m aintains sev eral post -B yza nt ine mon u me nts, like Raidiot issa mo naster y, with wal l paintings of 17th C. the churc h of St . G eorgios of 17th C at the centr e of the set tle m ent and St , Paras ke vi of 16th C, n ear the river.

Vrosina’s Bridge The ston e-b ui lt bridge of Vr osina joins the s hores of Zalogi t ikos, a

Vrosina’s Bridge

confluent river to Kalamas. Tradition mentions that it was built with mo ne y pr ovid ed b y the Mon astery of Makriale xi (La vda ni).

Verenik i -Castle Near the settlement of Vereniki lie the ruins of a castle, possibly of the Hellenistic era. A footpath leads to the top of the acropolis, from where one has a pa nora mic vie w of the are a.

Activities There are many festivals taking place in the area during the summer mo nths, lik e that of Panagia in Kastri on the 15th of Aug ust and in Pal iouri monastery on the 8th of September. Cultural ev ents are organised to honour the gree k far mer- wo m en in Kalo hori , in th e be ginning of Aug ust .

A me et ing of polyph onic m usic groups tak es place in the same village. Festivities celebrating the m e mor y of Dionisios Phi losoph er tak e place ea ch ye ar in R ado vizi .

Nature-lo vers hav e the ch an ce to enjo y natur e in all its grandeur, following the routes through places of special natural be auty f ro m Kl imat ia to the waterfall and Veltsistiko River and from Paliouri Monastery to Vel tsistikos River.