Kastoria

Departure in the morning from Athens with a half-hour stop near Lamia. We continue our trip to the region of Kalabaka where we make a stop and have lunch (optional). In the afternoon, we arrive in the city of Kastoria, known for its fur clothing industry. We check in at our hotel and then we have free time to explore the city and walk in the neighborhoods of Doltso and Apozari. You can enjoy the beautiful view of the lake Orestiada and choose between various options for dinner or a drink.

An important religious site

Kastoria has 54 well preserved Byzantine churches dating to the Ottoman period. They are built according to the traditional architecture of the region and are decorated with great fresco paintings. In addition, many historic buildings, such as mansions built between the 17th and 19th centuries, can also be found in Kastoria as well as beautiful stone bridges.

Nymfaio

After breakfast we visit the mountain village of Nymfaio which is situated at 1350 meters elevation in the Verno mountains. In the village, you can visit the local folklore Museum where you can admire the religious silverware, the traditional furniture or the historic memorabilia of the Macedonian Struggle. In a close distance from the village, the Environmental Centre ARCTUROS is open to the public if you wish to learn more about the 13 bears and several wolves that live there in a protected area.

After a short stop in the city of Florina we begin a very beautiful route from Pisoderi to the Prespes lakes where we will visit the village of Psarades. There, in the Great Prespa Lake we will have the chance to witness the beauty of the wildlife and feel the human modesty in front of this wondrous landscape. Optionaly, you can have lunch before we depart for the small island of Agios Achilleios, located in the Little Prespa Lake, where you can visit the ruins of the church with the same name. Early in the evening, we arrive in Kastoria and we stay for the night.

Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa

After breakfast depart for the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa that was built in 1082 during the reign of the emperor Alexios I Komnenos. Inside the Monastery there is the miraculous icon go Panagia Mavriotissa and a large number of fresco paintings that have been meticulously preserved. We, then, visit the famous Dragon’s Cave, one of the most remarkable and breathtaking caves in Greece with seven lakes on the inside. We depart for Athens, passing the city of Karditsa, with short intermediate stops. We arrive in Athens in the evening.