We visited Vlasti in Kozani and the neighboring Sisani, two beautiful villages of Western Macedonia, through the program “Common Ground” on Voice of Greece, at noon on Tuesday, 24 February 2026.
Our guides to the nature and traditions of the area were Mr. Giannis Tzioumaris, President of the Municipal Unit of Vlasti; Mr. Dimitris Tzantzaris, President of the Cultural Society of Vlasti and one of the organizers of the “Earth Festivals”, a five-day event held every August in the village that attracts visitors and campers from all over Greece;
Also speaking were Ms. Athina Vlachodimou, who emigrated to Canada for 52 years — having left at the age of just 19 — and returned to her homeland after retirement; and Ms. Eleni Volka, President of the Cultural and Educational Association of Sisani, who spoke to us about both the history and the traditions of the village and, of course, about the famous Sisani beans, which are the inspiration behind the annual Bean Festival, held in early August in her village.