A Walkable Lakeside City Cradled By Mountains Is The Gateway To Greece's Outdoorsy Adventure Region

There are tons of destinations in Greece that you simply can't skip. From the majestic monuments of Athens to the shimmering islands of the Aegean Sea, there's a whole mezze platter's worth of bucket-list-busting places in this land at the sunny end of Europe. It's hardly a wonder that annual visits to the land of saganaki and Zorba dancing now top 32 million. But there are still chances to stray off the beaten path. So, how about swapping sparkling sands for immersive towns in the mountains? Cue Ioannina — a lakeside city wreathed in history and culture that's often overlooked by tourists.

Built on the edge of Lake Pamvotida on the old trading routes between Persia and Europe, Ioannina has a fascinating story to tell. Visitors will walk through a layer cake of Byzantine, Slavic, Ottoman, and even Norman architecture — spotting Islamic art next to hammams next to charming Greek cafés. They'll also uncover hundreds of years of crafting in the nearly 100 silversmith workshops. And they'll be on the doorstep of the rock-ribbed Pindos Mountains, where lake visits and canyon hiking beckon those with an adventurous spirit.

It's now easier to get here than ever before thanks to the local Ioannina International Airport. Regular short-haul connections go there from Athens every day, taking just over an hour. Alternatively, you could combine a trip to Ioannina with a jaunt to Greece's greenest island in Corfu, which is just over a 2.5-hour drive to the west, including the ferry.

One of the lovely things about Ioannina is just how walkable it is. A relatively modest 71,500 people call the town home, so there's no need for it to be a sprawling megalopolis à la Athens. In all, the city measures just over 6 miles from end to end, but the bit that's of real interest to visitors is even smaller than that. Make for the castle area and the surrounding streets, which spread out on a headland on the lake. It's like a mini town where the pace slows and you get transported back through the ages.

This is where you'll find all the major landmarks. Begin at the castle, where the age-old walls run for over a mile. Duck through any of the ancient Byzantine gates to find all manner of relics that testify to Ioannina's multicultural past, from Islamic madrasas to muscular towers built by the Normans. The tomb of Ali Pasha — the swashbuckling former governor of the region — also hides within, as do lookout points with gorgeous views over the water.

Set aside enough time to drop into the local Silversmithing Museum. Also set within the ancient castle in the old town, it chronicles how this town rose to become one of the great centers of silver working in the Ottoman era. Upstairs, the eyes will be dazzled by shimmering trinkets, weapons, and more.

The beaches so often take center stage in Greece that many folks forget that this is a land wrought and molded by mountains. Ioannina is the gateway to some of the most dramatic, with the mighty Pindos range — the biggest range in the whole country — lurching up on the edge of town. You can lace up your boots and head there for long hikes and gorge walks, or crank up the adrenaline levels with some whitewater rafting.

To the north of town, roughly midway between Ioannina and the Albanian border, the great Vikos Gorge carves its way through the landscapes. Hikers can access paths into it via the town of Monodendri to explore emerald forests fed by a glinting mountain river, where wildflower meadows bloom in spring and the woods change to oranges and reds come autumn.

Head west from Ioannina for just over 1.5 hours and you can also explore the iconic Meteora Monasteries. Ranked among the most unforgettable experiences in Greece, it's easy to see why. Just imagine a series of Byzantine monasteries clutching 1,900-foot-high rock stacks in the midst of the peaks, with a whopping 60-plus miles of hiking paths linking them all up.