Macedonia is the largest prefecture in Greece and not surprisingly has a wide variety of attractions to appeal to the visitor. These include Greece’s second city, Thessaloniki, a lively waterfront city with a wealth of history that can only be rivalled by Athens, and the major seaport of Kavala.
Some of the best beaches are on the Halkidiki peninsula, to the south-east of Thessaloniki. To find out more, read our Halkidiki page.
In contrast to the modern metropolis of Thessaloniki and the beaches of Halkidiki, the west of Macedonia is a remote and rugged region bordered by the Pindus Mountains where a few wolves and bears still roam the forests. Here too are the magnificent and beautiful Prespa Lakes, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and nearby the beautiful lakeside town of Kastoria.
Lovers of the natural world can also visit Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek Gods, which provides some challenging walking and an opportunity to climb to the highest point in the country.
Historians will be more than satisfied with such sites as ancient Pella, which has some of the best mosaics in the country, the hauntingly atmospheric ancient city of Dion, The site at Philippi where the apostle Paul was imprisoned, and Vergína, where the one-time Macedonian kings once had their Royal Palace and which has produced some of the finest archaeological finds in Greece in the last hundred years. Macedonia is also the region which produced one of the greatest Greeks who ever lived: Alexander the Great.
Hardly seeming to belong to the 21st century is the peninsula of Mount Athos, known as the Monks’ Republic, where the contemplative life goes on as it has done for the last thousand years. There could be no greater contrast than the busy beaches and modern nightlife on the other two peninsulas of three-pronged Halkidikí, which juts into the Aegean Sea.
East of Macedonia is the long, thin prefecture of Thrace, which leads the visitor towards Turkey and where the Turkish influences are more notable the closer you get to the border. Towns like Xanthi and Komotini show definite touches of the Middle East, while the nearest city to Turkey is Alexandroupoli.
Thrace also contains some of the most unspoilt and unvisited parts of Greece, where few foreign visitors venture but those that do are rewarded with unforgettable natural beauty. The beach and ancient archaeological site of Avdira are typical of these.
In the northern part of Thrace are the Rodópi Mountains, separating Greece from its Balkan neighbour, Bulgaria. In the extreme east of the region are the Evros Delta and the Dadia Forest, where wildlife flourishes. There may be no wolves and bears at the eastern extremity of this region of Greece, but there are eagles soaring in the sky, and a definite awareness of being somewhere on the very edge of the country.
Driving in Greece
For a drive from Kastoria to the Prespa Lakes, see
Scenic Drives in Northern Greece.
An ancient gold ring dating back to Mycenaean times was recently returned to Greece by Sweden’s Nobel Foundation, according to an announcement of the Greek Culture Ministry. The Mycenaean signet ring…
Kastellorizo, one of Greece’s smallest islands located in the Dodecanese, is getting ready to host the 1st Rock Solid island trail race, scheduled to take place during June 11-12.
Greece is among the six winners of the 2022 edition of the Natura 2000 Awards, an event that recognises conservation success stories across the EU and raises awareness on the Natura 2000 protected are…
The Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) has handed over under a concession deal a 1934 silo on the port of Piraeus and the surrounding space to the Greek Culture Ministry so that it may be converted into a M…
Peel Me a Lotus by Charmian Clift is a Hydra travel writing classic, describing her family’s life on this tiny Greek island near Athens in the 1950s.
The churches of Thessaloniki are remarkable and include UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, Byzantine masterpieces, and a church dating from the 5th century.
Greece’s beaches are among the world’s cleanest with the region of Halkidiki and the island of Rhodes in the lead this year, according to the 2022 Blue Flag quality award list for beaches, marinas and…
The Municipality of Lipsi is saying “no” to sunbeds on the island’s beaches and is encouraging travelers to enjoy eco-conscious summer holidays this year in order to live authentic experiences. “We ar…
The Municipality of Ioannina, the capital of the Region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, has launched action to associate the city’s gastronomy with the destination’s brand-name and identity. “Adding t…
The Athens Municipality recently completed the first phase of a 4.2-million-euro refurbishment project aiming to upgrade the National Garden, one of the Greek capital’s landmark sites. The refurbished…