Kastoria (Greek: Καστοριά) is one of the fifty-one prefectures (nomes) of Greece. Its capital is Kastoria city, and its population was estimated at 51,934 inhabitants in the most recent census.
The prefecture of Kastoria: is located in the northwestern side of the Western Macedonia region of Greece. It is one of the most mountainous prefectures where there exist noteworthy prehistoric and byzantine monuments.
The city of Kastoria, built in a peninsula surrounded by the lake Orestiada, is 520 kilometers away from Athens and 200 kilometers away from Thessaloniki. There is a regular direct flight connection between the prefecture of Kastoria and the capital city of Athens.
Kastoria and the surrounding area are internationally known as centers of the manufacturing and trading of furs. Fur manufacturing dates back more than a thousand years and the economic activity of the prefecture centers around furs. Every year an international fur exhibition takes place in Kastoria.
Rich elements of Byzantine culture (Byzantine walls and churches) as well as traditional mansions of the 17^th and 18^thcenturies unique for their architectural design are located in the city of Kastoria. Other places of interest are the Byzantine Museum, the 74 Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches and the Folklore Museum “Nerantzi – Aibazi”. The imposing mountains of Vitsi and Grammos, the Orestiada lake and the rich cultural heritage are some distinctive characteristics that make the city of Kastoria and the surrounding areas a tourist attraction for all seasons of the year.