Survival Guide

Welcome to

Ioannina !

Ioannina, a city that still resonates from the tragic love story of Kyra Frosyni, and her demise, awaits you to discover its beauties.

Ioannina

Ioannina Survival Guide

Table of contents Ioannina, the lake-side city

University of Ioannina

How to get to Ioannina

Map of the city

Hospitals and Labs

Boarding and lodging

Transportation

Exploring the City

Around the area

Events

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15

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Ioannina, the lake-side city

The Epirus Region is located in the western part of Greece, and is

divided into four regional units (formerly prefectures), which are:

Thesprotia, Ioannina, Arta and Preveza. The biggest prefecture is this of

Ioannina and the main city is Ioannina with merely 1/3 of the

population.

Set on the bank of Lake Pamvotis in 500m altitude, it fascinates

everyone with its beauty and its warm atmosphere, despite the

generally cold climate. It is a lively city of 130,000 inhabitants, which

carries a history of centuries. Each alley and square, each part of the

city echo its great tradition.

The combination of innumerable historical monuments and museums

with the unbelievable natural beauty of the landscape is a guarantee

for the visitors. The castle of Ioannina, Lake Pamvotis with the

island, the cave, the fabulous ancient city with its traditional stores

and its exceptional market give no other choice to the visitors but

attract their attention and captivate them. It is a city that combines

just about everything.

Medical School of Ioannina

The Medical School of Ioannina is considered to be among the best in

Greece and is completely public. Its buildings are unique in the

University Campus and the facilities are modern and respond to the

contemporary Medical Student’s needs. You can find more information

about it here.

University of Ioannina

The University of Ioannina is a university located 5 km southwest of

Ioannina, Greece. The university was founded in 1964, as a charter of

the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and became an independent

university in 1970. As of 2014, there is a student population of 15,000

enrolled at the university (11,000 at the undergraduate level and

4,000 at the postgraduate level). The University of Ioannina is one of

the leading academic institutions in Greece. You can find more

information here.

From Thessaloniki to Ioannina by Bus:

Take the bus from KTEL ‘’Macedonia’’ Central Bus Station, in

Thessaloniki. You can find more information regarding the timetable

here. The trip’s duration is about 3 hrs 30 mins

The ticket costs 28 euro (one way trip). To get to the bus station from

Thessaloniki International Airport “Macedonia” where you will have been

landed, take bus line No.78 or 78N (nightshift).

How to get to Ioannina

There are multiple ways to reach the city of Ioannina.

By plane

The Ioannina National Airport “King Pyrros” is located 4km away from

the city center and -as the name suggests- does not receive

International flights. You would have to first land in Athens (Athens

International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos’’) and then switch flights

to your final destination, Ioannina.

The second possibility is to travel by bus (in Greece we call the

stations “KTEL”). Due to the lack of a railroad system in Epirus, this is

the cheapest and most common way to get here.

From Athens to Ioannina by Bus

Take the bus from the Central Bus Station of Kifissos (near the Athens

Metro Station “Elaionas”), full ticket costs 40 euros (one way trip). If you

have an ISIC Card, you can get it for less. The bus station is connected

to the Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” via bus line

X93.

Trip Duration: 6 hrs 30 mins (15 min break included near the city of

Patras) You can find more information here regarding the timetables.

You can also reach Ioannina by landing in other Airports around the

periphery of Epirus. These airports receive International Flights due to

their great touristic interest especially during the summer months. Check

it out in your Airlines itinerary! The Greek airports that you could also

choose to land to, are:

The Corfu International Airport “Ioannis Kapodistrias”, situated in Corfu

Island. From there take the ship to Igoumenitsa Port and then a KTEL

bus to Ioannina.

The Patras International Airport of Araksos. From there take the KTEL

bus that connects Patras with Ioannina.

The Volos International Airport of Nea Anghialos. From there, you can

take the KTEL bus from Volos to Ioannina.

Having your ISIC card with you is recommended, as there might be

student discounts available. Νot all of the bus companies accept them

though.

Map of the city

How lost would you be if it weren’t for us?

This map is a valuable tool that lists many things of interest about the

city itself. We will keep it updated throughout your exchange with

things that we think are worth sightseeing, places to shop and dine,

nightlife areas and above all places that will be useful for your

exchange! Click on the map below to see more information. If you

notice something that you’d like to see as well, tell us and we’ll add

it!

Hospitals and Labs

The Peripheral General University Hospital of Ioannina (“Dourouti’’ –

UHI) is the biggest and best equipped Hospital in North-Western

Greece covering the most severe medical cases of the whole Epirus

and the Northern Ionian Islands, as well as a great part of Western

Macedonian cities. It is managed by the Greek Ministry of Health and

Social Solidarity and it is completely public. It has almost all medical

specialties and is ranked among the best in the Balkans. Your daily

schedule and things to do will be determined by the head of the clinic

that you have chosen to attend in your exchange. You can find more

information about it here.

You may find a list of our research exchange projects here (website in

greek) and our clinical departments right here.

During the first day of your exchange your Contact Person will guide

you to your appointed clinic or laboratory, in order to greet you to

your professor.

Boarding & Lodging

Boarding

Students arriving throughout the academic year from

September to July can have 3 meals per day at the University

Students’ Restaurant without charge. The restaurant is

located within the university campus at the final stop of the

bus route (16 or 17 bus). Check the map for more

information.

Throughout August, you can eat twice per day (lunch &

dinner) at the University Hospital’s Restaurant along with the

medical stuff. To do that, do not forget to have the name tag

provided to you by the Local Committee of HelMSIC Ioannina.

Lodging

Student Hostel, International Center of Hellenic Education-

Culture & Vocational Center “Stavros Niarchos”. It is situated

just in the east entrance of the University Campus of

Ioannina next to the University Hospital and behind the

Science & Technology Park of Epirus. Check the map for

more information.

Upon arrival you will say your name to the guard and he will

give you your room key. You will find him at the main

entrance of the Administration Building. Usually, your Contact

Person takes you to the hostel, so you do not need to worry

about transportation. However, under special circumstances

(i.e. if you arrive too late at night), you might need to get to

the hostel on your own.

Each room has its own bathroom (toilet, shower), a mini fridge,

and clean sheets, pillow cases and towels. The rooms are

normally cleaned twice per week, but in August it may be less

frequent (once per week). There is a laundry room available on

the ground level of the dorm. An iron is also available.

Inside the room and within the dorm, you will have Internet

access only via cable. On the other hand, if you go to the

Administration Building right next to where you are located, you

can find an open Wi-Fi Network.

There is no kitchen or any other electrical appliance used for

cooking inside the rooms or at the dorm in general. There is a

canteen in the Administration Building, where you can get

coffee etc. or something to eat (i.e. pizza)

Transportation

The city center is not a very large area and you can walk around

most places at ease. However transportation to & from the

University requires that you take a bus. Here you can download an

app that has some very useful info.

University of Ioannina <-> the city center

Bus Line No.16 (Court House –University)

Bud Line No.17 (Nea Zoi - City Square – Anatoli – T.E.I. -

University)

We strongly recommend you stick to these two bus lines only, as

the rest may be too confusing for you, since they head to other

destinations throughout the city and NOT in the University Campus

There are 4 Bus Stops within the University Campus.

1st stop: “Metavatiko” Building (Administration, Rector’s Office

etc.)

2nd stop: School of Medicine & University Hospital of Ioannina

3rd stop: Schools of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and

Informatics

4th stop: (terminal) Students Restaurant & Old Students’

Dormitories.

How to get to the hostel using the bus

Take bus No.16 or 17. Ask the bus driver to tell you which one is the

stop for the Science & Technology Center. Get off & keep walking

towards the same direction the bus was heading. Turn right at the

University Hospital sign. On your right hand you will see a big blue

sign that writes “THE UNIVERSITY OF IOANNINA, INTERNATIONAL

CENTER OF HELLENIC EDUCATION - CULTURE & VOCATIONAL

TRAINING “STAVROS NIARCHOS”. Turn right & 100 meters further

down you will see the hostel (the one with the blue roof).

Where can I buy bus tickets?

The green ticket costs 1.7 euros (full fare), while the orange ticket

costs 0.6 euros (students’ discount). As foreign students you can

only buy the full ticket (1.7 euros) but we will try to do o our best to

provide you with a lower price.

When you are in the University Campus, you can buy them from the

various canteens spread in the Campus. You can find one in every

faculty, one in the University Library and 2 located close to the

students’ dormitories. Alternatively you can buy them from the 2

canteens at the entrance of the University Hospital. When you are in

the city, you can buy tickets from kiosks called “periptera”.

From the Central Bus Station (KTEL) to the hostel

By bus

On Sundays, only bus No.16 stops right in front of the Central Bus

Station. Board the bus and it will take you to the University. On any

other day, you can ask the locals to point you to the direction of the

nearest bus stop from where the buses 16 and 17 pass frequently.

By taxi

Usually there are taxis waiting outside the Ioannina Central Bus

Station, Dark green in color. The taxi fare from the station to the

University will be around 8-10 €. Please note that if you take a taxi

after midnight the fare is doubled. In case that there are no taxis

waiting, you may call the following phone no.: +30 26510 46777 and

book one. The call is charged 2€ extra.

Sidenote: Minimum fare: 3 Euros, Cost per km: 1 Euro

From the Ioannina Airport to the Hostel

You can take a taxi to the University Hospital, which will cost you

around 10 - 12 Euros. Bus transportation is rather complicated and is

not recommended.

Indicative taxi prices for common routes

KTEL Bus Station – University Campus 8-10 Euros

Court House (City Center) – University Campus 6-7 Euros

KTEL Bus Station - Court House (City Center) 4 Euros

Ioannina Airport – University Campus 12 Euros

Exploring the city Castle of Ioannina

The period of the Turkish domination and particularly the

presence of Ali Pasha in Ioannina have left their indelible

marks in the city. One of the oldest castles that are saved in

Greece, the castle of Ioannina impresses everybody by its

imposing presence until today.

Lake Pamvotida and Ioannina Island

One of the most special characteristics of the city is of course

Lake Pamvotida and the Ioannina Island floating inside. With a

fascinating history full of legends and traditions that go back

centuries, the lake of Kyra Frosyni, as it is also known, has

become famous beyond the borders of Greece. Little boats will

ferry you through the local nature, past historic monasteries

and into the picturesque fishing community, where the real

heart of the island beats.

The old market

It’s located in the very center of the city, next to the lake. It

has retained it’s traditional atmosphere and look since the

19th century during the most prosperous era of the city. You

can find a lot of shops that sell the traditional silver-crafted

jewels of Ioannina called “Giannotika”, which the city is

famous for, and also a variety of other stores.

Pavlos Vrellis Museum

It is a genuinely impressive creation, the biggest and most

important museum of wax effigies in Greece, but also one of

the best in the whole world. The insuperably beautiful wax

effigies that literally "speak" the history of Epirus and the

entire Greece, will impress you. It is only 15 minutes from

Ioannina taking the bus for the IKEA department stores, on

the highway to Arta.

Frontzos

A magnificent area outside of Ioannina that has an excellent

view of the city, and a theatre where a lot of shows and

performances take place.

Perama cave

Only four kilometres from Ioannina, on the road that goes

from Metsovo to Trikala, the Cave of Perama was created

1,500,000 years ago in the interior of Goritsa hill, exactly

above the village. It was discovered by residents of Perama in

1940. This natural wonder is known for the variety of

stalactites and stalagmites that are found there and it is

included in the best caves in the world.

Aneksartisias Str.

There are a lot of places in Ioannina for nightlife and this is

one of the best. In this street you can find everything from

traditional greek restaurants to alternative night clubs.

Kallari Str.

It’s in the very heart of the city and it’s bustling with young

people every night. It has lots of “Tsipouradika”, or local

taverns that have a variety of foods meant to be served with

tsipouro, the region’s famous alcoholic beverage. Beware

though, tsipouro is not for the faint of heart.

Garivaldi Str.

It’s a street that has a lot of cafeterias with an excellent view of

the lake. Perfect for relaxing afternoons.

The old slaughterhouses

This particular place was called this way because it used to be,

you guessed it, an old slaughterhouse. Nowadays it has been

repurposed, and this beautiful building by the lake houses the

city’s summer cinema where shows are being projected.

Around the area

Metsovo

A beautifully picturesque town located very close to Ioannina.

The city’s proud history is very closely tied to the profession of

the builder and the stone carver, that in the old days used to

provide the necessary materials for the building of houses, an

artifact that remains evident to this day, in the architecture of

Metsovo, with its traditional stoney buildings.

Meteora

Meteora, which literally means “middle of the sky” or “in the

heavens above”, is one of the largest and most important

complexes of Greek Orthodox monasteries in Greece. The six

monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the

northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly.

Theogefuro -“The bridge of God”

It is a natural bridge created from rocks which have been fused

above the river Kalamas which passes under it. It’s not visible

from the road side and it will take you 2-3 minutes of steep

walking to get there, but the view it offers is excellent and well

worth a try.

Preveza

Preveza is a commercial harbour and tourist hub that has also

many beautiful locations around its region. A place filled with

history that is reflected in every part of the city.

Parga

A sea-side town in the northern part of the Preveza region.

Known in the ancient times as the location of the gate to

Hades, nearby lies the start of the river Acheron which was

thought to carry the dead to the afterlife. Of course, this has

nothing to do with its impeccable beauty. A must-see location

to visit in the summer.

Syvota

Syvota town is a well-developed resort, owing largely to the

numerous pristine beaches with clear waters located on several

islets immediately offshore. A most amazing place that you

have to see to believe.

Zagorochoria

A very famous region in Greece. It is actually a network of 46

little villages that is dispersed on the mountains northeast of

Ioannina. Amazing natural beauty and tradition is combined in

an amazing result.

Tzoumerka

One of the lesser known regions of Epirus. Its majestic

mountains and clean rivers await extreme sports fans from

everywhere to try them out. The rivers that surround the region

have been adorned with magnificent architectural bridges.

Corfu

One of the most popular destinations of Greece. The old

town of Corfu, having grown within fortifications, where

every meter of ground was precious, is a labyrinth of

narrow streets paved with cobblestones, sometimes

tortuous but colourful and clean.

Lefkada

Located on the west coast of Greece, connected to the

mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge. It

contains one of the most well-known beaches in Greece,

Navagio beach.

Events Depending on the month of your stay there are many events

happening in Ioannina, that you may be interested to see and

experience first-hand. Ioannina has a large and thriving academic

community which brings a lively and creative dynamism to the city.

Daily life in the city is full of intellectual and artistic events. There

are also important sports events, mainly held at lake Pamvotida.

Here you can see a calendar view with many events that are about

to take place in the city!

Old Slaughterhouses

During the summer there are many cinema plays in this open air

cinema. Ask for the program of the week!

The 15th of August Celebrations

In Greek Orthodox tradition, the 15th of August marks the date of

the death or “Koimisis” of the Virgin Mary and it’s a holiday and

celebration in many villages. You’ll get to experience a first-hand,

real Greek celebration, with lots of food and plenty of wine and

traditional dances, so be sure to check it out!

On behalf of

The Local Committee of

Ioannina

We’re looking forward to meeting you!

National Exchange Officer (NEO)

National Officer on Research Exchange (NORE)

Publisher Hellenic Medical Students’ International Committee (HelMSIC)

General Secretariat Mikras Asias 75 Athens 11527

Greece Phone: +302107462033 E-mail: info@helmsic.gr

www.helmsic.gr

Copyright © 2016 - HelMSIC