Dodoni

Epiros


Set in a wildflower-carpeted valley 21km southwest of Ioannina, Dodoni was the religious capital of the ancient Epirote Alliance. It is most famous for its massive theatre, built in the 3rd century BC. The north-side acropolis has wall remnants, and east of the theatre are foundations of the bouleuterion (council house) and the small Temple of Aphrodite. As described in The Odyssey, Greece's oldest oracle functioned here, centred on an oak tree whose rustling leaves were interpreted by priests.

An €8 combo ticket, valid for three days, also gives access to Ioannina's Archaeological and Byzantine museums. Dodoni is not practically accessible by bus (the one that goes to the village, Monday and Friday only, returns immediately). A round-trip taxi costs €50. If you come by car, allow a little time to take smaller roads and explore the surrounding villages, with their scenic stone buildings.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Epiros attractions

2. Archaeological Museum

9.14 MILES

This museum digs deeper into history than many others in Greece, staring in the ice age, with such relics as 120,000-year-old fossilized rhinoceros teeth…

3. Historical Museum of Ioannina

9.43 MILES

This small private museum has some beautiful objects and gives a concise overview of the city's colourful history, with special attention to Jewish and…

4. Kahila Kedosha Yashan Synagogue

9.48 MILES

Open only by appointment, this temple, built in 1829, is nonetheless worth scheduling ahead if you're interested in Ioannina's deep Jewish history…

5. Silversmithing Museum

9.49 MILES

Although the centre of Ioannina no longer rings with the distinctive tapping hammers of the city's famous artisans, that sound and their trade are…

6. Its Kale

9.53 MILES

A more heavily fortified section within the Kastro, the Its Kale (Inner Castle) today feels less like a citadel than a city park. Inside the ramparts, on…

7. Byzantine Museum

9.55 MILES

This museum presents early Christian and Byzantine art, pottery, coins and silverware, plus post-Byzantine icons and manuscripts, early Venetian-produced…

8. Municipal Ethnographic Museum

9.66 MILES

Set inside the Aslan Pasha Mosque (1619), the museum exhibits local costumes and period photographs, along with tapestries and prayer shawls from Ioannina…

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