Florina

Northwestern Greek city near the Prespa Lakes, surrounded by rugged mountains and forested valleys.

Florina is a small city in the northwest corner of Greece, close to the borders with North Macedonia and Albania. The surrounding area is one of Greece's most scenically beautiful — rugged mountain terrain, forested valleys, and two remarkable lakes: the Prespa Lakes National Park — Mikri Prespa and Megali Prespa — shared between Greece, North Macedonia, and Albania.

Mikri Prespa is home to Agios Achillios island, connected to the shore by a 650-metre floating footbridge. The island holds the ruins of a 10th-century Byzantine basilica built by Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria and a small community of permanent residents. The Prespa lakes support breeding colonies of Dalmatian pelicans and are designated as a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Florina itself is a pleasant mountain town with a pedestrian centre, a regional art gallery with a strong collection of modern Greek painting, and good connections for exploring the surrounding lakes and highlands.

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Things to Do

The Prespa lakes — Mikri Prespa and Megali Prespa — are the major draw and well worth the 45km drive from Florina. Mikri Prespa is the more accessible: the floating footbridge to Agios Achillios island and the ruins of the 10th-century basilica there make for a half-day's excursion. The birdwatching at the lake is excellent year-round — Dalmatian pelicans nest in the reedbeds and can often be seen fishing from the shore.

In Florina itself, the Municipal Art Gallery has a strong collection of modern Greek painting, including works by several Florina-born artists. The old town has a few Ottoman-era structures and a pleasant pedestrian centre around Pavlou Mela Street. The Vigla-Pisoderi ski resort on Mount Verno, 20km from town, operates from December to March with a good set of runs.

The bear sanctuary at Nymfeo village, about 40km northeast, is the only facility of its kind in Greece — rescued bears from illegal captivity are rehabilitated here in large forested enclosures.

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