Alexander the Great’s Macedonia

Early departure from Athens to Thessaloniki, the second largest city of Greece, with short stops. As we venture to the north of Greece we will notice the differences in the countryside that are part of what makes Greece unique. We will visit Vergina, where the tombs of Macedonian kings and nobility were found, including the one of Phillip II, Alexander the Great’s father. The treasures discovered are displayed in the local museum. We continue to Thessaloniki, or Selanik, a city port whose multicultural history is evident. Overnight in Thessaloniki.

Our panoramic city tour takes us around where Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments can be found side by side. The city held great importance as a port of entry for the entire Balkans, from the Macedonian times and knew many conquerors, or simple looters, lured by its wealth. A cosmopolitan city that up until WW2 held a multiethnic population, including a thriving Jewish community. The modern city was redesigned after the great fire of 1917 that left the old city in ruins, by French architect Ernest Hébrard. Afternoon visit to Pella, the capital of ancient Macedonia at the time of Phillip II and Alexander the Great. The excavations brought to light the enormity and meticulous structure of a large city of the Hellenistic times housing, at its peak, more than 100.000 inhabitants. Return to Thessaloniki.

Todays excursion takes us to a place of myth, mount Olympus, home of the Gods. The highest mountain of Greece, is a National Park favored my hikers, while climbers strive to conquer the two peaks, the “Throne of Zeus” and “Pantheon”. We will reach, by car, the first refuge of the mountain at an altitude of 1.100 mts. where we have the chance to enjoy a short hike. We descend for our visit to the archaelogical site of Dion at the foot of the mountain, an ancient Macedonian city dedicated to Zeus (Dias). Late arrival to Athens.