Description
Where history, tradition and nature meet
There’s a gorgeous city in the heart of Mainland Greece, right on the shores of a stunning lake, that’s not really known by the tourism trade. Kastoria lies amid two mountain ranges and sits idyllically on a peninsula that gently permeates lake Orestiada. The older parts of town are filled with majestic mansions, as well as centuries-old churches from the Byzantine era. There’s even a Byzantine Museum to get a fuller picture of that era, while the Folk Art Museum and Traditional Costume Museum will take you back to the city’s more recent yet very rich past.
In the greater Kastoria region there are also many attractions such as its Ottoman-era stone bridges as well as a much older attraction, the neolithic archeological site at Dispilio Lake. While there, check out the Ecomuseum and marvel at the nature around you. About 20 minutes by car from the city, you will come across the modest Archeological Museum in Argos Orestiko which houses finds from the era of Homer and up to the reign of Emperor Diocletian. For an even more unique experience, you can drive some 40 minutes from Kastoria to reach the Petrified Forest Museum in Nostimo where a lone employee might guide you to see fossils that are millions of years old. Lastly, it is worth noting that the greater region of Kastoria offers excellent hiking and mountain climbing opportunities, as well as sailing excursions on the lake. For those interested in wildlife, the lake is a magnet for pelicans, swans, ducks, and seagulls, while the mountains harbor foxes, bears and boards. Eagles and hawks can be seen in Kastoria’s skies, making this part of Greece an interesting ecotourism and birdwatching destination.
