» Kastoria Prefecture
Capital: Kastoria
Population: 53.483 (cencus 2001)
Distance from Athens: 552 km.

The prefecture of Kastoria is situated in the western end of West Macedonia , is built in the in the western bank of lake and it has a good economy, because operates manufactures of fur and weavers. The art of the fur industry of Kastoria and its high standard samples are presented in international fairs. The visitor in Kastoria can admire the beautiful samples of the fur art in many of the city shops and can buy them in attractive prices, being sure for their unique quality. Kastoria has natural landscapes with a wonderful lake, mansions home with appreciable architecture, Byzantine monasteries, temples and museums.

The Lake of Kastoria is the most precious treasure of the town. It is a jewel that both the visitors and the inhabitants can enjoy, as a place of recreation and as a stimulus for romanticism and reminiscence. At the lakeshore there are enough squares and parks. In these specially formulated spaces, the visitor has the possibility to walk on the stone pavements and to admire the unique natural beauty of the lake at all seasons. It is a hydrotope of great importance for the aquatic but also for the birds of prey and uses as an area of reproduction, nourishment and hibernation. It maintains a rich bird fauna, which includes rare and menaced species. More specifically: Pygmy Cormorant, White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, Great White Erget, Glossy Ibis, Goosander, Marsh Harrier, Whiskeres Tern etc.
In the lake there are great quantities of various fish species, and offers the possibility for fishing, both with the traditional boats in the deep waters and with fishing rod in the lake shores. In the lake's waters there are fishes such as Carps, butterflyfishes, Italian bleak, northern pike etc.

Temples and monasteries: Church of Taxiarches of Metropolis, Church of Agios Georgios Omorphoklisias, Church of Assumption of Virgin Mary, Agios Stefanos, Moni Panagias Kleisouras, Moni Mavriotissas.

Mansions:The mansions are building of the 17 th and 18 th century and they present great interest for their wall-building, their architecture and their painting, while they stand out for the imposing presence and the grandeur of their unusual construction like the Sapountzi's Mansion, Emmanouel Brothers' Mansion, Papia's Mansion and Skoutari's Mansion.

Museums: Costumes museum, it is the museum where are safeguarded traditional local costumes of men and women.
Folklore museum, the articles of the museum concern items used in older times.
Byzantine Museum exhibits articles of the Byzantine era from the 12 th to the 17 th century. The articles concern mainly portable icons, excellently maintained, which have been collected from lots Byzantine churches of that region.
Settlement Museum, which goes beyond the limits of a conventional archaeological exhibition and transforms the archaeological information to a place where one can experience it.
Petrified Forest, the museum of paleontology is located in the village of Nostimo , 24km from Kastoria. The museum houses sea, plant and animal fossils found in the area which date 20.000.000 years ago.
Ragoutsaria, the carnival period for Kastoria is from the 6 th to the 8 th of January. This is a particularly festive period when the Kastorians dress in fancy dress and fill the narrow cobbled streets dancing and singing. The festivities climax with a parade along the main street.

The mountainous complex of Vitsi with the dense beech forests, the rare fauna and flora, constitute on of the most interesting destinations of the visitor in Kastoria. The region has remained untouched by the human activity and maintains the unique beauty of the wild nature. The area, with its exquisite geomorphology and its picturesque neighbourhoods, is a great place for walking and sightseeing. Vitsi is protected on a national level as a shelter for games and constitutes an ideal biotope for the menaced species of bear. On the mountain Vitsi there is an organised ski centre.