You can find in one, informational and visually-saturated journey, combining the floating in the sky Meteora and the sacred capital of ancient Macedonia, all the most interesting and spectacular that is worth visiting, resting in the north of Greece.
In this journey travelers can enjoy the history of ancient Macedonia and Byzantine Christianity, the richness of ancient burials and the riot of colors of surrounding landscapes, the greatness of nature and the strength of human hands will be intertwined with thousands of threads. This road from the ancient Vergina to Meteora will leave a trace in every heart.
For today in Vergina is situated one of the richest and most spectacular museums in Greece - the burial tomb of the Macedonian kings, where in the late 20th century archaeologists discovered several royal tombs that were not demolished. Magnificent views of the gorge of the river Alyakmonas from the monastery of st. John the Forerunner will remain on your pictures and in your memory for all your life.
You should definitely start the acquaintance with the amazing history of ancient Macedonia with Vergina. On the place of the small town of Vergina, a millennium ago, appeared the city of Aeges, the very first Macedonian capital. No big surprise, that here was found the tomb of the great conqueror, Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. Alexander the Fourth, his son, was buried in the same lands.
In those old days there was a legend, which said, that the Argeades dinasty would fall as soon as one of the Macedonian kings would be buried in a foreign land. One cannot believe these ancient "tales", but it after Alexander III death, whose grave was not found until now, that the glorious Macedonia began to lose its power.
However, this friendly Greek town attracts travelers not only with its archaeological finds. The tops of the cliffs adjacent behind them a surprisingly beautiful place. Here, among the mountains, drowning in greenery and flowers, there is an ancient monastery - the skete of John the Baptist. The mountains in the vicinity of the monastery are full of natural caves, in which the first monks-hermits founded the first monastery. This Christian pearl, lost among the rocks, is incredibly beautiful. The stone walls of the temples, the life-giving spirit of the holy monastery and the mirror-like waters of the river Alyakmonas altogether create such a place, where all travelers would want to use their cameras.
On the boundless lands of Thessaly Plain, there is a small town of Kalambaka, known not so much for its history and sights, but for close position to the amazing miracle of nature - rocks Meteora. On the way to Kalambaka there is the land, filled with the magic scent of fresh berries and fine wine - the estate of Liakou. Here you can not only walk among the greenery vineyards, giving the wine with amazingly pure taste and fruity aroma, but also to go to the holy of holies of the winery - the production hall. Here you can taste local wines, the grapes for which ripened under the shadow of the holy Meteora.
After you get close to the Meteora, you should devote a day, just observing these rocks. It’s difficult to say, what can amaze more, huge 600-meter high boulders or the walls of man-made monasteries that have merged with the stone towering above the plain. Hundreds of years ago in this place was built the first monastery, behind which two dozen monasteries were pulled to the skies.
Here are also located icon-painting workshops, where the best masters right in front of the eyes of visitors create faces of the saints with a brush.
Comfortable shoes, a hat, appropriate clothes for visiting monasteries.
Drinking water, money for souvenirs, lunch, wine and entrance tickets to the monasteries, a positive attitude and a desire to get rich spiritually :)
| AUTO STANDART CLASS up to 4 Pax.
|
800 € excursion Book | ||
| AUTO BUSINESS CLASS Mercedes E Class up to 4 Pax.
|
900 € excursion Book | ||
| MINIVAN BUSINESS CLASS Mercedes Vito Tourer up to 8 Pax.
|
1130 € excursion Book |
Transfer to Vergina.
1 hour
Excursion to the Museum of the Macedonian Royal Tombs in Vergina
45 min.
Moving to the monastery of st. John the Baptist, located in a picturesque place on the western slopes of Mount Olympus, in the rocks above the river Alyakmonas
20 min.
Visiting the monastery, where the great saints and theologians of medieval Byzantium lived. Here the cave of St. Gregory Palamas and the holy relics of many saints are still preserved
20 min.
Moving to the city of Veria - the capital of the Immathia region, where in the 1st century AD the apostle Paul preached
20 min.
Lunch in one of the town restaurants can be combined with a visit to the \"Tribune of the Apostle Paul\" - the place where, according to tradition, the apostle addressed the local inhabitants with the Evangelic sermon
1 hour
Moving to Meteora with a stop at the winery, located in the vicinity of Meteora
2 hours
Get to know the winemaking traditions of Northern Greece and taste the local wines (optional)
40 min.
Accommodation in a hotel in one of the towns, located at the foot of the Meteor rocks: Kalambaka or Kastraki. On request, dinner and free time
Breakfast in the hotel
9:00
Visit to the Iconpainting Workshop at the foot of the Meteora Cliffs
30 min.
We visit two or more of the six Meteora monasteries opened for tourists, as well as several historical churches and monasteries, which are closed to visitors, the existence of which is not suspected not only by the numerous tourists, but also by most guides visiting Meteora
4 hours
in one of the traditional taverns in the town of Kalambaka at the foot of the Meteor Cliffs
1 hour
Transfer to the gorge of Tembi, where on the southern slopes of Olympus is the cave temple of St. Paraskevi
1 hour
That\'s how the name of St. Paraskeva is being translated. Her miracle-working icon rests in a small cave church in this amazing place. The temple and the spring of St. Paraskeva can only be reached by an overhang bridge connecting Central and Northern Greece!
30 min.
Return to Thessaloniki
2 hours
