On a sparkling autumn weekend, some people like to head for the hills. Others prefer the sea, while still others are most content when poking around markets, museums, and monuments. No matter your preference, Kastoria will meet your criteria. Situated in western Macedonia, this small city seems to have something for everyone, from the nature worshippers who would live to catch glimpses of the furry beasts in the wild to those who would rather be wrapped warmly in furs.
Most of Kastoria’s 18,000 inhabitants are tucked into a small peninsula shaped like a "boa constrictor that swallowed an elephant," as some of the villagers say. The region is skinny at either end and swollen in the middle, jutting into Lake Orestiada and splitting in half. The peninsula is thickly wooded right down to the shores of the lake. The countryside is never more than a 30-minute walk away from any part of Kastoria.
For a first-time visitor, a drive around the peninsula, following the lakeshore, is the best way to get an idea of the city. The outskirts are an immediate indication that this is no ordinary town. For one thing, almost all the signs are in Russian and almost all of them are somehow related to the fur trade. Fur showrooms, fur factories, and good-sized hotels for fur salesmen flank both sides of the main road into Kastoria. The city’s fame originated in the 15th century, primarily as a result of its ability to produce exquisite fur coats. Kastoria’s customers have ranged from Paris to Stockholm to New York over the past five centuries, but today hail mostly from Russia. This is mostly due to the ever-growing western proclivity in the direction of political correctness.
When you enter Kastoria, you will first pass the fur emporiums, before entering the bustling district of shops and offices. Within this downtown center, lie the half-ruined sections of Byzantine fortification walls that were raised by the emperor Justinian in his 6th-century effort to fend off the marauding Slavs. Such remnants of the past are juxtaposed with the myriad brand-name cafes and fast-food joints that line the banks of the magical lake in the city’s center. Pass by these eateries and enter Doltso, a neighborhood of elegant houses, inviting restaurants, cobbled streets, neatly trimmed lawns, and attractive flower gardens. A green belt separates the lake from the road, with benches, playgrounds and footpaths.
Given that Doltso means “sweet” in Vlach, it is here that you will find the most impressive and best preserved houses in town. Many of these were built in the 16th and 17th centuries, when Kastoria furs were worn by high society in all the major European capitals. Generally, the profits went into erecting luxury homes, with ground floors that resembled fortresses and wood-paneled upper floors, decorated with elaborate paintings and lit by stained-glass windows. For a glimpse inside, don’t miss a visit to the Aivazi mansion/folklore museum in Doltso, among the most delightful of Greece’s museums.
Any walk through the older part of town will take you past one of the beautiful Byzantine churches, but no matter how long you stroll, you will not probably manage to see them all. More than seventy of these marvels remain, most of which are chapels built between the 9th and 18th century. Although only five are visitable, they are all conveniently located near the Byzantine Museum. The museum itself has one of the finest collections of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine icons in the world. Unfortunately, the museum, itself a relic desperately in need of a facelift, only possesses enough space to display thirty-seven of its masterpieces; the rest lie locked away in the basement. Nevertheless, these thirty-seven are still beautiful, providing the perfect preparation for your tour of the churches. A museum staff member will guide you at no extra charge.
After the Doltso neighborhood, come the road tunnels through thick forest that abruptly plunge into a world shaded by tall trees and lush creepers. Anglers, both men and women, cast their rods into the lake, hoping for trout or carp, at all hours of the day and night. At the same time, cormorants, pelicans, ducks, and grebes float by, absorbed in their own fishing. Near the end of the woods, on the north side of the peninsula, the 12th-century white Panayia tis Mavriotissa Monastery, as well as the 16th-century chapel of Agios Ioannis o Theologos next to it, bridge the gap between town and country. A little farther and you’re in Apozari, another leisurely district of old mansions, before the commercial hubbub starts again.
Where to stay:
The Kastoria Hotel, on the north shore of the peninsula near the Yacht Club, tel. 24670 29453; To Archontiko tis Venetoulas, 8 rooms in a restored pre-WWII house in the Doltso district, tel. 24670 22446; and the new Kastor, at the entrance to town, 36 rooms with views and a lounge with fireplace, tel. 24670 82521/3.
Where to eat:
Charming tavernas abound along the lake shore drive. Look for Krondiri and Lithos in Doltso, Neos at the Yacht Club, and Ta Kymata at the fish market. Also, the wine is invariably good red Amynteo.
