Ioannina is a wealthy and aristocratic city which spreads out around beautiful Pamvotida Lake . The natural environment, the climate and character of the town are defined by this stretch of water. The lake, with its still waters and its small island, is a natural monument, around which the entire area lives and breathes. A walk through the city has the feel of a bygone era, full of secret places and legends still living. Wonderful buildings like the House Matei Hussein, the Ottoman mosque of Veli Pasha , and the entire historic center of the town are unique attractions. Ioannina was always multicultural, dominated mainly by Christian, Islamic, and Jewish influences. This coexistence of cultural influences is clearly evident in the historic city center The gastronomic pleasures of Ioannina will satisfy the most demanding. The mountains of Epirus provide a wide range of spices and herbs which are freely used to complement the finest basic ingredients. Fish, of course, from the lake, such as eels and trout, are cooked in sophisticated ways, and together with frog’s legs, a special delicacy, are the hallmark of the Ioannina cuisine. One item made only in Ioannina and nowhere else, is an alcohol free liqueur. This completely unique liqueur is based on a mixture of organic vinegar, nectar, fruit syrups, and herbs. It is usually drunk with crushed ice, and you will soon discover, if you try it, that a drink does not have to contain alcohol to be intoxicating.