The trip, in order
Follow the route day by day. Times and prices can change, so check official information before you travel.
Castle and Cave
Ioannina
- 1
Ioannina Castle
Living fortified quarter beside Lake Pamvotida, containing Ottoman-era buildings, museums and Byzantine layers. The fortified site has Byzantine roots and was repeatedly rebuilt. Under Ali Pasha of Ioannina in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the citadel became a major political centre; mosques, residences and defensive works survive within its walls. The visit is strongest when you focus on its kale citadel, aslan pasha complex and lakefront walls.
- Duration
- 150 minutes suggested
- Price
- Mostly free public access; particular museums, organised activities, parking or managed areas may charge.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
- 2
Perama Cave
Show cave beside Ioannina with dense stalactite and stalagmite formations on a guided underground route. The cave formed naturally in the limestone beside Lake Pamvotida and became known locally as a wartime refuge during the 1940s. Systematic exploration and opening to visitors followed in the mid-twentieth century. The visit is strongest when you focus on large decorated chambers, guided underground route and varied calcite formations.
- Duration
- 75 minutes suggested
- Price
- Admission is normally charged for the principal visitor area; check the current official rate.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
Ancient Dodona
Ioannina
- 1
Archaeological Site of Dodona
Ancient oracle sanctuary of Zeus in Epirus with a large theatre and remains of sacred and civic buildings. Dodona was one of the oldest Greek oracle centres, where divine messages were associated with the sacred oak of Zeus. The sanctuary expanded in the Hellenistic period, when King Pyrrhus of Epirus sponsored major buildings including the theatre. The visit is strongest when you focus on ancient theatre, sanctuary of zeus and hellenistic remains.
- Duration
- 120 minutes suggested
- Price
- Admission is normally charged for the principal visitor area; check the current official rate.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
Vikos Gorge
Papingo
- 1
Vikos Gorge
Deep limestone gorge in the Pindus mountains, crossed by demanding trails and viewed from several dramatic overlooks. The gorge was carved by the Voidomatis river system through the limestone of the Pindus. Villages of Zagori developed around the surrounding highlands, and the area later became part of Vikos–Aoos National Park, protecting rich mountain habitats. The visit is strongest when you focus on oxya viewpoint, vikos hiking route and pindus cliffs and forests.
- Duration
- 300 minutes suggested
- Price
- Mostly free public access; particular museums, organised activities, parking or managed areas may charge.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
Zagori Village Day
Papingo
- 1
Papingo
Stone-built Zagori village beneath the peaks of Astraka, serving as a base for mountain walks and village exploration. Papingo developed within the network of Zagori communities that prospered through trade and migration during Ottoman rule. Stone houses, churches and paved lanes reflect the skilled building traditions for which Zagori is recognised. The visit is strongest when you focus on megalo papingo lanes, astraka views and natural rock pools between the villages.
- Duration
- 180 minutes suggested
- Price
- Mostly free public access; particular museums, organised activities, parking or managed areas may charge.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
Acheron and Ionian Coast
Parga
- 1
Acheron Springs
Clear river springs and shaded gorge landscape associated in ancient myth with the entrance to the underworld. The Acheron appears prominently in ancient Greek mythology as a river of the underworld. In the real landscape of Epirus, karst springs feed cold clear water through a gorge that has become a popular walking and river-recreation area. The visit is strongest when you focus on river springs, shaded gorge walks and mythological landscape.
- Duration
- 180 minutes suggested
- Price
- Mostly free public access; particular museums, organised activities, parking or managed areas may charge.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
- 2
Parga Castle and Old Town
Colourful Ionian-facing town crowned by a castle, with steep lanes, waterfront views and nearby beaches. Parga's strategic coast was contested by local rulers, Venice, France, Britain and the Ottoman Empire. The surviving castle was repeatedly rebuilt, while the town's compact hillside fabric reflects centuries of maritime and frontier history. The visit is strongest when you focus on venetian-era castle, old town lanes and views over valtos and the islet of panagia.
- Duration
- 180 minutes suggested
- Price
- Mostly free public access; particular museums, organised activities, parking or managed areas may charge.
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.