Ioannina Island

The island in Lake Pamvotida has no official name, locals simply call it Nisi, and it holds a village of a few hundred people whose families have fished the lake for centuries, along with seven monasteries dating from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century scattered through the trees. The oldest, Agios Nikolaos Spanos, has a frescoed interior of the sixteenth century including an unusual painting of ancient philosophers; Agios Ioannis Prodromos and the monastery of Filanthropinon hold further cycles. Lanes between whitewashed houses are lined with shops selling silverwork, and tavernas serve the lake's produce, eel, frogs' legs, crayfish and trout. No cars are allowed, and the whole island can be walked in an hour, with the mountains of Mitsikeli rising across the water.

History

The island's story begins in the 13th century, when the Byzantine aristocrat Michael Philanthropinos, one of the noble families who left Constantinople after the Crusaders took it in 1204, founded the monastery of St Nicholas; another nobleman, Stratigopoulos, soon founded a second, later called the Dilios monastery after the family who kept it. The monasteries flourished even after the Ottomans took Ioannina in 1430 and reached their height in the 16th century, when their remarkable frescoes were painted; with seven monasteries in all, the island is counted the third largest monastic centre in Greece after Mount Athos and Meteora. The village probably dates from the 17th century, Ali Pasha died here in 1822, and the island became part of Greece in 1913 (Wikipedia, Ioannina Island).

What you'll find

• The monasteries - seven medieval foundations with frescoed churches.
• The fishing village - whitewashed lanes and silversmiths' shops.
• The lake views - Ioannina's castle and Mitsikeli across the water.
• The local food - eel, crayfish and frogs from the lake.

When to go

Spring and autumn for comfortable walking and clear light on the lake. Summer brings crowds and mosquitoes at dusk; winter is atmospheric with mist over the water and fewer boats.

Practical notes

Monastery opening is irregular and several may be locked; frescoes are dim and photography is often prohibited. The village is small and geared to day visitors, with similar shops repeated. Boats stop early in the evening.

Nearby

Ioannina's castle and old town face the island; the Perama cave lies a few kilometres north.

Key facts