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The region of Macedonia, in northern Greece, is a mild summer vacation destination and a great winter destination. The weather almost never gets as hot as it does in southern Greece and Halkidiki, the region's top destination, tends to attract families and tourists who would rather not expose themselves to the intense heat and sunlight of the southern Aegean.
Halkidiki is a big, three-legged peninsula and attracts the vast majority of holidaymakers who chose northern Greece as their vacation spot. The western and the middle legs, Kassandra and Sithonia, are holiday resorts, with Kassandra being the more upscale and trendy and Sithonia the more picturesque and quiet.
The eastern leg, Mount Athos, or "Holy Mount", as Greeks call it, is a self-ruled area that hosts dozes of Orthodox monasteries that were established here after the 9th century, under Byzantine imperial edicts. The area is accessible only to men; women are strictly forbidden to venture beyond Ouranopolis, the administrative center of the region.
The capital of Macedonia is Thessaloniki, the second biggest city in the country and home to the largest University in Greece, the Aristotelean University of Thessaloniki. The city is built around the Thermaic bay, and, outside of Mount Athos, is home to the largest concentration of Byzantine churches in Greece.
The countryside of Macedonia is green and lush, reminding one more of central Europe than Greece. Its towns, like Edessa and Veroia, are built along rivers whose white waters yield most of the country's catch of trout and eel. Its skiing resorts, such as Tria Pente Pigadia and Kaimataklan, a few dozen kilometers west and southwest of Thessaloniki, are some of the country's best.
Lastly, Macedonia is the land of Alexander the Great. Vergina, near Veroia, is the ancient Macedonian capital city of Aegae where Alexander's father, Philip II, reigned, was assassinated and was buried. The discovery of the Royal Tombs of Vergina and what is believed to be the tomb of Philip II, by Greek archeologist Manolis Andronikos, in the late 1970s, was one of the most important archeological events of the 20th century.
Alexander himself was born here, and was raised in the flat plains of central Macedonia. The young heir was uniquely lucky to be tutored by perhaps the most competent teacher of all time, Aristotle himself, the founder of all Western philosophy and science. Aristotle was born at Stageira, a small town at the eastern end of Halkidiki.
So, you see, Macedonia may not be as fancy a tourism destination as the Cyclades or Crete, but, in its own unique way, it casts a powerful spell on the imagination of any visitor to this country.
The Highlights
The sandy and pebbly beaches of Halkidiki, surrounded by pine forests and some of the clearest waters in all of Greece.
The mild summer weather, with cool nights.
Mount Athos and its Byzantine treasures, but only for men.
The food, all over Macedonia. From the fish taverns of Halkidiki to the incredible traditional restaurants of Thessaloniki.
The Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki.
The ski resorts and the towns of western Macedonia.
We Recommend
Explore Sithonia, the middle leg of Halkidiki, especially the east coast and the southern tip, and also Ormos Panagias.
If a man, definitely visit Mount Athos for a day or two.
See the Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki and visit the Museum of Byzantine Culture.
Eat in one of the meze restaurants of Thessaloniki.
Drive around western Macedonia and visit Naoussa and Veroia.
Don't miss the Royal Tombs at Vergina.
We Do Not Recommend
Driving from Thessaloniki to Halkidiki on Friday afternoons and from Halkidiki to Thessaloniki on Sunday nights. The traffic jams can be horrendous.
The mountain roads of western Macedonia during winter snow and ice storms.
