Florina
Florina is in West Macedonia, in Greece. ContentsUnderstand[edit]The municipality of Florina is situated in West Macedonia, Greece and consists a border of Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. Its capital, Florina has a population of 15,000 inhabitants and is surrounded by Mount Varnountas and Vitsi. Florina Regional Unit has perhaps the highest percentage of the ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece, although it is often concealed, as it has been a taboo issue. Indeed most of ethnic Macedonians in Greece have been assimilated by today. The pending Macedonian naming dispute renders the ethnic background of people in Florina and the surrounding villages still a sensitive issue. While in Greece, to avoid hostile reactions, you could refer to the Republic of Macedonia as FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) or even "Skopje" or try to avoid the country's name. Florina has also become famous through the films of Theo Angelopoulos "the Beekeeper", "the Suspended Step of the Stork" and "Ulysses' Gaze". It is said Florina and its vicinity was his favourite filmmaking spot. Get in[edit]There are three trains every day between Thessaloniki and Florina and vice versa. The journey lasts 2,5 to 3 hours and costs 10€ one-way or 16€ return (with various discounts for students, youths and other groups). There are also trains from Athens with a connection in Platy. Timetables available on TrainOSE website.[1] There are frequent buses from Thessaloniki (17€ one-way or 24€ return, 2-2,5h), Ioannina (32€ one-way or 64€ return, ~2,5h) and Athens (~8h). Valid information can be found on [2] and [3] (in greek) There is no public transport from or to Albania or the Rep. of Macedonia, unless you get a taxi. From Bitola it is about 30 km, and takes a little over an hour by taxi. Macedonian taxi drivers require a special permit to operate in Greece, and they might use this fact to quote you up to €40. You should be able to knock them down to €25 or less. If they don't have a permit, they might offer to take you to the border for just a few euros, but you then have to walk between the border posts (800m) and hope to find a Greek taxi. Alternatively, they might take you all the way but pretend that they are a private car once in Greece. By car, it is very easy to reach from Thessaloniki (~2h), Ioannina (~2h), Athens (~8h). Get around[edit]Florina is a small town. For this reason, it is highly unlikely that you need a car to explore the town itself. If you want to visit nearby Prespa or any villages, you 'd better rent a car. There are local buses for some villages, but they are not very frequent. See[edit][add listing]
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Buy[edit][add listing]Don't miss the chance to buy some local red peppers, which are widely known in Greece. You can also buy beans from the nearby region of Prespa, which are also famous around Greece. Eat[edit][add listing]Drink[edit][add listing]Sleep[edit][add listing]Contact[edit]Get out[edit]Florina, due to its location, is a gateway to many beautiful nearby regions.
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