SIATISTA
In Northern Greece, Siatista is surrounded by bare and rugged hills that make you feel like you're in a moonlike landscape. During this two-week trip, I noticed how many different landscapes the country has. Siatista town, on the south of these grey hills, is a pleasant little town focused on the production of wine and, since more recently, furs. On the northern side of these hills, you find the green vineyards that produce some excellent Greek wines of varied sorts. You may try these wines at, for example, the Diamantis winery. I met Dimitrios at this place, the owner of the winery. It was harvest season and I was lucky, it was the first day that the owner had some rest. He let me taste several excellent varieties, red and white wines. He offered to show me the vineyards the next day. The oldest ones of these, inherited through the family, date back to the 1930's! The old and young vineyards Dimitrios maintains, allow him to experiment on growing styles and thus producing several types of wine.
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Siatista is a lovely town to spend some time in. There are some cosy guesthouses, in the particular Balkan style that dates back to the Ottoman era. The houses don't have balconies but do have thick walls, as to protect the people from any invaders. Some of the houses are over 300 years old. Enjoy your stay accompanied with some excellent food and wine, an interesting landscape and a location central in Northern Greece. You have several opportunities for trips in the region - in fact, it is very varied! Visit the Vourinos mountain area, the cities Kastoria and Edessa or the outside mineral pools of Loutraki, a bit farther away. Take the back roads instead of the toll highways, these will get you through some stunning landscapes.
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Below, you'll find pictures of the Diamantis winery and the wine tasting. Then at the bottom of this page, see more of Siatista itself!