North of the city of Ioannina, in Zagori, you will meet that National Park of Vikos-Aoos.

Established in 1973, it embraces the area from the Vikos Gorge up to Aoos River, including mount Tymphi. It is one of the ten national parks in Greece that have as common feature the very high peaks, with tallest the Gamila at 2497 meters. An impressive "drakolimni" (dragon lake) is located near Gamila, at an altitude of 2050 m.

The famous Vikos gorge is a strictly protected area, in the core of the park. This gorge has 12 km length and its width varies from 100 to 1 000 m, while at several point its depth exceeds the 1 000 m.

Indeed, based on the relation between width-depth, the Vikos gorge has been recorded in the Guinness Book as the deepest in the world. Although some question this title, it is a fact that the Vikos Gorge is an area of unique beauty and a favorite destination for hiking, attracting visitors from all around the world.

Within the park's boundaries we have four of the most famous villages of Zagorohoria: Mikro and Megalo Papigo, Monodendri and Vikos.

The National Park of Vikos - Aoos is also noted for its rich flora. More than 1,700 kinds of plants have been recorded here, among which some that can only be found in this area. The National Park is a house to more than 130 species of birds and at least 20 species of mammals.

The area of ​​the park, apart from mountaineering, hiking and climbing, is also recommended for many other activities such as canoeing, rafting, horse riding and paragliding. Choose your poison and go for it in one of the most magnificent areas in Greece, the National Park of Vikos - Aoos.

The Pindus National Park, better known as Valia Calda, is in the regions of Ioannina and Grevena.

It spreads in an area of 69 000 acres, including the valley of Valia Calda and Arkouderma, as well as the mountains Mavrovouni and Ligos.

The National Park has an elevation of 1400 m and is surrounded by mountains exceeding the height of two thousand meters. It has a rich flora with amazing, dense forests of beech and pine trees. Valia Calda (meaning "warm valley"in the Vlach dialect) is one of the last habitats of the brown bear and wolf, while hosting over 80 species of birds and being a sanctuary for wild animals.

Due to the impressive landscape, Valia Calda receives thousands of visitors annually, being a top destination for hiking and mountaineering. In Mavrovouni(=Black Mountain)and Vovousa, one can find two mountain refuges, ready to accommodate those who want to spend a night in Pindus National Park.

The National Park of Pindus crosses Arkoudorema; a tributary of Aoos River and one of the natural attractions of the area. Another impressive sight are the renown "drakolimnes" (=dragon lakes), which are two natural lakes at an altitude of 1960 m that have water all year long.

If you love nature, you are sure to fall in love with Valia Calda at first sight.

The Perama Cave is just 4 km from Ioannina.

Thanks to its impressive beauty and the 19 kinds of stalactites and stalagmites it contains, it is a very important tourist destination.

Perama Cave was actually discovered in 1940 by residents of the area, when they were searching for shelter to protect them from the bombings during the war. Access to the cave's interior was difficult and so it remained unexplored until 1951, when the leading Greek caver Ioannis Petrochilos was informed of the cave's existence. He was the first to see its breathtaking interior and he immediately dealt with the systematic exploration and mapping of the cave.

The Perama Cave is a section of an underground river bed that was drilled very long ago. The tourst path inside the cave has 110 m llength, crossing 10 small and big halls of unimaginable beauty. The cave has unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites, which resemble ornate statues painted by nature. The imagination and the artistic look of Ioannis and Anna Petrochilou, who first explored the cave, have given names to them as "statues". So, in the cave we find the stone cypress, the tower of Pisa, Santa Claus, the sphinx of Egypt and lots of other breathtaking natural artworks.

It is worth noting that few years after the initial exploration of the cave, scenes from the Greek film "Astero"(=Star) were filmed in the cave, starring the most famous Greek actress, Aliki Vouyiouklaki.

More information concerning the Perama Cave can be found in www.spilaio-perama.gr and the number 26510 81521.

Lake Pamvotis, better known as Lake of Ioannina, in situated in Ioannina.

It covers a total area of ​​over 22 square kilometers and is relatively shallow, with an average depth of 5 meters.

In the center of Lake Pamvotis, there is an island with a beautiful settlement. The island of the Lake of Ioannina is one of the two inhabited islands in lakes across Greece (the second is St. Achilles in Mikri Prespa). On the verdant island you will find six monasteries, magnificent houses and the Ali Pasha Museum. The island can be reached by small boats that make frequent trips from the city of Ioannina.

Lake of Ioannina also has a major historical significance, as in its waters the famous Kyra Frosini was executed by drowning by Ali Pasha. Her martyrdom became a folk song, a novel, a film and even an opera.

The lake is a source of life for the region with an excellent fishery production, specializing in eels and crayfish. What's more, in the Lake of Ioannina rowing races, canoeing and lake skiing are organized.

It is impossible to find yourself in Ioannina and ignore the beauty of the lake. The chances are that you will not want to leave the place, especially when you see the moon reflected on its wonderful waters.