Prespes in Thessaloniki!

A successful event to promote the tourist product of Prespa and local products of the region was held by the Municipality of Prespa on the beach of Thessaloniki.

The “halkina” of the Florina Band and the dancers of the band “Lygistes” set the tone for the numerous visitors of the event, who were informed about Prespa and the cross-border program HOLYWATER, while they had the opportunity to try the famous Prespes beans from Prespa and peppers Florinis from Prespes.

Earlier in the Philoxenia exhibition, at an event organized by the Association of Tourism and Related Activities of the Municipality of Prespa, the Prespa area and local products were presented and extensive reference was made to the HOLYWATER program.

In addition to the representatives of the Municipality of Prespa, the event was attended by the Deputy Regional Governor of Florina, Mr. Sotiris Vosdou, the President of the Chamber of Florina, Mr. Savvas Sapalidis, representatives of institutions and many people from Prespa and Florina.

The cross-border project HOLYWATER

The HOLYWATER cross-border project is funded by the Interreg program and is an effort to take a holistic approach to the tourism development of the Prespa cross-border area through the promotion of special cultural and environmental local resources.

With easy access to the existing information about the monuments and points of interest of the area, a significant improvement of the contact possibilities of the visitors with the most characteristic elements of the cultural heritage and the environment of Prespa is expected.

An electronic platform is created with augmented reality applications and electronic maps highlighting all points of interest for visitors, as well as a three-dimensional virtual tour of the Basilica of St. Achilles and the Rebels’ Hospital, which is the major innovation of the program.

In the area of Resen, a network of paths is created for the connection of five important monasteries and a Byzantine church is restored.

In Laimos, with the supply of appropriate equipment, a visitable space is formed, where a digital educational game and video presentation of Prespa is installed, while in the building of the Byzantine Collection in Agios Germanos, the Byzantine heritage of Prespa is presented by the Florina Antiquities Ephorate.

The project partners are the main actors in the management of the cultural and environmental reserve of the region and approach through collaborative actions the common challenge of tourism development.

The following bodies participate in HOLYWATER:

• Municipality of Prespa (lead partner)

• Municipality of Resen

• Bitola Institute and Museum

• Ephorate of Antiquities of Florina

• Prespa Protection Company