Open Travel Guide
History of Epirus

Epirus History & Heritage Guide 2026

A historical companion to Epirus — what happened, where to stand, and what survives.

By Updated

The short answer: start with Ancient Oracle of Dodona, Ali Pasha Museum (Monastery of St. Panteleimon) and Ioannina Byzantine Museum. This guide profiles 4+ historical sites in Epirus, with prices, timing, and the practical notes that decide whether each one earns a place in your plan.

Epirus is a rugged, mountainous region in northwestern Greece bordering Albania, renowned for its dramatic landscapes, ancient history, and rich culinary traditions. Dominated by the Pindus mountain range and the Vikos–Aoös National Park — home to one of the world's deepest gorges — Epirus offers pristine rivers, stone-built villages, Byzantine monasteries, and the atmospheric lakeside city of Ioannina.

Historical timeline

Key moments that shaped Epirus.

  1. 1

    Paleolithic–Neolithic

    c.40,000–3,000 BC
  2. 2

    Bronze Age

    3,000–1,100 BC
  3. 3

    Classical Greece

    5th–4th century BC
  4. 4

    Pyrrhic Era

    319–272 BC
  5. 5

    Roman Era

    168 BC–4th century AD
  6. 6

    Byzantine Period

    4th–13th century AD
  7. 7

    Despotate of Epirus

    1204–1337
  8. 8

    Ottoman Rule

    1430–1913
  9. 9

    Modern Greece

    1913–present

Historical sites

Places where Epirus's past comes alive.

Historic

Ancient Oracle of Dodona

Where: 22km southwest of Ioannina

Admission: €8 (~$8.60)

Historic

Ali Pasha Museum (Monastery of St. Panteleimon)

Where: Ioannina Island

Admission: €2 (~$2.20)

Historic

Ioannina Byzantine Museum

Where: Inside the Kastro, Ioannina

Admission: €4 (~$4.30)

Historic

Ioannina Kastro (Byzantine Walls)

Where: Ioannina lakefront

Admission: Free

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