Lo mejor de Tesalónica
Duration
5 days
Airports
Arrival and Departure: Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia
Transportation
Plane and rental car
A 5-day trip to Thessaloniki and Northern Greece, the least known region, but with great historical and cultural importance in the country. Visit the Byzantine churches, the Roman forum and palace, and the Archaeological Museum. Immerse yourself in the culture and gastronomy! Do not miss the opportunity to dedicate one of your days to discover the surrounding cities. Vergina and Pella, the two capitals of the Macedonian kingdom, stand out for their archaeological and historical importance!
The city of Thessaloniki is named after the sister of Alexander the Great and wife of its founder, Cassander of Macedonia. It was founded in 315 a. C. and is the second largest city in Greece. Thessaloniki has always been a crossroads of civilizations, a place where the East meets the West and where great cultures and religions have been mixed. The entire city is an open-air museum and was one of the first centers of Christianity.
The importance of Thessaloniki in the past can be understood considering that fifteen of its Paleocristian and Byzantine churches and monuments have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites. The mosaics of the Rotunda, the church of Saint Dimitrios and Saint David of Thessaloniki are among the most important masterpieces of paleo-Christian art.
Thessaloniki today is a modern city, elegant and vibrant, its people are hospitable and very lively. Visitors to Thessaloniki fall in love with the city and Greek traditions. The compact size of the city and the proximity to the main attractions make Thessaloniki an ideal destination to relax, have fun and know the melting pot of cultures of this charming city and its surroundings, the main cities of the Macedonian kingdom, homeland of Alexander the Great.
Discover Thessaloniki in the most authentic way, specially selected by the trip designers of Trip Tailors. A truly unforgettable travel experience that will make you fall in love with the second largest city in Greece.
By Trip Tailors
This trip can be adjusted to your specific needs. Fill out the contact form with the travel dates, your budget, number of travelers and anything else you consider essential for us in order to send you our personalized proposal.
- ITINERARY
Your steps
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Thessaloniki
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Thessaloniki
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Thessaloniki - Pella - Vergina - Thessaloniki
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Thessaloniki
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Thessaloniki
DAY 1
Thessaloniki
Welcome to Thessaloniki! Our driver will welcome you at the airport and take you to your hotel. The rest of the day free so you can take an introductory walk to the city.
Accommodation: Thessaloniki
DAY 2
Thessaloniki
Spend the day in Thessaloniki exploring the city.
Start your day by visiting the Byzantine churches, which date back to the 6th century and have exquisite mosaics and have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Then, follow the Roman footprints of the city, at the Roman Forum and the Palace of the Roman Caesar Gaius Valerius Galerius Maximianus.
Among the other prominent sites is the White Tower, which offers stunning views of the sea and the city and the Rotunda.
Visit the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Jewish Museum, where you can observe the history of the region.
Don't miss a walk through the central food markets and try the famous cuisine of the region.
Accommodation: Thessaloniki
DAY 3
Thessaloniki - Pella - Vergina - Thessaloniki
Today we leave to explore Macedonia, seeing the two most important ancient cities of the kingdom that Alexander the Great expanded throughout the known world in the 4th century BC.
In the morning, after breakfast, you will pick up your rental car at the hotel and leave to see the archaeological site of Pella. The total distance is less than 100 km.
It was in Pella, the capital of the Macedonians, where King Philip and his son Alexander the Great, educated by Aristotle, were born. You can visit the Agora of the Hellenistic Pella, the house of Dionysus, the House of the Abduction of Helen and the house of Poseidon with its impressive decorative mosaics. In the fascinating Archaeological Museum of Pella objects of daily life, religion, public life, the cemetery and the palace of this great city are exhibited.
After the visit of Pella, your exploration in the kingdom of Macedonia continues towards Aigai (today Vergina), one of the most important archaeological finds in Greece. Here, in the old capital, King Philip II was assassinated while visiting the theater to celebrate the wedding of his daughter, Cleopatra. His unexpected death left only Alexander III as successor to the throne, better known as Alexander the Great.
Manolis Andronikos conducted a six-week excavation at the Great Mound (a hill outside the city walls) in 1977 and discovered four buried tombs, two of which had never been disturbed. One of the three tombs was complete, including all grave goods and many other things besides the tombs, and has been attributed to the great monarch Philip II. At present this tomb is considered the greatest treasure of antiquity after that of Tutankhamen and that of the Lord of Sipán.
Today, you can visit the Royal Tombs Museum, which was erected over the tombs to preserve them and show the mound as it was before the excavations.
In the afternoon, back in Thessaloniki and delivery of your rental car.
Accommodation: Thessaloniki
DAY 4
Thessaloniki
Free day to continue with the visit of the city.
Accommodation: Thessaloniki
DAY 5
Thessaloniki
After breakfast, check out from the hotel and transfer to Thessaloniki airport.
