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and most impressive. The enormous 1100m-long cave has three storeys of chambers and
passageways. There is an hour-long tour.
Buses 8 and 16 from Ioannina's clock- tower run every 20 minutes to Perama, 250m
south of the cave.
Moni Tsoukas MONASTERY
( Μονή Τσούκας ; 26510 89223; Elliniko village; 9am-6pm) Some 17km south-
east of Ioannina, clifftop Moni Tsoukas overlooks the Arahthos Gorge. Its name derives
from the Slavonic chouka (peak). The views of gorge, river and mountains are stunning.
Byzantine Emperor Isaakios Angelos built this walled monastery in 1190. The church
has a sumptuous interior and impressive art (most important, the Panagia icon , vener-
ated on 8 September).
This working monastery is often encircled with thin, stringy candles - on feast days,
the whole church gets cocooned by these testaments to individual wishes and prayers.
From Ioannina, drive south through Elliniko and up to the parking (20 to 30 minutes
total). A taxi from Ioannina costs €30.
Dodoni ANCIENT SITE
( Δωδώνη ; 26510 82287; adult €2; 8am-5pm) The colossal, 3rd-century-BC Theatre of
Dodoni, 21km southwest of Ioannina, is Epiros' best ancient site. From around 2000 BC,
the earth goddess worshipped here spoke through Greece's oldest oracle. By the 13th
century BC, Zeus was speaking here too, through a sacred oak tree's rustling leaves.
Today, foundations and a few columns remain from his temple.
King Pyrrhus' restored theatre now hosts Ioannina's summertime Festival of Ancient
Drama. The north-side acropolis has wall remnants. East of the theatre are bouleuterion
(council house) foundations and the small Temple of Aphrodite . Nearby once stood
Zeus' sanctuary and sacred talking tree.
Buses from Ioannina serve Dodoni twice daily. A taxi costs €35 return plus €3 per
hour for waiting.
TOP OF CHAPTER
The ZagorohoriaΤα Ζαγοροχώρια
The Zagorohoria's 46 traditional stone-and-slate villages, tucked into the Pindos range,
offer atmospheric accommodation, crisp alpine air, sublime views and myriad local le-
 
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