Excursions from Halkidiki in Greece

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 04:49

Thessaloniki
Meteora
Kastoria
Pieria
Athens

The Halkidiki peninsula in the northern part of the Aegean Sea is considered the best holiday destination in mainland Greece. In shape, it resembles a trident, each of the teeth of which is a separate peninsula. Endless lines of beaches, stretching into the rainbow haze of the horizon, with dazzling white, golden or orange sand, amber pine trees with emerald crowns, and the sea, gentle and playful, turn this place into a mysterious Greek fairy tale. Resort towns on the coast offer a comfortable stay in hotels of all categories. Numerous travel agencies seduce vacationers with a wide variety of excursions from Halhidiki to Greece. But the peninsula itself, along with its three teeth, is full of such beauties and wonders, only after seeing which it will be possible to head inland. And the first city that gets in the way is Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki

One of the most beautiful cities in Greece was founded in 315 BC. king Cassander and named after his wife Thessalonica, sister of Alexander the Great. Over the centuries, it belonged to different empires and kingdoms, many peoples inhabited Thessaloniki at different times and left their signs. The city is full of attractions from different eras and cultures. The symbol of Thessaloniki is the White Tower, erected in the 16th century. during the Ottoman rule. Now the tower serves as a museum, and a cozy cafe is located on its observation deck. A wonderful panorama of the city opens up from here.

Many architectural monuments of Thessaloniki are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List:

Basilica of St. Demetrius, which houses the shrine with the relics of Dmitry Thessaloniki
Arc de Triomphe of Emperor Galerius
Rotunda of St. George
Church of St. Sophia
Basilica of Achiropiitos of the 5th century

And that is not all. It is difficult to list all the treasures of the city, and many interesting things can be found in its museums.

A one-day excursion from Halkidiki to Thessaloniki will cost about 30 euros for adults, discounts for children.

Meteora

Further from Thessaloniki, you can head east, to one of the most beautiful and amazing places in Greece - "soaring in the clouds" monasteries of Meteora. Here, on the tops of inaccessible rocks of bizarre shapes, from the X century. hermits found shelter and built a total of 24 monasteries. Currently, there are 6 operating ones that tourists can visit.

The cost of such an excursion is 50 euros, for children - 25 euros.

Kastoria

You can head from Thessaloniki and westward to Kastoria, a city with over 500 fur factories. Most tourists come here for wonderful fur coats. But the sights of the city will not leave anyone indifferent. The time remaining after a successful shopping can be devoted to ancient frescoes in numerous churches of the Byzantine period and to see the most ancient church of Mavriotisa on the territory of the 11th century monastery.

There are many museums in the city, among which the most unusual

Fur Museum
Clothing museum
Holographic museum
Byzantine Museum

Prices for an excursion to Kastoria depend on how many fur coats you are going to buy there.

Pieria

From Thessaloniki to the south, the path leads to Pieria, to Olympus - the most famous and highest mountain in Greece, the abode of the gods. Now Olympus is the National Park of Greece. Walking or cycling trips are organized along it.

At its foot you can see the ruins of the ancient Macedonian city of Dion. Make a pilgrimage to the cave temple of St. Paraskeva in the paradise valley of Tempi, immersed in the greenery of century-old plane trees, oaks and laurels between Mount Olympus and Ossa.

Athens

While in Greece, it is impossible not to visit Athens, one of the oldest capitals in Europe, with a rich history, and with so many attractions that just listing them will take several pages, and it will take many days to see them. First of all worth a visit