What should someone know about Nymfaio:
• The first name of the village was Niveasta
= The place where the snow stay for a long (Nives
sta), then renamed Neve (i) sca = The place with heavy snowstorms and in 1927 acquired its current name NYMFAIO.
• The settlement is protected officialy by the Greek State as a traditional monument, and as a result wood, stone and roofing by galvanized sheet metal are the dominating architectural elements of the settlement's style today.
• The element of galvanized sheet metal roofing has been introduced into the local architecture (unique in Greece), from central and northern Europe by locals who used to work or to travel abroad as merchants, so that the heavy snow can easily slip and do not create problems in the statics of the buildings.
• The central square of the settlement is placed at an altitude of 1350 meters.
• At its peak, the settlement had 3,500 inhabitants, a primary school and a high school, a sewerage network and an extensive network of scattered covered fountains with running water, a sample of prosperity and social justice for equal access for all throughout the year to drinking water.
• The main occupation of the inhabitants was silversmithing, and trade in tobacco and cotton.
• The main landmarks of the settlement are the Church of Saint Nicholas, the famous Nikios School, a donation of Zan Nikou and the mansions of Sosidis
with the special pedestrian bridge joining them on the main road of the settlement.
• In Nymfaio is located ARCTUROS' headquarters
• Through Nymfaio passes the international trail E4
(starting from Portugal and crossing many European countries ends in Cyprus).
• The forest of Nymfaio is located within the NATURA 2000
network.
• In Nymfaio there is an amazing natural platform for fans of hang gliding and paragliding.
What to do in Nymfaio (MUST):
• Visit the ARCTURO'S Information Center at the Nikios School and the Brown Bear Protection Center in an enclosed forest area of Nymfaio next to the eastern boundaries of the settlement. Visit Link
• Visit theblack and white photo exhibition
on the 1st floor of the Nikios School.
• Visit the remarkably restored and preserved church of St. Nicholas (ideal choice for weddings & baptizes).
• Take a walk through the cobbled streets of the settlement and admire the elaborate, special architectural typology mansions from the three phases of the residential development of the settlement.(See Pdf Map)
• Rest in one of the many and scattered within the settlement covered public fountains
with running water from the forest.
What can one do in AMYNTAIO area:
• Visit one of the wineries in the Vineyard Zone of Amyntaio.
• Eco-activities
in Sklithro & Zazari.
• Visit to the Center for the Protection of the Wolf
in Agrapidies.
• Walk on the Peace Path. (See Pdf map)
• Visit to the Guinness Record collection of scraper and scavenger. (Guinness Record).
• Visit to Archaeological site
of the Hellenistic City of Petres.
• Get to know the local products, Pepper Festival in Aetos, Potato Festival in Sklithro, Pie Festival in Lechovo. (See map)
• Visit to the Commerce Festival of Amyntaio (the most famous in the Western Macedonia) on the first weekend of October and Tsirivarvara (lighting of St. Barbara) in Amyntaio.
• Visit famous and award-winning restaurants.
• Try Tsipouro every Monday at the local bazaar of Amyntaio from the locals (domestic alcohol drink), and also Xino Nero (the only Greek Carbonated Water) and Amyntaio Champaign (the Best greek Sparkling Wine).
For a long stay, with Nimfaio as the center of an extensive area of tourist interest, one can easily and comfortably visit:
• Kaimaktsalan Ski Resort - Voras and Pozar Thermal Springs.
• The Vigla - Pisoderi Ski Resort & the old town of Florina in the river (Sakulevas) with its interesting museums and the Fires before Christmas Day.
• The Big & Little Prespa.
• Kastoria and the prehistoric lakeside settlement of Dispilio.
