Discover Filotas: Archaeology and Klidonas

Filotas offers a glimpse into archaeological periods and an annual custom. At the Ampelia - Ornithones site, the oldest finds date from the Early Neolithic period; settlement there continued into Hellenistic and Roman times. In June, Klidonas is celebrated in Filotas in honor of John the Baptist. The area around the present-day settlement adds further named archaeological sites to this picture. In Filotas, a specific local history, archaeological traces in the surrounding area, and a custom rooted in the annual cycle come together.

Ampelia - Ornithones Through the Ages

The oldest finds from excavations at the Ampelia - Ornithones site date from the Early Neolithic period. Settlement at this site continued into Hellenistic and Roman times. For this same named site, an early horizon of finds and a later phase of settlement can therefore be considered side by side. When placing Filotas’s history in chronological context, you can distinguish between the dating of the oldest finds and the later settlement. The Hellenistic and Roman periods do not mark the oldest finds, but rather the later phase through which settlement continued.

Other Sites in the Surrounding Area

In the immediate vicinity of present-day Filotas, scattered settlement remains from the Early and Late Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and later historical periods have been discovered at Tsairia, Tourkou o Mylos, Ampelakia, and Lofos. These places add several sites with other chronological connections to the picture of Ampelia - Ornithones. These are two distinct geographical levels: Ampelia - Ornithones is the named archaeological site, while Tsairia, Tourkou o Mylos, Ampelakia, and Lofos are in the immediate vicinity. If you are interested in the history of the destination, you can distinguish between settlement at one specific site and scattered remains at several other places. The different periods sit alongside one another and do not all belong to the same archaeological site.

Klidonas in June

Klidonas offers a different point of reference in time. This traditional custom is celebrated every year in June in Filotas in honor of John the Baptist. Unlike the archaeological periods, the custom points to a recurring time of year. Its annual timing in June can help you choose when to travel; the specific dates are essential for finalizing your plans.

Plan Your Stay

When choosing your stay, you can weigh these two perspectives separately. If your travel dates are fixed, the archaeological context provides a historical framework for Filotas, regardless of whether your visit falls in June. If your dates are flexible and you would like to focus on Klidonas, the June period is the relevant starting point; check it against the specific event dates. This comparison answers two different questions: Which historical context interests you, and does the annual custom play a role in choosing your dates? When searching for hotels in Filotas, you can start by deciding which of these matters most to you.

Discover more destinations: Variko, Tripotamos, Vevi, Flóriná, Pisoderi, Prespes, Krystallopigi, Antartiko.

Back to the regional travel overview: Florina.