About Epirus
Epirus is a geographical and administrative region in northwestern Greece. It borders the regions of West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands to the west and the country of Albania to the north. The region has an area of about 9,200 km2; the population is around 350.000 inhabitants. The largest towns of the region are Igoumenitsa, Preveza, Arta and Ioannina is the region’s capital.
The whole region of Epirus is largely made up of mountain ridges, part of the Dinaric Alps. The region's highest spot is on Mount Smolikas, at an altitude of 2.637 metres above sea level. In the east, the Pindus Mountains form the spine of mainland Greece separate Epirus from Macedonia and Thessaly. Most of Epirus lies on the windward side of the Pindus. The winds from the Ionian Sea offer the region more rainfall than any other part of Greece.
Sheep and goat pastoralism have always been an important activity in the region (Epirus provides more than 45% of meat of the Greek market) but there seems to be a decline in recent years. Tobacco is grown around Ioannina and there is also some farming and fishing. Epirus is home to a number of the country's most famous dairy products' brands, which produce feta cheese among others. Tourism is also considered an important industry for the region, especially eco-tourism. The natural beauty of the area, as well as the picturesque villages, have made Epirus a strong tourist attraction.
You can get more information on the biggest towns and touristic sites of Epirus on the different sections of our website. If you wish, you can ask us to provide you with more detailed information regarding the region that could be helpful for your visit. It’s also possible to meet members of the Youth Center of Epirus in Ioannina, with previous arrangements we would be glad to show you our town and the nearby touristic sites.
Ioannina Survival Pocket Book
This digital pocket book will guide you through Ioannina city and will make you discover the most beautiful sites of Epirus region. It also includes basic vocabulary for daily life, with easy pronunciation for English speakers, and useful information when staying in or visiting Ioannina or Epirus region of Greece .
PERFECT FOR: asylum seekers, refugees, tourists, visitors, Erasmus students, volunteers, people interested to visit Ioannina and Epirus region.
From the author: “With this book I would like that people to discover and feel like locals in Ioannina city and in Epirus, a region not very known abroad but that hides beautiful gems. Given that I grew up in a philhellene family, Greece has been very present in my life since I was born and nowadays it plays an esential role in my persona. For this reason, I decided to create this book, to transmit my beautiful feelings about this country to the newcomers and maybe, who knows, to arouse people's curiosity to learn Greek. Don't feel scared about the language! The best tip that I can give you is to break the language barrier and feel comfortable - try the sentences you will find in the poskcet book with the locals!”
The pocket book was created by our ESC volunteer Marta Alonso Mamolar in a special collaboration with another ESC volunteer Joseph Taher who is the responsible for the wonderful and creative cover that represents one of the main attractions of Ioannina.
You can download it here for free! If you would like to receive a printed version, visitour office at Kaplani 10, Ioannina!