Depart on a flight to Thessaloniki via Athens. Arrive in Thessaloniki in the evening, pick up your rental car at the airport, and head to your hotel at your leisure.
Dinner at leisure and overnight at Electra Palace 5* Hotel.
Head to one of Greece's most beautiful natural wonders, Meteora. Above the Piniós Valley and the town of Kalambáka, you’ll see a cluster of rock formations resembling "sugarloafs," creating a "forest of rocks" with fantastic shapes and steep cliffs. This extraordinary natural phenomenon is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Meals at leisure and overnight at Divani Meteora 4* Hotel.
Continue exploring the six famous “monasteries suspended in the sky”: the Great Meteoron Monastery, Varlaam Monastery, Agios Stefanos Monastery, Holy Trinity Monastery, Agios Nikolaos Monastery, and Roussano Monastery. Also, consider visiting the nearby town of Trikala, home to castles, Byzantine churches, and monasteries.
Meals at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Depart for Aristi and the "Zagoria" region, where an unexpected Greece unfolds on the trails of this area. Zagoria, the Slavic name meaning "beyond the mountains," promises beauty. The sacred is never far in these untouched landscapes where Orthodox monasteries cling to the rocks, hidden within forests.
Meals at leisure and overnight at Aristi Mountain Resort 5* Hotel.
Today, explore the traditional villages of Zagoria, including Aristi, one of the prettiest villages in the region, located at the entrance to the Vikos National Park (home to Europe's deepest canyon, the Vikos Gorge); the Panagia Spiliotissa Monastery; and the villages of Papingo and Mikro Papingo, considered the most beautiful in the area.
Meals and overnight at the hotel.
Depart for Ohrid, the "pearl of Macedonia," located by the lake of the same name, just across from Albania. Ohrid is rich in religious heritage, as seen in its many churches and monasteries. The lake is one of the oldest in the world. The lower town, with its narrow, winding streets, is well-preserved.
Meals at leisure and overnight at Villa St. Sofija 4* Hotel.
Spend the day discovering Ohrid and its surroundings, largely built between the 7th and 19th centuries. Ohrid’s architecture is the best-preserved and most complete example of ancient urban architecture in this part of Europe. Ohrid is a UNESCO World Heritage site for both its natural (lake) and cultural significance. It was the first site in the world to be granted this dual UNESCO status.
Meals at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Head to Lefkadia to visit the Macedonian tombs, including the Tomb of Judgment, the largest and most beautiful Macedonian tomb ever discovered. Continue to Pella, the largest city of ancient Macedonia during the reign of King Philip II. Then head to Thessaloniki after the visits.
Dinner at leisure and overnight at Electra Palace 5* Hotel.
Visit the magnificent archaeological site of Dion, where the ruins of the ancient city, shaded by Mount Olympus, evoke the grandeur of this small city once honored by Macedonia's great kings. It was also one of the most important religious centers in the Macedonian kingdom. Then continue to Vergina, the site of ancient Aigai, the first capital of the Macedonian Kingdom. Explore the numerous ruins, including a monumental palace.
Meals at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Depart for Ouranoupolis, the gateway to the Mount Athos Monastic Republic. Mount Athos, a world nearly untouched by modernity, is deeply spiritual, regarded in Christian tradition as the "Garden of the Virgin Mary." Note: You can view the monasteries from the sea on a boat cruise (group cruises from Ouranoupolis), but to visit the monasteries, you'll need prior permission from Thessaloniki’s Pilgrim Office. Continue on to Kavala.
Meals at leisure and overnight at Imaret 5* Hotel.
Head to the nearby ancient city of Philippi, a UNESCO World Heritage site located at the foot of an acropolis on the ancient Via Egnatia, which once linked Europe and Asia. The majestic ruins here are poignant reminders of past civilizations. You can also visit Panagia, the old town of Kavala with its overhanging houses and cobbled streets; Kavala’s fortress, built by the Byzantines and later modified by the Ottomans; and the impressive Kamares aqueduct. If time permits, continue on to the lovely town of Xanthi.
Meals at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Return to Thessaloniki at your leisure. If time allows, explore Greece’s second-largest city, which boasts a fascinating mix of Byzantine, Macedonian, Ottoman, and Sephardic influences.
Afternoon flight back home via Athens.
Thessaloniki: Electra Palace 5*
Kalambaka: Divani Meteora 4*
Aristi: Aristi Mountain Resort 5*
Ohrid: Villa St. Sofija 4*
Kavala: Imaret 5*
