Day Trip to Pella Vergina

For history enthusiasts, no trip to Thessaloniki or the broader area of Halkidiki/Katerini is complete without a visit to Pella and Vergina, two of the most significant historical centers of Northern Greece.

We start our journey in Pella, the second capital of the kingdom of Macedon and birthplace of Alexander the Great, which was a place of wealth and power as indicated by the finds in today’s archaeological site. Pella was known for its impressive buildings, especially its vast palace, and the lavish, intricate mosaics which visitors can admire at the Pella museum. Apart from the mosaics, the museum hosts a wide variety of exhibits, namely statues, sculptures and artifacts from ancient Macedonians’ everyday and public life as well as the famous marble head of Alexander the Great.

Our next stop is Vergina, located where ancient Aigai, the first capital of the Macedonian Kingdom once stood, and which has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. At the Museum and site of the Royal Tombs of Aigai, visitors have the unique opportunity to see the royal tombs and their impressive exhibits, with most famous among them the Golden Larnax of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, which was adorned with the Vergina Sun, emblem of the Macedonian Dynasty, as well as the gold wreaths discovered inside the royal tombs.

Our trip ends with a visit at the modern Polycentric Museum of Aigai which serves as the connecting link of this archaeological park that also includes the Archaic necropolis of Aigai, the city’s theater and King Philip’s Palace. The wealth of museum exhibits include everyday life artifacts, weaponry and military equipment as well as royal jewelry.