Ioannina is the capital of Epirus, a city of about 100,000 on the shores of Lake Pamvotis in north-western Greece, surrounded by mountains. It is one of the most historically interesting cities in Greece outside Athens — not for ancient ruins but for its layered Ottoman history, its lake with a tiny island at its centre, and its dramatic setting between water and peaks.
The city is famous above all as the seat of Ali Pasha of Ioannina, the notoriously brutal Albanian-born Ottoman ruler who controlled much of Greece from this city in the early 19th century and whose court was visited by, among others, Lord Byron. The old castle district on the lake shore — particularly the upper Its Kale citadel — is where Ali Pasha ruled and where he was eventually killed in 1822. The museum on the island across the lake marks the room where the assassination took place.
Lake Pamvotis is the heart of the city's character: boats cross to the small island throughout the day, and the island's monasteries, narrow lanes, and waterside restaurants serving lake fish and eels are worth at least a couple of hours. The Cave of Perama, 5km from the city, is an impressive stalactite cave discovered accidentally in 1940 during WWII.