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The region of Voio as a destination for alternative forms of tourism
Voio is a distinguished place. It is located between Western Macedonia and Epirus; with result not only the landscape but also the culture to include rich elements of the both regions. It is the gate to Pindos Cordillera and the entry for the beginning of tall mountains and big rivers. Here are found the foundations of the continuous cordilleras and the sources of Aliakmonas River; the bigger river of Greece.
The region of Voio constitutes the western part of Kozani and Kastoria Prefectures. Voio is a place mainly mountainous. Most of the inhabitants deal with the primary production such as agriculture, husbandry and forestry.
Historically, Voio was part of the ancient Orestida. During the Byzantine period was connected to the invasion and installation of new populations in the Balkans, while at the period of Ottoman domination it constituted a shelter for Christians from various parts of Greece. Voio’s population increased a lot of mountainous villages were created with main inhabitant’s activity, the husbandry.
At the Newer ages, Voio was related with Orlofika events, the epic of `40, the national resistance and civilian wars. It became known for its builders and their masterpieces are saved to the entire Greece, as well as, for the characteristic local architecture of stone buildings, mansions, bridges and watermills.
After the civilian wars, the urbanization, the intense immigration, the decline of husbandry and the import of new technologies in building, involved the decline and the desolation of the region.
All these, have as a result, the Voio to remain monument of natural and cultural heritage with the forests, the streams, the geological formations, its biodiversity, its old stone buildings, and the crowd of archaeological areas that recently came in the light.
In the mountainous volume of Voio, exist crowd of ancient and newer paths historical recorded. By them, other were shaped in streets (arbanitostrates, blachostrata), other in pedestrian and mountaineering paths (the travel of Pramoritsa River, Pentalofos - Nea Kotili), while other were lost along with the villages that connect, or were abandoned because manufacture of new roads.
Along the entire alpine zone, there is a network of more than 40 semi- alpine and alpine villages in an altitude from 750m to 1450m. These traditional stone made villages called Mastoroxoria or Kastanoxoria, consist organized built-up and cultural webs, constituting particular destinations of alternative tourism.