FLORINA

Where your senses take off…

Take a tour and enjoy local flavors accompanied by unique wines. The route answers to the call of tourists with archaeological and natural interests, particularly during spring and summer.

 Head for the provincial Ptolemaida-Aminteo road. The town of Aminteo is famous for its vineyards and its wines. Don’t forget to visit the old churches and the folklore museum.

 Search for open wineries that are there to lead you and introduce you to the world of wine.

 Leaving Aminteo, head for Agios Panteleimon where vineyards grow in fields surrounding the banks of the lake. Visit the city dating back to the Hellenistic period, the traditional mill and museum of wine-making heritage. Make a stop at the workshop that produces and offers peppers of different types for sell. In the taverns, along with great wine you will taste fresh fish from the lake and ‘Florina peppers’.

 Our journey continues to the village of Xino Nero which got its name from the sour and fizzy taste of the local water.

 At the gourmet local restaurants, you can taste traditional local dishes, such as ‘aivar’, meatballs ‘sout makalo’ and cannelloni dipped in sauce from Florina peppers.

 Then continue till you reach the village of Aetos. Rush to the Information Center of ‘Arcturos’ bear sanctuary. In the village of Agrapidia you can also see shelters for wolves.

 Leaving Aetos back, take the uphill road that will lead you to the picturesque village of Nimpheo, which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful villages of Macedonia and of the whole country, and the second most beautiful in Europe.

You can go hiking, cycling and horse-riding on suggested trails

inside the forest. In the village, you can visit the exemplary Club

of Horse-Riding and the brown bear sanctuary.

 Follow the main road and head for the village of Sklithro, a picturesque village in a green landscape, famous for its potatoes. There is an oak forest which is within walking distance from the village. n the area there is a great gourmet restaurant that will pleasantly surprise you with its culinary creations.

 Finally, move to the city of Florina. On your way to Florina, you will pass by the villages of Kelli and Vevi.

Where perfection has no end

This is an opportunity to tour round the borders of three countries. Taste fresh-water fish while taking a sip of the traditional ‘tsipouro’ drink.

This is a twelve-month route that is ideal for ski tourism, eco tourism and religious tourism.

 The starting point of this route is the city of Florina with a direction towards the ski center and after that, to the villages of Pisoderi and Antartiko. The village of Antartiko is of particular interest as the houses are all made with plinth bricks.

In the place where the old watermill of the village once stood, you will now find a tavern where you can taste traditional local dishes.

Our next stop is Prespa, an area of outstanding beauty, where you can admire the view of ‘Mikri’ (small) and ‘Megali’ (big) Prespa lakes which have been designated a National Park rich in diverse flora and fauna. Succumb to the enchantment of nature and go bird-watching.

 The route continues to the village of ‘Lemos’. There is one place for accommodation in the village as log as cafes and taverns and shops with local products.

 Leaving Lemos back, head towards the village of Agios Germanos. Take a tour at the village and admire the stone-built hagiati[1] houses. Search for the Byzantine church of St. Germanos. Make a stop at the Center of Information for the natural environment and join one of the guided tours. Taste local dishes such as bean soup with shepherd’s sausage, trout etc at local restaurants. There is also a traditional ‘tsipouro’ distillery.

 Leaving Agios Germanos, move southwest to reach the island of Agios Achillios. No cars are allowed on the island. You can explore the whole island on foot in an hour. Visit the famous Basilica Church of Agios Achillios. If you happen to visit the area in summer, make sure you attend the ‘Prespia’ festival in late August.

 From Agios Achillios, head towards the village of Psarades, the only Greek village on the shores of the Megali Prespa lake. Walk until you reach the edge of cape Roti to rest in the kiosk and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Megali Prespa lake. Rent a boat in the harbor to visit the Proto-Byzantine cells of hermits. In the village, you can find local restaurants where you can taste traditional local dishes.

 Taste freshwater fish like common carp cooked in the

oven, ‘Florina peppers’ stuffed

with low-fat soft cheese (‘anthotiro’), pickled cabbage, meatballs.

 The route ends back in the city of Florina.