|
Send this page |
 |
|
|
| Sent this page to a friend |
|
Send a postcard |
|
|
| click to send a postcard |
|
 |
Macedonia (Makedonia) is Greece's largest
geographical region and occupies the northern part of the country.
The climate is generally continental though coastal areas benefit
from the moderating influence of the sea and can be said to
have a Mediterranean climate. Macedonia includes large fertile
plains, such as the plain of Thessaloniki,
mineral rich, areas, such as Chalkidiki, wooded
mountains, lakes, wetlands, enchanting waterfalls, forests of
fir, pine, and beech trees. |
| Slopes inhabited even today by endangered wild
animals such as bears and wolves. Rushing rivers, caves, verdant
plains, fertile valleys, distant lake shores, beautiful coasts,
and large and small fishing villages. |
Thessaloniki
'The capital is Thessaloniki, the bride of the Thermaic gulf, which
owes her name to the daughter of king Philip of Macedon.
The city is decorated with many Roman and Byzantine monuments, with
the White Tower the best known, the old city, and
countless Byzantine churches. Today all of Thessaloniki buzzes with
life, The roads, parks, and squares are lively and on the commercial
streets people frequent the shops with their bright window displays.
Old houses, neoclassical and modern, among them are tavernas, restaurants,
bars, expensive night clubs and cozy little places redolent with the
smells of Macedonian delicacies. Theatres, cinemas, pastry shops,
and cafes, and once a year, every September, the wonders of technology
are gathered and shown at the International Exhibition.
King Philip of Macedon named his first daughter Thessaloniki.
later, Kassandros, Alexander the Great's
general who succeeded him on the throne, married the young princess
and gave her name to the city he founded (316-317 B.C,) From here,
St. Paul, the Apostle of the Nations, spread the
Word of Christianity (50 A.D.). And the Roman emperor, Galerius,
made the city his headquarters (300 A,D.). Here, too, Demetrios,
a Roman officer, was martyred, thus becoming Thessaloniki's patron
saint (303). The wealth and glory of Byzantine followed. Along with
a succession of enemies (Slavs, Avars, Saracens, Normans, Catalans
and Turks), but each time, after each invasion, Thessaloniki survived,
clad in the Byzantine and ancient garb for which she was predestined.
Her beauty was trumpeted far and wide. The magnificence of her landmarks:
The Arch of Galerius and the Rotonda
with its mosaics. Agia Sofia, the Acheiropoiitos,
Osios David, Agioi Apostoloi, the
Vlatadon Monastery, Agios Dimitrios,
Profitis Ilias, Agios Nikolaos -
churches representing every phase of Byzantine architecture and painting
- as well as Byzantine walls, castles and towers.
The White Tower, built on the site of an
older tower, and the other tower, its twin, the Trigonio.
The Archaeological Museum is a true surprise,
the wealth and splendour of its contents fixes us like a magnet,
while the Folk Art Museum entrances us with its lovely crafts
from the 18th and 19th century. Not far from the museum is a
contemporary landmark, the International Fair
Grounds, a crossroads |
 |
| where people meet in friendship and cooperation,
while, above it, looms the University named after Aristotle.
All Thessaloniki pulsates with life. The streets are bustling
with activity and cars! Spacious avenues, parks, squares, trees.
Streets lined with shops and alluring show-windows. Old, neoclassical
houses next to modern apartment blocks. And plenty of tavernas,
ouzeris, restaurants, hotels, night clubs,
bars, "bouzoukia", (Thessaloniki
was where rebetika, the Greek "blues"
were born), cinemas, theatres, cafes, whose chairs and tables
fill the pavements and the piazzas. |
Chalkidiki & Ag. Oros
| Chalkidiki lies to the south, Mt.
Athos, the monastic state, the holy mountain, a separate
and special feature. Dozens of fabulous Byzantine monasteries
lurk in the fertile valleys and perch on sheer rocky coasts
hiding unique treasures. The capital of Chalkidiki is Polygyros,
a picturesque town. Its unique sights are its three fingers,
Kassandra, Sithonia |
 |
| and Athos, with beautiful sandy beaches and pine trees
that come down to 'meet' the deep blue water of the sea. |
Pieria
West of Thessaloniki lies Central Macedonia, Here the outstanding
sights are the archaeological sights of Dion, Vergina
and Pella.
| The district of Pieria, whose
capital is fair Katerini with the castle of
Platamonas gazing upon the Aegean, has fine
wide sandy beaches, Litochoro on the foothills
of Mt. Olympus, the domicile of the gods, and
Dion, the pan- Macedonian sanctuary devoted to the worship of
Zeus (Dias). |
 |
Imathia
Veroia, with Byzantine churches, is the capital of the district
of Imathia, which is also home to Naousa of much running
water and thick vegetation, and to Vergina which is associated
with ancient Aiges and whose tombs have been attributed to
Philip of Macedon.
Pella
| Edessa is capital of the district
of Pella, which has waterfalls and ancient Pella. |
 |
Kilkis & Western Macedonia
Next, is Kilkis with the impressively decorated cave,
picturesque villages towns and lake Doirani lake
with its rich natural environment.
Western Macedonia boasts four enchanting districts: Kozani,
with its scenic capital of the same name, Grevena
, with tall wooded mountains and an untamed natural environment, Kastoria,
with the lake and pretty town built amphitheatrically on its shores,
and the dozens of fur making workshops, and lastly, Florina
with Mikri and Megali Prespa (large lakes) and beautiful
traditional villages built on the slopes of forested mountains.
View our
hotel list |
|
