Temperatures are scathing and the heat on the beach is unbearable. Suddenly, a man stands up, and in the blink of an eye he picks up his hat and just… leaves. “That’s it; Finally?”, asks a vacationer who is “melting” under the hot sun on an adjacent sunbed. “End; Now the holidays begin”, he replies and begins to unfold one by one the virtues of cosmopolitan Kastoria, a city that may not be intertwined in the minds of most as a classic summer destination, but has many charms and can convince all those who are looking for an alternative vacation in the middle of summer.
At least this is what the Association of Hoteliers of Kastoria maintain, which through a humorous video with images from the diverse canvas of the city known as Western Macedonia’s “Byzantine Matron”, which with more than 70 Byzantine churches, the lake settlement with the cave of the Dragon, so many other attractions and the unique natural environment, certainly offers more than one reason to visit.
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“Even in summer?”, we asked the president of the Association of Kastoria Hoteliers Sideris Smaropoulos and his answer was absolutely affirmative. “Kastoria is an alternative 12-month destination. Clearly, someone who has been to the sea can then choose to rest in Kastoria, in a place that is not crowded and has the necessary cool so that one can enjoy its picturesque mansions, its unique gastronomy, its wonderful natural environment and everything it offers so generously”, explained Mr. Smaropoulos, speaking to state news agency AMNA.
Prospects at the moment, based on bookings, are quite good, according to Mr. Smaropoulos, with efforts focused on recovering the ground lost due to the pandemic. “In the past, before covid, Kastoria during the season was at an even higher level and what we are trying to do now is to return to those data. In relation to 2019, we are about 20% lower”, said Mr. Smaropoulos, considering that recovery is an achievable goal.
“We have a lot of visitors from the countries of Western Europe and Israel and I think that the Greeks will also slowly discover mountainous Greece and come to visit us”, he noted and explained that the majority of visitors at the moment are from abroad . In addition to Israelis who have a heightened sensitivity due to Kastoria’s Jewish heritage, French, German, Dutch and other travellers explore the city’s rich natural environment, anchored by its beautiful lake.
Visiting the city, at the beginning of the month, the Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias, described it as a blessed place, guaranteeing its promotion abroad, with the aim of attracting even more tourists.
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