Ioánnina Lake (also known as Lake Pamvótis) is contained in a depression lined with alluvium. It collects the waters flowing down from Mount Mitsikéli to the north, and its level varies according to the seasons and the outflow of the swallow holes (katavóthres), worn through the soft limestone around the shore. It is marshy in the northern part, but in the south it reaches 12m in depth; it is liable to sudden storms. The shady walk along its banks beneath the citadel provides a pleasant view of the lake and island.

At the centre of the little town of Métsovo, rising in tiers on a hillside, there is a vast esplanade shaded by huge plane trees; nearby is the Church of Agía Paraskeví, which contains a rich 18C iconostasis (a screen separating the nave from the rest of the sanctuary) carved with flamboyant motifs.

This charming little wooded island set in Lake Pamvótis is a green and peaceful paradise, and a haven for frogs and eels - local culinary specialities. Its pretty fishing village and monasteries are worth a visit: Pandeleímonas (16C); St John the Baptist-Pródromos (16C church and a cave); Filanthropiní (13C, altered in the 16C - remarkable 17C frescoes in the church); Stratigópoulos (11C - beautiful 16C frescoes in the church).

Ioánnina Lake (also known as Lake Pamvótis) is contained in a depression lined with alluvium. It collects the waters flowing down from Mount Mitsikéli to the north, and its level varies according to the seasons and the outflow of the swallow holes (katavóthres), worn through the soft limestone around the shore. It is marshy in the northern part, but in the south it reaches 12m in depth; it is liable to sudden storms. The shady walk along its banks beneath the citadel provides a pleasant view of the lake and island.