Travel Guide to Greece

Florina

Florina Facts: Population 12.300 Coordinates Lat: 40.783 Lon: 21.400 Elevation: 673 m.

Introduction

Florina is a name not usually mentioned in the tourist guides. It is a small town in western Macedonia, and for years its only claim to fame was its proximity to the old Yugoslavia. The town's origin has been lost in antiquity and the excavations around the area have unearthed Hellenistic remains which have not been identified as a known ancient settlement. Florina remained a small town for centuries, but it has prospered in the twentieth century thanks to a vibrant merchant community and its position as a gate to Yugoslavia and central Europe.

Florina's prosperity lasted until WWII when it became a hub for the Greek resistance at first, and one of the major fighting grounds during the civil war that followed. Large areas of the mountainous area around the town were isolated until the 1970's and later when Yugoslavia broke apart, the border traffic dwindled to oblivion as Greece and FYROM disputed about the name of the newly created country.

Today, Florina is slowly being discovered by a host of visitors who travel to enjoy the pristine mountainous land around the beautiful Prespes lakes. Florina is a typical small Greek town with a heart that beats to the rhythm of the local people and has not been altered in any way to satisfy the typical tourists. As such, it might be a great destination for those who want to enjoy a genuine Greek environment and an unspoiled mountainous landscape. Such lands are hard to remain a secret for long, and inevitably many Greek visitors flock to the town to enjoy a quiet weekend.

What to Do and See in Florina

• Florina Archaeological Museum
• Florina Museum of Contemporary Art

Places of Interest Near Florina

• The Prespes Lakes
  The road to the lakes is a destination in itself with its beautiful views and picturesque towns along the way.
• Psarades Village
  Beautiful village with less than 100 inhabitants at the south shores of the Large and Small Prespes lakes.

Telephone Numbers

• KTEL Interstate Bus System: 2835 022 430