On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, Valtinos High School held its educational day trip to the city of Ioannina.
The relevant press release states the following:
With the spring weather as an ally, the students of our school and the accompanying teachers traveled to the capital of Epirus, the city of letters, benefactors and the arts, the “first in chariots, in grosias and letters” which elaborately combines the beauty with history.
Upon our arrival in the city of Ioannina, we headed to the enchanting lake Pamvotida, from where we crossed by boat to its islet, which emerged enchantingly under the bright sun.
In Nisaki we walked along the picturesque cobbled streets of the settlement, admired the silver structures displayed in the various shops and tasted the traditional sweets of the place. Here, the
history is alive and one way to learn it is to visit the house of Ali Pasha, which today has been turned into a museum and hosts the woodcarving exhibits of the artist from Gianni, Vangelis Gogou.
We toured the Museum grounds and admired the weapons, local costumes, gold-plated buckles, pins and jewelry of the local women. In a special room we saw the representation of the drowning of Mrs. Frosyn, a mythical figure of the Ioannina people whose history weaves the legend of the lake. There, in its icy waters, Ali Pasha drowned the beautiful Gianniotissa along with 17 other women.
Going out to the lakeside area of the city, we wandered through its alleys and the cobbled stone streets of the imposing castle of Ioannina, which is the oldest Byzantine fortress
in GREECE. Passing the large gate with the coat of arms of Ali Pasha, we were transported to another era, when the castle was the largest administrative center of the entire region. Here the Greek letters were developed and the great teachers of the Genus taught, here the great chieftains studied the art of war.
During our walk, we found out how perfectly the old and the new can coexist in a modern city of high aesthetics.
There was, of course, the necessary culinary stops in shops with traditional continental dishes, but also the free time during which the students browsed the shopping center of the city.
On the way back we had the opportunity to make a short stop in Metsovo, which is a well-known mountain tourist destination. The enchanting natural beauty and the traditional
architecture of the buildings impressed our students who constantly asked to learn information about the history and about the contribution of important people of the place who benefited Greece.
Optionally, the educational excursion to the city of Ioannina was a journey through the history, folklore and natural wealth of the wider continental area. We returned to our school, in Valtinos, having gained a particularly beautiful and beneficial experience, which undoubtedly broadened the cognitive horizon of our students!
The accompanying teachers:
Paschalis Nikolaos
Papavasiliou Vasiliki
Zachos Evangelos
Papazisis Sotiris
Gousopoulou Konstantinia
