Florina

Florina is in West Macedonia, in Greece.

Understand

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

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

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

• River Sakoulevas. The town's most famous landmark is worth a walk across its banks. It includes traditional neighbourhoods like Varosi and Yiazi and the Church of Saint Panteleimon.
• The Hellenistic City of Florina is an archaeological site that is worthy of a visit.
• The cross, built on Mount Varnountas, is a popular attraction for hiking.

Do

• Have a coffee or dinner in one of the restaurants and cafeterias along the river side.
• Go hiking in nearby mountains.

Buy

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.

Get out

Florina, due to its location, is a gateway to many beautiful nearby regions.

• The area of Prespa consists of two lakes and has been established as a National Park, considering its wide flora and fauna. (~1h from Florina)
• Nymfaio is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Greece, due to its traditional architecture and its non-governmental organization Arcturos that is dedicated to protecting the brown bears and the wolves of the area. (~30min from Florina)
• Vigla (~30min) and Agios Athanasios (~45min) are two popular ski resorts in the area.
• Amyntaio (~25min) is a small nearby town, famous for its wines.
• Agios Panteleimonas (~30min) is a small village near Amyntaio, on the west bank of Lake Vegoritida. There is also a beach.
• Lakes Cheimaditida, Zazari and Petron are also three lakes near Amyntaio that are worth visiting because of their flora and fauna.
• Bitola (~25min via the recently constructed highway) is a city in the Rep. of Macedonia and the largest one in the whole area. There is no public transport between the cities, however you can hire a taxi or hitchhike. There is a single bus each Wednesday from Florina to the Greek border city of Niki.
• One can also visit Korce and Pogradec in Albania, either by car (~2-2,5h) or with one of the quite frequent daily excursions organized by various private local travel agencies.

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