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Florina

Aminteo, a modern market town, lies 41 kilometres from Florina, while 6 kilometres from there, on the shores of Lake Vegoritis, is the picturesque village of Agios Panteleimonas, where an ancient settlement and cemetery have been excavated. Nimfeo (53 km. from Florina), on the slopes of Mt. Vitsi (alt. 1.350 m.), is both a winter and summer resort, with delightful houses built in the local style. Further up the mountain in the village of Pissoderi (alt. 1.420 m.), is the ski resort of Vigla. The part of this prefecture that holds the greatest interest for visitors, whether Greek of foreign, is its two lakes, which form the natural borders of Greece with Albania and the former Yugoslavia.

The lakes Mikri and Megali Prespa are situated 850 meters above sea level and are separated by a narrow strip of land. The shores of the smaller lake are filled with reeds that every year provide shelter for many kinds of birds. Looking as though it is floating in the middle of the lake is the islet of Agios Ahilios, with both ancient and Byzantine ruins; its rocky coast bears caves, which were once used as shrines, whose walls are decorated with religious paintings.

On the shores of Megali Prespa, which may be either steep and rocky of flat and lush, there is a delightful little village called Psarades, which is very reminiscent of an Aegean hamlet with its characteristic architecture. Here, as well as at Agios Germanos, where a byzantine church is dedicated to St. Germanos with excellent frescoes, one will find taverns serving freshly caught fish from the lakes.

Archaeological Museum of Florina - The museum was built in the years 1963-1969. The exhibition includes topographical and architectural plans, excavation photographs, a model of the archaeological site of Petres and a representation of the storage and workshop areas of the same site. The museum contains collections of sculptures, relief and inscriptions, displayed on the ground floor, excavation finds from two cities, Petres and the hill of Ag. Panteleimon in Florina, displayed on the first floor, and a collection of Byzantine antiquities are also exhibited there.

The Modern Art Museum of Florina was founded in 1977. It includes about 200 paintings, sculptures and engravings, donated by well-known Greek and foreign artists and is constantly being enriched. In 1991 an art workshop was established in the Museum and is presently in operation. Its aim is to bring out and encourage the artistic talents of the young people of the region.

In Florina, measures will focus on policies and training schemes to enhance employment and combat exclusion, particularly the development of tourism, leisure, health and social welfare.

 

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