Northern Greece: Off the Beaten Path from Macedonia to Epirus

At the hotel restaurant, enjoy a festive Welcome Dinner. Unless otherwise noted, dinners on this program are typically a three-course set menu. Please note that water is included in the program cost at all meals.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room, our breakfast buffet offers a daily selection of breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee, tea and water.

After the morning lecture by a local expert, we will board our bus for the field trip of Thessaloniki. We will start with a panoramic drive along the waterfront, a brief photo stop at the White Tower then famous landmark of the city and then continue along the Byzantine walls up to the Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After a brief stop at the citadel to admire the views over the city, we will continue our drive towards St. Demetrius church, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is dedicated to the Patron saint of the city. We will continue by coach to the Early Christian Monument of the Rotonda, also UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rotonda is one of the oldest monuments in Thessaloniki which started as a pagan monument, and later on it was converted into a Christian church in Byzantine times and a mosque during the Ottoman times. After we visit Rotonda we will walk towards the remains of Galerius Palace and see the famous Arch of Galerius.

At a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we will board our bus to drive to the Byzantine Museum. This award-winning museum houses one of the richest Byzantine collections in Greece. During our guided-led fieldtrip, we will see the most important artefacts and learn more about the history as well as life in the Byzantine Empire.

On your own. This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to independently explore local fare. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

We will start our walking discovery of Thessaloniki’s rich gastronomy! The city has been announced as Greece’s first city to join the UNESCO Network of Gastronomy due to its delicious regional cuisine with its rich culinary influences and traditions. We will visit the city’s vibrant markets such as Kapani and Modiano. We will have an opportunity to taste local cheeses, the traditional koulouri (sesame breads), the famous bougatsa, a savory or sweet pie originating from Byzantium, as well as the creamy sweet “triangles”, while diving deep into the city's culture and history through its culinary traditions. After we visit the markets, we will walk through Athonos Square, our final stop, where the local craftsmen work and sell their trades.

Light market tasting lunch.

After lunch we will have free time to explore Thessaloniki on your own. Before our dinner we will have a lecture by a local expert.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

After breakfast, we will board our bus for our day excursion and drive to Philippi. We will cross the lush plains of eastern Macedonia and reach Philippi, the city that the ancient Greek historian Appian described as “the gate between Europe and Asia”. Founded by the Thasians (inhabitants of the island of Thasos) and rebuilt by King Philip of Macedon the father of Alexander the Great, Philippi evolved into one of the greatest cities of Macedonia. Due to its great strategic position, the city developed into a center for the exploitation of the rich gold mines of the nearby Mt. Pangaion as well as for lucrative trade. Philippi became widely known as a great Christian center after the visit of St. Paul We will visit this extensive UNESCO World Heritage site, its beautifully located theater as well as the spacious ancient Agora, where the monuments exemplify various architectural types that developed during the Roman and Early Christian period. We will then continue to the nearby village of Lydia where according to the scriptures St. Paul had baptized Lydia, a woman who is regarded as the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe. After our stop at Lydia, we will drive to Kavala for lunch.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Kavala.

After lunch, we will start our field trip to the old town of Kavala and the Fort. We will stroll through the old town’s cobbled stone alleys and explore the hidden gems of the old neighborhoods. We will first see Imaret, one of the most impressive architectural monuments of the Ottoman period, and then continue to the Shakir Omer Bey House, the square and the House of Mohamed Ali who was the founder of the last Egyptian dynasty. We will also see the Church of Panagia and the nearby Lighthouse which both offer some superb views to the city and the North Aegean Sea. We will finish our fieldtrip with Kavala fort and the emblematic arched Aqueduct. After our fieldtrip we will drive back to our hotel and have a free evening.

On your own.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

This morning, we will check out from our hotel and we will head to Vergina, a UNESCO World Heritage site. On our way, we will stop and explore the brand-New Archaeological Museum of Aigai for an introduction to the history of ancient Macedonia and the campaign of Alexander the Great to the East. We will then proceed to the extraordinary Site of the Royal Tombs where King Philip was buried, in order to see one of the most exquisite collections of precious ancient artifacts.

Lunch in local restaurant.

After lunch we will depart for Ioannina. We will enjoy a scenic drive through the beautiful landscapes of Western Macedonia. The scenic drive will take us through some towering fir tree-covered mountains, plenty of waters and gorges of unique beauty. Late afternoon we will arrive at Ioannina, the center of the region of Epirus and check-in at our hotel.

At hotel restaurant.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

We will start our morning walking field trip of Ioannina after our breakfast. We will explore the capital of Epirus region, a cultural and intellectual center of the entire Epirus region which is located around the Lake Pamvotis. We will learn about the beautiful fortress of Ioannina which stands on a rocky peninsula overlooking the Lake. We will then stroll through the alleys of the picturesque old town, see the old mosque and visit the museum of Silversmithing. A wonderful exhibition of finely-crafted objects, such as jewelry, arms and martial gear, as well as household silverware, starting from the 18th up to the 20th century. We will proceed to the lake and take the boat to the lake’s little island called Nisos. The island preserves a small community of inhabitants and it is well known for the little museum of Ali Pasha as well as for its old monasteries. We’ll visit the little museum and have enough time to explore the town but also the local cuisine. Your Group leader will be happy to suggest local delicacies of local cuisine.

On your own.

We will take the boat back to Ioannina and return to the hotel for some free time. Before dinner we will have a lecture by a local expert.

In the local restaurant.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

We will depart for the mountainous region of Zagori in the morning. The region is a National Park, an area of protected natural beauty which has been included in the European network of “Natura 2000” protected areas. The area is famous for its mountain high peaks as well for its rare and sensitive ecosystem and beautiful gorges such as the famous Vikos gorge. We will visit beautiful villages, walk through alleys, admire the traditional stone architecture and see some of the iconic stone bridges of Epirus region. We will immerse into the traditional mountainous life in Zagoria and admire beautiful panoramic view of the Vikos Gorge.

Lunch in local village.

After lunch and some free time, we will return to Ioannina. We will have a lecture by a local expert.

Dinner on your own. The Group Leader will be happy to suggest options for dinner.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

We will check out from our hotel and depart for Metsovo which is one of the best-known mountain villages of the Greek mainland and the largest Aromanian (Vlach) center of the country. The village was always known for its excellent hand carved wooden items and utensils, the wool and woolen rugs, its dairy products as well as for its fine red wine! Upon arrival we will walk through the cobbled stone alleys and reach the Mansion of Tositsa. The Mansion takes you to a bygone era with its distinctive decoration and magnificent wooden ceilings while the exhibits include copper and wooden kitchen utensils, jewelry, traditional costumes, ornamental items, saddles embroidered with gold, chests, different tools, looms and woven fabrics. The exhibition also includes a rich collection of icons, dating from the 15th to the early 20th century. After the visit of the museum, we will visit the local winery for sampling the local wines.

Wine tasting combined with a light lunch consisted of a variety of Metsovo delicacies.

After lunch we will have some free time to explore Metsovo on your own. The Group Leader will be happy to give you suggestions for your free time. After our free time we will depart for Kalambaka and upon arrival we will check in at our hotel.

At hotel restaurant.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

This morning, we will start with a lecture by a local expert. After our lecture we will have our field trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meteora. Meteora means “suspended in the air” as the monasteries which are located on top of the rocks seem to be hanging from the air. Monasticism started here on the 11th c AD and little by little 20 monasteries were erected attracting pilgrims from all over the Christian Orthodox world. Today 6 monasteries are still functioning. We will drive around the monasteries, stop at viewpoints to admire the excellent views and we will visit a few monasteries. After our visit we will drive to the town of Kalambaka for free time for lunch.

On your own.

After our free time for lunch, we will visit the Meteora Natural History Museum and Mushroom Museum that contains a collection of birds and mammals as well as a comprehensive mushroom museum, the first of its kind in Greece. Free time for further exploration.

At the local restaurant.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.

After we check out from our hotel we will depart for Thessaloniki. We will cross the extended plain of Thessaly and reach the feet of Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain of Greece home of the Olympian gods. We will continue back to the region of Macedonia until we reach the archaeological site of Dion. The sanctuary of Dion was one of the important sanctuaries of Northern Greece. Macedonians held here brilliant festivals and sacrifices to the honor of the different gods but especially to Zeus and the Muses. After the excavations, the site was converted into one of the most beautiful archaeological parks in Greece. After the visit of the archaeological site, we will proceed to the nearby archaeological museum.

Light lunch en route under own arrangements.

Arrival to Thessaloniki in the afternoon and check in to our hotel.

Farewell dinner at local restaurant.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room.