The lake of Ioannina is so big that it has its own island. In the past, 500 people used to live on this island and earned their living by fishing and basketry. The first residents, apart from the monks, were said to come from Mani, something that still makes them proud. Nowadays, less than 200 live permanently on the island, the most of whom are elderly.
The eight monasteries that are still preserved show us the way of life on the island in Byzantine and post-byzantine years. The most exceptional of these monasteries are: the monastery of Agios Panteleimonas, where Ali Pasa was killed and has now been turned into a Greek history museum and the monastery of Agios Nikolaos that belonged to a famous byzantine family. In this monument of the 13th century, the wall paintings that date back to the 16th century and depict seven, famous, ancient philosophers (Solon, Plato, Aristotle, Thoukididis, Ploutarchos, Chilonas and Apollonius) will surely get your attention.
You can get to the island with a 10-minute boat trip from Ioannina. There you will enjoy a stroll in the paved alleys between the houses built according to special technique and you will taste fresh fish and frog legs, which is a local specialty.