It seems I'm going to Florina, Greece for a week in May. This is a small town (population 15,555) in Western Macedonia. I tried to look it up in Lonely Planet, but for once LP was neither encouraging nor helpful: "Now there is little reason to stop in this dull and charmless place, especially if you're on holiday. It's tightly packed with grim Soviet-style apartment blocks and despite a burgeoning student population the atmosphere is staid."
Therefore: any suggestions on cool things to do in or near Florina is very much appreciated. (I guess a weekend in Thessaloniki will be one option.)
Saturday, January 03, 2009
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2 comments:
Hi Bjorn,
I am from Australia and have actually visited Florina many a times and have found the experience quite rewarding. Granted there is no Parthenon or White Tower but what it doesn't have in terms of architecture is made up with some beautiful and tranquil places. And even if you do not have a car, the train is a FANTASTIC way of getting around to some other municipalities such as Edessa, famous for the beautiful waterfalls. Around Florina, there are places such as Vigla and the Prespa Lakes which are a must in your time in Florina! Natural wonders of Florina.
My suggestion is to spend a day or two exploring the city of Florina itself - there is a museum which is worth exploring. Then, head out of the town. Take the many different roads and head to the many breath-taking and mountainous villages like Akritas or Skopia. There is a bus that goes to these villages which can assist your exploration of the region. Once you have arrived to these villages, with a picnic basket or backpack filled with your lunch, walk, cycle, hike and just explore the area. Camera in hand of course! Enjoy the beauty of the environment and get lost in the magic of the area. Maybe introduce yourself to the people of the village, take a drink from the natural spring taps found throughout or marvel in the construction of the houses and churches.
The Lonely Planet guide may say that "there is little reason to stop" in Florina and maybe that is true for whoever wrote that. But for the people who have visited this place and will continue to do so for many more years, this town and the Florina municipality has a charm that will resonant with them.
Vicky
Thanks a lot for your comments!
I will stay in Florina for a week anyway - for work - but it's nice to see that there are places to go in the weekend.
I'm also considering flying back from somewhere else, for instance Tirana, Albania, just to get a bit of a change (instead of flying back from Thessaloniki). Any ideas about that?
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