Natural beauty, history, arts, legends and traditions combine harmoniously on the little island in the lake of Ioannina!
An island (of the very few around the world lake islands) with over 600 permanent residents!
The only inhabited, in a lake, islet!
The island is referred by everyone as “Nisaki” which in Greek means “little island”. Inhabitants and tourists are ferried back and forth from the mainland to the island on small motorboats.
Excellent attractions for tourists exist on the island such as the monastery of Agios Panteleimon which has been converted into a museum containing information and paintings, as well as re-creations of Ali-Pasha’s lounging and living quarters. Ali Pasha spent the last days of his life in St Panteleimon, waiting for a pardon from the Sultan.
But this is not the only attraction on the island. Walking around the winding street will offer you the pleasure of meeting the locals, do some shopping in the local giftshops and have a meal at one at the tavernas lying at the banks of the lake.
The Legend of Kyra Frossyni
Kyra Frosyni, a beautiful and dynamic woman of Ioannina, whose husband was constantly absent working abroad, had an affair with the older son of Ali Pasha, Mouchtar.
The infidelity was discovered by the wife of Mouchtar, whom was very jealous and demanded from Ali Pasha revenge.
Ali Pasha owing part of his influence to the family of Mouchtar’s wife, he arrested Kyra Frosyni along with her maid-servant and some other women imprisoned them in the Church of Ag. Nikolaos Kopanon, and one night all women were thrown into the lake.
