Treasures of Thessaloniki & Northern Greece

Day 1 – Thessaloniki

Scheduled flight to Thessaloniki – transfer with our professional guide in our private executive coach to the 4* Porto Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki for a two night stay.

Day 2 – Guided tour of Thessaloniki

Guided tour of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second city, founded by King Kassandros in 315 BC taking in sights such as the Byzantine Church of Agios, Greece’s largest church, the Galerius Mausoleum, the Roman Arch of Galerius and the White Tower – rest of the day is at leisure in Thessaloniki.

Day 3 – Mount Athos & boat trip

The UNESCO listed Mount Athos at Halkidiki is home to spectacular mountains and delightful water inlets and 20 monasteries housing some 1,400 monks, while its school of painting influenced the history of Orthodox art – included boat trip to see the monasteries of Mount Athos close up – rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 4 – Pella & Aigai

Visit Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia and birthplace of Alexander the Great – at the archaeological site of Aigai, the ancient first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, the most important remains are the monumental palace, lavishly decorated with mosaics and painted stuccoes, and the Great Tumulus is identified as that of Philip II, who conquered all the Greek cities, paving the way for his son Alexander and the expansion of the Hellenistic World.

Day 5 – Metéora & monastery of Megálo Metéoro

The natural sandstone towers of Metéora were first used as a religious retreat when, in AD 985, a hermit named Barnabas occupied a cave here, and then in 1336 the monk Athanásios founded the monastery of Megálo Metéoro on one of the thousand or so pinnacles, with 23 monasteries following, though due largely to their precarious location, many had fallen into ruin by the end of the 18th century – an included lunch – continue to the 4* The Lake Hotel at Ioánnina for a three night stay.

Day 6 – Guided tour of Ioánnina & boat trip to the Island of Ioánnina

Guided tour of Ioánnina, the capital of the ancient Epirus region which prospered during Ottoman times when its famous craftsmen’s guilds were formed – boat trip to the Island of Ioánnina to visit the Ali Pasha and the Revolutionary Period Museum, commemorating Ali Pasha whose aim was to gain independence from his overlords and by 1820 he had an empire stretching from Albania to the Peloponnese.

Day 7 – Monodénri, Vikos & farewell dinner

The Zagora region, located in the heart of the Pindos Mountains, is home to some of Europe’s most spectacular scenery and during our scenic tour we visit the villages of Monodénri and Vikos, both offering stunning views over the spectacular Vikos Gorge – at lunch time we enjoy a tasting of locally produced cheese and sausage – a farewell dinner is included at a carefully selected restaurant close to our hotel.

Day 8 – Home

Transfer to Thessaloniki Airport for our scheduled flight back home.