Kozani, a picturesque town set 710 metres above sea level, is the prefectural capital. The name Kozani originated from Kozani, a city in Epirus, where the settlers, who were agriculturists and cattle - breeders, came from after the battle of Kossyfopedio. Archaeological excavations have revealed that an ancient city existed on the place where Kozani lies today up to the time of the Roman occupation.

The town has several interesting churches, some with beautifully carved icon-screens, some with lovely frescoes, as well as a few 19th century mansion houses. Kozani's pride and glory is the Kouventarios Municipal Library, which contains 69.000 volumes and a large number of manuscripts. Also worth a visit is the Analipsi Monastery, a bit to the north of town, where the weavings, rugs and embroideries made by the nuns have won considerable renown.

The Historical - Folklore Museum and the Museum of Natural History of Kozani is the creation of the Letters and Arts Association. The Association was established in 1968 in the capital of homonymous county, Kozani, with   the view to (collecting, recording, preserving, studying and publishing linguistic, historical, archaeological and     folklore matter and preserving the monuments of our cultural heritage) and also with the view to (collecting every element that gives information about the composition of the soil and the gradual development of the world, planets and animals). 

Those wishing a more traditional atmosphere will want to go to Siatista (28 km. to the southwest) on the slopes of Mt. Siniatsikos (alt. 920 m.). Thanks to its fur industry, the town prospered in terms of both commerce and culture in the 18th and 19th century, and the churches, schools and mansions built during that era still stand. The interiors of Siatista's houses are beautifully decorated with carved wooden ceilings, stained glass windows and elegant fireplaces.

The market town of Velvendos lies 30 kilometres southeast of Kozani. Surrounded by plane and poplar woods, peach orchards and hazelnut stands near the Aliak-mon river, it too has retained many of its old mansions. In addition, many new buildings are designed in the traditional style.

Other villages where old Macedonian architecture can be seen and admired are Pentalofos, Katafigi, Vlasti and Tsotili with a picturesque arched bridge.

Servia controls the pass over the mountains to Thessaly; here there is both a Byzantine fortress and several Byzantine churches with superb frescoes.

Finally, at Perdikas, near the town of Ptolemaida, the anthropologist Aris Poulianos discovered the bones of a prehistoric elephant. One of the oldest specimens of the kind ever found in Europe, it lived in the region some three million years ago.

>> Macedonia : Drama, Florina, Grevena, Halkidiki, Imathia, Kastoria, Kavala, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Serres, Thassos Island, Thessaloniki.