You can lose track of time in Ioannina. Easy. Be it a three day visit or a ten day vacation, any season of the year, there is always something exciting to see and do.
Ioannina and the surrounding area is one of Europe's most versatile vacation destinations, due to the unique combination of the city-lake-mountains-sea elements. This compination gives us the opportunity to give you a variety of activity guides that will satisfy every visitor of Ioannina, whether he comes to stay in Ioannina for a night, for three, five or more days.
After months of brainstorming, we have some great ideas on how to make the most of your visit in Ioannina. We firmly believe that Ioannina is a year round paradise, so we have prepared seasonal activity guides too.
We will constantly add new routes and interesting places to explore, so keep an eye out for our latest!
Cycling Trips
The Ioannina Region is located in the northern Greek Region of Epirus. Defined by mountain ranges, deep valleys and traditional settlements the region is still undiscovered of tourist flows. So the landscape is in all aspects a model of Greek originality.
This is even more true for cycle tourists. Only a few of them have discovered the region themselves.
With the intact nature, the great cultural treasures of the country and the authentic hospitality of Epirus the Ioannina region is particularly suited for cycling tourism.
Let’s suggest you some ideas for bike routes in the municipalities of Konitsa, Pogoni, Zitsa, Zagori, Metsovo, Ioannina, Dodoni and Tzoumerka.
There are no bicycle paths, mostly quiet side roads are used for the routes. In some exceptions, and only when really necessary, busier roads are used. In the sparsely populated region, there are plenty of roads and paths with very little traffic. The encounter of a car is rarely. More dangerous than the motorists often are the road damages, especially in the spring. Only In some exceptions, and only when really necessary, busier roads are used. You can also encounter more traffic when going into and leaving a town. Please comply with the traffic regulations!
Suitable clothing is essential to your well-being during the tour. Important items are:
Combine the cycle tour with holidays in the mountains or at the beaches of Epirus … and enjoy your holidays!
A cycle helmet is strongly recommended!
The major advantage of Ioannina is that you can see every corner of the city in a walk. You leave your car in a parking lot or you get off a bus and then everything is in front of you! Great sights, tastes, smells, images, the history of the place, parks, scenic spots, food, drink and fun. Lots of fun!
Easy cycling between mountains, city action and beach.
An awesome cycle trip to some of the most picturesque mountainous settlements of Greece, garnished by a visit to the cultural capital of Epirus, the lively town Ioannina. After some days in the lively capital Ioannina you visit the mountain village Metsovo, town of the bears, the wine, the famous cheese Metsovone and center of outdoor-activities. One of the most important archaeological sites is waiting in Dodoni, before you go along the mythical River Acheron to the sandy and blue flagged beaches of the Ionian Sea.
Easy-moderate Cycle tour in an unique mountain region.
The northern part of Epirus is mostly unknown and undiscovered, but spectacular and of unique beauty. The whole region of Konitsa and Zagori is full of ottoman stone bridges, awesome mountain villages built in a traditional architecture and an impressive scenery of mountain ranges. The region is part of the Pindos Mountain Range and one of the most picturesque regions in Greece. This cycle tour leads to the most important sights of Konitsa and Zagori – so of course also Vikos Gorge, the deepest gorge of the world.
Panorama cycling and amazing cultural sights.
Delvinaki, Zitsa and the Ionian Sea.
The tour takes you through a slight mountain area in the North-West of Greece. On the fourth day you go by transfer to the highest point of the tour in an attitude of 1.060 m. The tour encounters mostly slight and only a few short and strong ascents and descents on quite side roads. The finishing circle at the coast of the Ioanina Sea is very easy cycling in the salt-breeze combined with beach fun and relaxing.
Some Highlights of the tour:
Fifteen kilometers from Ioannina, the ancient site of Dodoni is located, a place that is surrounded in awe. In recent years, the restoration of the ancient theater and other monuments is attempted hoping that someday the voices of great actors will be heard again. Near the town, in Bizani, there is the Wax Museum, unique in its kind in the country. Before leaving the city, do not forget to visit the cave of Perama for a trip to the underground rocks. In Perama you can make a stop to enjoy traditional dishes and tsipouro.
The capital of the mountains is Metsovo. It is a historic village with large villas and cobbled streets, built in a beautiful location.
Metsovo has a great history and splendid places to sightsee, such as museums, old churches and monasteries.
It is the ideal place for relaxation, delicious culinary experiences, a base for outdoor action excursions and a popular market of unique local products.
Not as crowded as Zagorochoria, the villages in Tzoumerka are jewels of tradition in the nature. Pramanta, Katsanohoria, Sirako, Kalarites. Villages perched on Athamanika Mountains, a part of amazing landscapes that you would love to keep in your memory and in your camera’s memory too. The nature is simply wonderful there. Dozens of rivers, deep gorges, rocks, bare top mountain peaks and wonderful stone bridges.
Wondering where to start?
Primary objective of the Company was the rescue of the rare wine region of Zitsa, preserving the cooperation amongst wine-growers in the region and creating high quality wines from indigenous varieties of Debina, Vlachiko and Bekari. Over the years, this original goal was reached, setting the stage for a further development of ZOINOS S.A.
We believe that each wine should tell a story. The story of its variety, its production, its maturation and the story of the rains, the burning sun and the land it grows on. The blessed and famous land of Zitsa in Ioannina gives us some of the best Greek wines. For this reason, we chose to walk the less frequented path, the one of keeping the tradition and of harmonic collaboration with modern technology. From collecting grapes by hand until the discreet but essential use of modern technology, we combine the best elements of both worlds.
