Kastoria

Lake, Elegance, and Tradition: An Authentic Destination Full of Serenity, History, and Macedonian Sophistication

Kastoria is a beautiful and picturesque city, renowned for its iconic lake, also known as Orestiada. It captivates visitors at first sight, offering a perfect setting for exploring on foot. The lake and city colors are stunning in every season. You’ll be enchanted by a short “cruise,” alongside small and large birds and fishermen casting their nets from traditional “Kastorian boats.” The Dragon’s Cave and the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa, with its ancient plane tree, are breathtaking. Kastoria has a strong tradition of rowing and other water sports. Each year, the city hosts numerous nautical and sporting events, celebrating its rich cultural and natural heritage.

An Ideal Destination for:

Couples & Romantic Travelers ,

Family-Friendly Travelers ,

Cultural & History Lovers ,

Active & Adventure Travelers

Highlights

Lake Circuit

Enjoy a 7 km circuit around Kastoria Lake by car, bike, or on foot. Witness the unique Dragon’s Cave and the stunning Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa along the way.

Doltso District

Beautifully restored Macedonian mansions, Byzantine chapels, notable museums (Folklore, Macedonian Struggle, Costume, Byzantine), and cobbled streets reveal Kastoria’s history at its peak.

Dispilio

Only 4 km from Kastoria, the lakeside settlement of Dispilio is Greece’s first open-air archaeological museum, showcasing Neolithic dwellings and giving insights into the life of our ancestors.

Aposkepos

Just 5 km from the suburb of Chloe, this picturesque village features a cobblestone square with 12 stone fountains, ancient plane trees, and stunning views of the lake and Kastoria city.

Nestorio

Steep gorges, lush forests, and alpine lakes Gistova and Arrenes form the grandeur of Greece’s fourth-largest mountain, Grammos, also home to brown bears. Nestorio is your gateway to explore it.

IDEAL DESTINATION

Where Lake Serenity Meets Macedonian Elegance

Doltso, meaning “sweet,” is a charming district on the city’s southern side. Its Macedonian mansions, wooden balconies, and old churches reflect on Lake Orestiada’s waters. Beyond the restored architecture and cobblestone streets, visit the Macedonian Struggle Museum, Folklore Museum, and the Delinaneo Museum of Kastorian Women.

Gastronomy – Local Gems & Must-Try Flavors

Kastoria’s cuisine is a major reason to visit. Try oven-baked giant beans, handmade pies, and fried delicacies with local sauces. The “bantzos,” a local specialty, consists of fried hard cheese with a fried egg, smoked trout, and white taramas, accompanied by skin-on fried potatoes. Don’t miss syrupy desserts, spoon sweets, Kastorian baklava, and the walnut-based sweet “saliara.”

Best Period to Visit

Winter months are highly recommended, as the mountainous scenery blends beautifully with the lake’s natural beauty. After Christmas and Epiphany, the Ragoutsaria festival—lasting three days—offers Dionysian-style celebrations with brass bands, masked dancers, costumes, and abundant wine, creating a warm, lively winter atmosphere.

How to get around in Kastoria

Transportation options to/from the airport

You can reach Kastoria by road, either with your own car or via the daily KTEL bus routes from Athens and Thessaloniki, using the Athens–Thessaloniki national road and the Egnatia Odos (from Thessaloniki).

The city is 593 km from Athens and 226 km from Thessaloniki. There is also air connectivity with Athens. Aristotle Airport is located 12 km from the city of Kastoria.

Public Transportation

If you don’t have your own car, you can use buses for getting around the city or take a taxi.

Questions / Answers

Q&A

Winter and autumn for atmosphere, spring for nature, summer for peaceful warmth.

Doltso, the lake, Dragon’s Cave, Byzantine Museum, and a meal with local cuisine.

Absolutely! Natural surroundings, easy trails, and activities for all ages.

By road from Thessaloniki (~2 hours) or Athens (~5.5 hours). A small airport is also available

Beans, pies, kid goat, walnut pie, wine, and tsipouro from local wineries and distilleries.

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They said about us...

2025-11-11

Voyage Fit Cyclades

Oui nous avons très satisfaits de votre accompagnement et support . Le voyage et les hôtels étaient super! Vous pouvez publier notre avis sur votre site !

FIT Atenas

2026-06-22

FIT Atenas

El cliente ya he llegado a Portugal y nos hay llamado a dar feedback de su visita/traslado.

Hay ido todo muy bien, tanto el motorista como la guia fueren muy amables y el servicio fue muy bueno.

Gracias por todo y hasta una próxima.

École française

2025-12-11

École française

Je n'ai pas encore eu l'occasion de vous remercier pour ce voyage. Le voyage et les hôtels étaient super !Nous n'avons pas été mouillés et nous avons eu tout ce que nous souhaitions. Nous avons organisé des jeux de type olympique au stade.Tout était parfait.La visite du Parlement était fantastique. Les élèves sont ravis et vous remercient.

Verhoeve group

2026-06-09

Athens 4 days Group Tour from Germany

Thank you very much for the group to Athens! They had a great time. They were very enthusiastic about the trip & guide Jason. he swimming/beach stop after Corinth was a big plus. They enjoyed the nature as addition to the city and culture. Always good to add that when visiting Corinth.

The location of the hotel was very good, so a bus transfer in the evening was not always necessary. They could have easily come back via the metro to the hotel. That would have saved us real money.

Thanks again and looking forward to all the coming groups!

Group De Lange

2026-04-30

Τοur to Greece

Group De Lange returned from Greece and they were very happy with the tour. Iris was a great guide, programme went very smooth, first driver was very nice. Group is very satisfied about the tour.

Savita

2025-07-21

Αthens, Santorini and Corfu

My Kids and I loved the trip except for our lost baggage from the Aegean airlines upon arrival at Athens at the start of the trip.Loved all the sightseeing. Tour guides and Pick up services were awesome!! Tour guides were very knowledgeable in their area and history of the city and my kids and I loved that. They answered all our questions. Pick up services were always on time.I just wish I had a little more time in Corfu to do the boat tour as I had planned. Wasn’t able to accomplish that. Loved the wine tasting, Oia and Fira in Santorini. Thank You so much for helping me plan this trip. Great memories made on this trip!!Savita

2025-05-09

Group from India

Thank you so much for your flexibility and support throughout the past weeks – the group ended successfully and we truly appreciate your efforts.

During the trip, we also received very positive feedback from the tour leader regarding the hotels, restaurants, and the quality of your transportation service. We’re very happy with the overall arrangement and sincerely hope to continue working with you on upcoming groups.

2024-03-27

BDA - Scientific meeting

Mata/ChristineThe feedback from all delegates was very positive about all the arrangements provided by the hotel and your good selves. Accommodation, meals and overall satisfaction from the hotel was very good. The renovated rooms help to bring the best of the hotel – the gala dinner room location was fantastic. Please give this feedback to the hotel too. All the transfers, excursions, the drivers, guide etc were performed professionally and all delegates again had something good to say about your services and the way you have handled the management of these activities. Overall well done. This is a genuine feedback and hope that makes you feel satisfied for a job well done

Kastoria

Lake, Elegance, and Tradition: An Authentic Destination Full of Serenity, History, and Macedonian Sophistication