Start in the old castle district (Kastro) on the lake shore — the lower town with its narrow lanes and Aslan Pasha Mosque, then climb up into the Its Kale citadel to see the Byzantine Museum, the Fethiye Mosque, and the tomb of Ali Pasha. A boat from the Mavili promenade takes you across to Ioannina Island for the Pantelimon monastery and the Ali Pasha museum.
Beyond the city itself, the Perama Cave is a 15-minute drive north, the ancient oracle of Dodona a half-day southwest, and the Zagori mountains to the north are easily Epirus's most beautiful country — stone bridges, slate-roofed villages, and the high mountain lake of Drakolimni for serious walkers.