The lake of the town that is surrounded by the traditional houses and by many trees

Kastoria

NOW 3 °C

Next 5 days

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MON 5 °C
TUES 2 °C
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Source: National Observatory of Athens /meteo.gr

The Lakeside Jewel of Northern Greece

This charming town is built on the hillside around a narrow peninsula, nestled between the mountains of Grammos and Vitsi, and washed by the calm waters of Lake Orestiada. The best way to explore the city is to take a tour around the lake starting from the south shore to the north.

Take a stroll on the narrow pathway along the lake’s coast; you will be touched by its beauty and tranquillity. The promenade shaded by beech and plane trees as well as the neighbouring forests create a mystical atmosphere and foster a wide variety of fauna.

The best way to explore the city is taking a little tour around the lake starting from the southernmost side up to the northernmost.

Unique Experiences

CULTURE

Dispilio of Kastoria

Exploring Kastoria

Touring the Lake

Orestiada Lake is home to 200 different species, among them, some rare and endangered. During your walk, stop by the Dragon’s Cave, where you’ll get to see seven underground lakes and chambers with astonishing stalactites. If you want to admire the city from above, follow the green path towards Profitis Ilias Church and continue even higher up to Agios Athanasios hill.

Tour the neighbourhoods

At a short distance from the lake you’ll encounter the old neighbourhood Doltso, a picturesque corner of the town where buildings date back to the 17th and 18th century, when the city thrived due to the fur trade. Lots of buildings have been converted into museums, such as Neratzi Aivazi mansion, which houses the Folk Art Museum, the Emmanouil mansion where the Costume Museum is located. Apozari is the second oldest aristocratic neighbourhood of the town. You will be impressed by the Byzantine churches, and the beautiful mansions -typical examples of Macedonian architecture.

Discover Byzantine Treasures

Visit more than 60 Byzantine and post-Byzantine Churches, dating back from the 9th to the 19th century. Almost all of them are Basilicas, apart from Panagia Koumpelidiki, which got its name from its characteristic dome (koumpe). The Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa (1802), located by the lake, has really impressive murals, depicting Byzantine Emperors. Walk by the oldest monuments of the city, Taxiarchon and Agion Anargyron churches located in Doltso and Agiou Stefanou, Agiou Panteleimona and Eisodion Theotokou in Apozari.

Visit the Byzantine Art Museum (in Dexameni square), where you will see over 700 well-preserved Byzantine sculptures, murals, paintings and icons from the city's churches.

Don’t miss out on:

enjoying the beauty of the lake and the panoramic view of the city on board a tourist boat that goes around the peninsula.
visiting the city's freshwater aquarium, where common lake and river fish species as well as endangered ones are on display.
admiring the famous art of the furrier workshops and showrooms of Kastoria’s Fur Center (EDIKA).

Near Kastoria you can visit Dispilio (7 km SE). A Neolithic wooden settlement has been excavated on Nisi, an artificial island within Lake Orestiada. It dates back to 5600 to 5000 BCE. Near the site an impressive park recreates the way its inhabitants lived in the settlement. During summer, take a trip to the traditional village of Nestorio (28 km SW), where the well-known River Party takes place by the banks of Aliakmonas River. Pass by the Village Nostimo (17 km SW) and see the 20 million year-old petrified forest. If you happen to be here during winter, run down the slopes of Vitsi ski centre, near the picturesque village Polykeraso (22 km NE) for skiing and snowboarding. Last but not least, head south to the abandoned Villages of Koresteia, and see the impressive mud brick houses, dubbed Houses of mud.