Secret Greece - Alexander & Olympus

Fly from London to Thessaloniki and transfer to the centrally placed 5-star hotel Mediterranean Palace for a four-night stay. Enjoy a welcome drink, and later take a short walk in the city, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
(D)

A tour of multi-faceted Thessaloniki visits the Church of Agios Dimitrios, the city’s patron saint, a five-aisled basilica adorned with gilded icons and a pair of 7th-century mosaicked pillars; the remains of the 4th-century castle walls, built on the site of the ancient acropolis and the Rotunda, one of the oldest Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments in the city; the Archaeological Museum, with exhibits from archaic, classical, Hellenistic and Roman eras; and the Museum of Byzantine Culture, its eleven themed rooms displaying objects from the 2nd to the 15th century.
(B)

Visit ancient Pella, the birthplace of 3rd-century BC King Philip II and his son, Alexander the Great; and renowned for its magnificent mosaics, some still in-situ, others preserved, with ceramics and statuary, in the site’s museum. Continue to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Vergina, its monumental palace the largest in classical Greece; the hundreds of tombs of its ancient necropolis including those of King Philip II and his grandson, Alexander IV, un-looted and laden with silver and gold artefacts; and its on-site museum, built within the burial mound, revealing the breathtaking collection of grave goods, from jewellery and figurines to frescoes and the funeral couch.
(B)

Travel to the Archaeological Park of Dion, at the foot of Mount Olympus, a city and a sacred sanctuary of the Gods, where Hellenistic and Roman remains include the Temples of Zeus and of Egyptian gods, Isis and Anubis; a Roman theatre, the fabulous Dionysus mosaic, and the remnants of an early Christian basilica; and the many marble statues displayed in Dion’s museum. Enjoy lunch in the traditional village of Litichoro, on the slopes of Mount Olympus, and a stroll on the banks of the Enipeas River.
(B, L)

Travel to Ouranoupolis, on the easternmost of the ‘three fingers’ promontories, and cruise the coast of the Mount Athos peninsula to view the 1000year-old monasteries from the water. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Athos is known as the Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain. First inhabited by monks in 5AD, its twenty reclusive, orthodox monasteries cling precariously to the cliffs. Drive north to Serres for a three-night stay at the 4-star Elpida Resort & Spa.
(B)

Head west to the Serres wetlands for a sail on Lake Kerkini reservoir, the centre point of its namesake national park, and a beautiful haven for wildlife, with big flocks of pelicans among the birdlife. After lunch in a local restaurant, continue to very traditional Kilkis to visit the imposing Doiran Memorial of the 1917-18 battle, and the British Military Cemetery. Enjoy a farewell dinner in a local restaurant overlooking the city of Serres. (B, L, D)

Transfer to Thessaloniki airport for the return flight to London.
(B)