Greece: The unique splendor of the misty town of Ioannina
Narrow alleys, houses with vivid colors, smells from the famous traditional kitchen of Epirus with the lake as a unique background
by Kon Hans
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| View of the lake |
Fall and spring are the two best seasons for visiting and
admiring this unique town. Golden-red, with the premature breeze of the bloomed
nature, the town acquires a particular beauty, a beauty that many have praised
and continue to do when they stand opposite from the AslanPasha Mosque and see its
emblematic tower, tightly embraced from the evergreen plane trees, dancing on
the surface of the lake.
The lake Pamvotis is the grand priestess of
the town of Ioannina and the one that grants it a distinctive character. She
will mesmerize you at the moment you lay your eyes upon her on a purple sunset
and you will fall in love with her when the lazy flight of a gull softly
strokes her foggy dress. At her side lay
the Castle walls; tall, proud, drowned in vegetation, they conceal in their
interior another world with echoes from the Byzantium era and the Ottoman
domination that waits for you to discover its secrets as you pass through one
of its six gates. In front of one of them and nearly “floating” on the lake
exists the famous café “Kyra Frosyni”, that took its name from the
tragic history of the handsome homonymous Lady that denied the love of Ali
Pasha and according to the legend was thrown into the lake and became
the spirit and the soul of Pamvotis.
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| Its Kale Citadel of the Castle of Ioannina |
Here, the impressive mansions, the narrow alleys full of
surprises, the beer houses and bars that compete even with those of London, the
astonishing arcades full of student life and some of the best tsipouradika and
taverns of the town, like the“Stoa Luli”, all constitute a first class raw
material for the enrichment of your experiences. Leaving behind this
oddly London-like atmosphere, particularly so with the ever-present fog, you
can trace back your steps to the lake once more where, in Garibaldi
Street now, new taverns and restaurants have transformed the street in
a busy promenade next to the lake. At the end of the street and in the
space occupied by the old slaughterhouses, a new and impressive cultural
cluster is now hosting various exhibitions and events.
If you are able to escape from the sirens of the lake and
the magic of the Castle and the Old Town, then it’s time to head towards the
centre of the town walking up Averof Street and marveling at
the various local shops and the renowned local silver crafted jewelry in the
displays. At some point you will come across the Archaeological Museum which is worth a visit, with
important discoveries from the wider region of Epirus and of the famed Dodona,
where allegedly the most ancient Hellenic oracle lies, as well as wander in the
adjacent beautiful park “Litharitsia” where once again the splendid view
will amaze you. Additionally, you can savor a delicious “bougatsa”
(cream or cheese-filled pastry) witnessing the passage of time as it is left
imprinted in the Tower of Clock, one of the symbols of the town, or simply
delight in the local architecture of the Town Hall, the National Bank and the
Military Division. Continuing up the road and at a short distance,
the legendary “Diethnes”
with its green terrace, the best confectionery of the whole region, is offered
for a sweet, syrupy break until you reach the Central Square, opposite of the
imposing building of the Prefecture, where the lake and the mountains will once
again compose the infallible background in your photographs. |
| Byzantine ruins - Its Kale Citadel |
Ioannina is also an ideal town for shopping, and as you are approach the heart of the shopping area, it is well worth your time walking the Michael Angelou and Charilaou Trikoupi Streets and combining shopping with a good espresso in the innumerable small and big cafés in the district. Moreover, if you head up Michael Angelou Street at some point you will come upon the “Kostas Frontzos” Folklore Museum, one of the few remaining, probably the only one, Turkish manor of a traditional architecture dating back at the late 19th century. Speaking of the important politician and benefactor of the town of Ioannina, we must also mention the “Frontzos Politeia”, an exceptional compound, up on the Frontzos hill, with an exceptional open air and interior restaurant, a bar, a cafeteria and an idyllic hotel, all blessed with an astonishing view of the town and the lake afar in a tight embrace with the tall mountains spreading in the scarlet horizon.
With this image marked in your mind you will leave Ioannina,
of which the history and culture are unbreakably bonded with its unique nature,
and you will return… when you miss the serene Lady of the Lake and the winter
breath of her great mountain-lovers around her.
Published in KATHIMERINI ©, on September 1, 2012 (transl. & edited from greek, original here )
(All fotos by Kon Hans)
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| Detail - lake view |
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