Just 4 km away from the city of Ioannina, in the village of Perama, is one of the rarest and largest caves in the world, the cave of Perama. It is a feast of natural styles, creations of stalactites and stalagmites from the depths of centuries.

Elaborate statues, symbols and whole structures constitute the entire inner world of the cave. How would you feel to see a cross and around of it models of pilgrims that are all made of stalactites? Or a nice Santa Claus, as we imagine him, to standing around the stalactites, and a dome resembling a palace?
The cave is open daily to the public and there are guides that they will enlighten you and you will explore with them the beautiful cave.

Perama of Ioannina is a blessed place by nature and every year there is a booming of tourist traffic. Apart from the magnificent cave, you can wander around and relax while admiring the lake.

It is the ideal base for your tours to the endless beauty of the prefecture such as the majestic Zagorochoria villages, the courtly Metsovo, the frontier Konitsa, the unique national parks of Aoos and Vikos rivers and the breathtaking nature, the gorge of Vikos, the artificial lake of the sources of Aoos, the archaeological sites and, of course, the gorgeous Ioannina.

Perama is famous for its ornate silverwares. They are handmade and very exclusive, so if you love the beauty, you have to visit the shops of the region.

In Perama, for your stay, you will find many accommodations of different categories and types.


The small train

For your comfortable and fun tour in Perama, and also for your visiting to the Cave of Perama, you can use the "small train" that has been put into service by the Municipality of Perama on the user's convenience.

The starting point is the town's entrance, beside the provincial road Ioannina - Metsovo, at a point that facilitates the visitor who will come with its own means of transport to find a comfortable space for parking the car, since car parking in the center of Perama is difficult, but also for the visitors who will come by public transportation because the bus stop is very close to it.

Stoa's initial function was to serve as an inn, in which primarily stayed the residents of the surrounding areas who were visiting Ioannina.

After years, the inn became a focal point with more and more traffic due to the intense moving of local residents particularly

to Athens, leading the transformation of Stoa in a commercial center.
Commercial activity was developed first by Jews merchants of Ioannina with shops of fabrics and leathers.
The cashmere of Merkadi had gained much reputation, and merchants began arriving from all over Greece, contributing to the developing of the surrounding area, along with the other important activities.

Here, at the entrance of Loulis Stoa, was and the first bank in northwestern Greece, named "Bank de Othomanic", which was managed by Turks. Above the bank, the first dancing school started its operation, in which, the first artists from Athens made their appearance to residents of the city. At this Stoa, the first Athenian newspapers were sold.

There are reports that at the entrance of Stoa, a Turk gave his blessing to those who went to get water from the well in the center of Stoa, which was reputed to be the best in the city. During the Second World War and after, and simultaneously with the commercial development of other quarters of the city begun its decline with the gradual abandonment.
The last forty years, in Stoa, there are mainly blacksmiths workshops, carpenters workshops, a winery and warehouses.
Today, after the repair of some damages by the corresponding departments, Stoa operates as a multi-place, fitting perfectly in the splendor of the past, the wonderful environment.