Northern Greece - Greece - page 541

twee tourist shops. Traipsing the old town and breathing in the mountain air is won-
derfully relaxing.
In winter, try Metsovo's ski centre ( 26560 41211; 9.30am-3.45pm) , which has an
82-seat ski lift, two downhill runs and a 5km cross-country run, plus taverna. Rent
skis in Metsovo.
Metsovo's numerous refurbished stone mansions line the steep entrance road
and square. Hotel Asteri ( 26560 42222; www.asterimetsovo.com ; s/d €40/50) , set promin-
ently atop Metsovo, has 40 cheerful rooms, some with fireplaces and a nourishing
restaurant. Hotel Bitouni ( 26560 41217; www.hotelbitouni.com ; d/ste €60/80; ) , with
its sauna and traditional wood fixtures, has a ski-lodge feel, with 24 doubles, and
seven suites (two with spas). Finally, Hotel Egnatia ( 26560 41900; Tositsa 19; d/studios
incl breakfast €60/80) - to the right of the square - offers doubles and spacious studi-
os with superb mountain views.
Metsovo's rustic country cooking is famous nationwide. Central To Koutouki tou
Nikola ( 26560 41732; mains €7-10) serves hearty traditional dishes, frompites(sa-
voury pies) to roast lamb andgida vrasti(boiled goat soup). Another traditional
place, strong on meats but with good vegetarian options, is Paradosiako (mains
€8-11) .
Buses serve Ioannina (€10, 1½ hours, four daily). For a Thessaloniki bus (€27, 1½
hours), reach the main road and wave down the bus coming from Ioannina.
TOP OF CHAPTER
IoanninaΙωάννινα
POP 80,371
Hip Ioannina (pronounced 'ih-o- ah -nih-nah' or ' yah -nih-nah') is a bustling little city, al-
though slightly melancholic (it rains nine months a year). The 20,000 university students
based here faithfully support the excellent eating and nightlife scene. Ioannina faces
sheer mountains erupting behind Lake Pamvotis; you'll have the best views from Kastro,
an old quarter interspersed with narrow lanes and Byzantine and Ottoman architecture.