Nymfaio

By car

From Athens, 539 km (5 hours and 57 minutes)

From Thessaloniki, 180 km (1 hour and 57 minutes)

From Florina, 26 km (45 minutes)

From Patra, 415 km (4 hours and 52 minutes)

KTEL Florinas

First mentioned in an Ottoman defter in 1481, the village, then known as Neveska, had only six households. The name of the town in Aromanian (Vlach) is Nevesca from the anc. Greek (Doric) νυφεοσσ´, snowy, snowclad.

Source: wikipedia.org

Nympheo became inhabited around 1385 by Vlachs Odites, i.e. Latin originated Greeks of Macedonia, who guarded the neighboring Egnatia Road for about 1,400 and then fled to the inaccessible mountains after heavy fights against the Ottoman invaders with whom came to negotiations afterwards since they were privileged with prerogatives of local government, given the right to bear arms under the presupposition of being subordinated to Valinte Soultana (mother of the Sultan), to whom they had to pay lower taxes.

Around 1630 they began work on silver, thus highlighting their village as a well-known region centre of silver and gaining reputation similar to that of the silver makers originated in the regions Syrrako and Kalarryton of Epirus.

In the late 18th century, the incursions of Albanians originated from Orlofika the Vlach-speaking Nympheo for about 1,400 accepted also many refugees from Moschopoli, Linotopi, Nikolitsa and other centers of Vlachs , who were evicted from their places.

Furthermore, much of the population of the village moved to the eastern Macedonia (Serres, Nigrita, Porroia Upper, Lower Tzoumagia, Alistrati) up to the Dardanelles and Istanbul.

The residents of Nympheo region participated in all national competitions before, during and after the Revolution of 1821.

Inhabitants of Nympheo defended the besieged Missolonghi, participated in the uprising of Thessalomacedonians in 1854 and in the revolution of the Macedonians against the Treaty of St. Stephen in 1878.

Their contribution proved to be of great importance on  the  battles of 1913, 1916 and 1918, and the battles of 1940-1941, where Nympheo itself was considered to be the cockpit, taking into consideration  the National Resistance and the civil war that followed, where great battles took place in the region of Vitsi.

NATURE

In the region  more than 150 species of plants have been recorded. The beech forests that spread on the slopes of Vernon and subalpine meadow in the mountain peaks are also worthwhile. There are oaks, lindens, maples, and pirus amygdaliformis  and koromila as well.

On low altitudes and around the lakes Cheimaditida and Zazari, which  create lake ecosystems surrounded by deciduous forests of special ecological value, there are wet meadows, extensive reed beds and lush vegetation.

Nympheo region is a typical habitat of bears and other large animal species such as otters, nanyreps, wolves, hares, etc.

As far as the existence of birds concerned, long legged-buzzards, golden eagles, Egyptian vulture, many forest birds as well as Dalmatian pelican and ferruginous duck living in lakes make their appearance in this area.

The area around the lakes Zazari and Cheimaditida  as well as  Mount Vernon have joined the Network Natura 2000.

Source: nymfaio.gr