As a white veil of mist dissolves in the morning autumn breeze, Lake Pamvotis, with its legendary waters, its beautiful green island and the city of Ioannina built around it, reveals itself to you like a fairy tale. Walk beside the second oldest lake in Europe, with fallen leaves on the wet paving of Molos carving an orange and gold path. Get on the boat and in a few minutes you will find yourself on the island without a name, with the cobbled alleys and the traditional fishermen’s settlement, the seven monasteries and the Ali Pasha Museum. Discover the city of the Castle, built by Justinian, which became Ali Pasha’s headquarters, and climb to his citadel, Itz Kale. Visit one by one the numerous museums of the city, with the only one being the Wax Museums of Pavlos Vrellis. Admire the amazing nature sculptures in the cave of Perama. At night the historic clock of Ioannina illuminates the city with its impressive colours.

The modern sounds “blend” with those of tradition, which in “rich” Ioannina have something of Vlach, the Asia Minor karcilama and the European waltz. Clarinet, violin, lute and tambourine, accompany the dances of the yarns.

The damp soil of the yannotic countryside, the dewdrops on the tall fir, pine and beech trees of Valia-Kalda in the heart of Pindos “smell” autumn.

Accompany the local tsipouro with frog legs, crayfish and eels overlooking the lake. Enjoy unique Zagoriki pies, Mezzovitic cheeses, kontosouvli and meat in the oven, cooked with pure ingredients, in the mountain villages of Ioannina. Don’t miss the traditional sweets, such as baklava and the excellent wine of Zitsa and Metsovo.

Autumn coffee and shopping in the town, famous for its wonderful pine silverware. Daily excursions to mountain villages with cobbled roads. Go up to Zagorochoria, with its stone-built buildings, to Tzumirkochoria, with its crystal clear rivers, for kayaking and rafting, and to Metsovo, with its stone mansions, its wood carvings, its cheese and its textiles. Visit the largest in Greece ancient theatre of Dodoni. Descend by kayak and canoe down Aoos and Voidomatis.

INFO The Lake of Ioannina carries stories and legends, the most famous being that of Lady Frosini, who was drowned by Ali Pasha along with 17 other women. It was on the island, however, that he himself was to meet a tragic death years later.