Central Macedonia

Central Macedonia is the land of Alexander the Great and today the most popular beach coast in northern Greece. A vacation in Central Macedonia combines the lively port city of Thessaloniki with the three prongs of Halkidiki, the mountain of the gods, Mount Olympus, and the royal tombs of Vergina. For many travelers from Central Europe, the region is also easy to reach by car.

Landscape Between Mount Olympus and the Aegean

At its center lies the wide plain of the Axios and Aliakmon rivers, where rice, peaches and cotton grow. In the southwest rises the Olympus massif, at almost 2,920 meters Greece's highest mountain and the country's first national park. To the east, the Halkidiki peninsula juts into the sea with its three prongs, Kassandra, Sithonia and Athos, lined with pine forests and fine sandy beaches. In the north, lakes such as Lake Kerkini, an important bird paradise with pelicans, and mountains border North Macedonia and Bulgaria. On the Thermaic Gulf you will also find the wetlands of the Axios Delta with flamingos and herons, and in the northeast Lake Volvi and Lake Koronia form a chain of lakes.

Thessaloniki: Byzantium and Harbor Life

Thessaloniki is Greece's second-largest city and has a distinctive, laid-back character. The waterfront promenade leads to the White Tower, the city's landmark, and on to Aristotelous Square. The city's early Christian and Byzantine churches, including the Rotunda and the Church of Saint Demetrius, are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The upper town, Ano Poli, with its winding lanes and remains of the city walls, offers sweeping views over the gulf. For centuries the city was also a center of Sephardic Jews, which the Jewish Museum commemorates, and the birthplace of Atatürk. Markets such as Modiano and Kapani and the bars in the Ladadika district shape daily life. The White Tower houses a museum on the city's history, and the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Byzantine Culture are among the best in the country. On the promenade, Giorgos Zongolopoulos's umbrella sculpture draws photographers. In October the city celebrates its patron saint, Demetrius, and in November the International Film Festival takes place.

Sights in Central Macedonia

In Vergina near Veria, the tomb of Philip II, Alexander's father, lies in an underground museum with golden treasures, a highlight of any trip. Pella, the ancient Macedonian capital, displays pebble mosaics. Veria itself has a Jewish quarter and numerous Byzantine churches. At the foot of Mount Olympus lies Dion with its sanctuaries of Zeus, and hiking tours to the summit start from Litochoro. Mount Athos is an autonomous monastic republic that only men with a special permit may enter; women can see the monasteries on boat cruises from Ouranoupoli. Serres in the northeast is the starting point for Lake Kerkini and the Alistrati Cave. In Edessa, waterfalls plunge over a rock edge in the middle of the city, in winter the Kaimaktsalan ski area is a draw, and Naoussa is known for red wine from the Xinomavro grape.

Beach Resorts and Coastal Destinations in Central Macedonia

On Kassandra, lively resorts such as Kallithea, Pefkochori and Hanioti line up one after another, while Sithonia has quieter bays and villages such as Nikiti, Neos Marmaras and Toroni. The Olympic Riviera below Mount Olympus, with Paralia Katerinis and Leptokarya, is especially popular with families and visitors from Eastern Europe; Katerini is its main town. Kassandra is separated from the mainland by a canal near Nea Potidea and offers lively beach bars, while Sithonia, with its pine forests and hidden coves, invites hiking and snorkeling. Ouranoupoli, the last freely accessible town before the monastic republic, has a Byzantine defensive tower at the harbor and long beaches from which you can see the summit of Athos on a clear day. Things are quieter in Ierissos on the gulf of the same name.

Food, Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Thessaloniki is considered the culinary capital of Greece. For breakfast there is bougatsa, flaky pastry filled with semolina custard or cheese, and koulouri sesame rings. In the ouzeries, mezedes with mussels from the Thermaic Gulf are served, along with tsipouro. The pastry shops are famous for trigona panoramatos, cream-filled pastry cones. Makedonia Airport has numerous direct flights from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and buses run to Halkidiki. The best time to visit for beach vacations is June to September; for hiking on Mount Olympus and city visits, May and October. Peaches grow on the plain around Veria, and Serres is known for its own bougatsa tradition.