VERGINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
Vergina is a small town in northern Greece, located in the
regional unit of Imathia, Central Macedonia. The town
became internationally famous in 1977, when the Greek
archaeologist Manolis Andronikos unearthed the burial site of
the kings of Macedon, including the tomb of Philip II, father
of Alexander the Great.
Some of the most impressive and important exhibits from
the Macedonian dominated period of the Greek history are
available in the exact location that the original
excavations took place. The museum was built in 1993,
16 years after the discovery of the Royal tombs in
“Aiges”.
It was built in order to create ideal conditions
considering the humidity and temperature needed for
the findings to be properly preserved and protected.
Inside the museum there are four separate tombs and
the “Heroon”, a small temple built for Phillip II of
Macedon.
Hundreds of items are displayed including beautiful gold
creations, elaborate jewelry, colorful wall paintings, mosaics,
hundreds of ancient items including a richly carved burial bed
and others, used by the imperial family.
Some of the most spectacular exhibits of the museum are the
shield and armor of King Phillip the second and the famous
Golden Larnax found in the sarcophagus of the King.
An incredibly detailed golden wreath of 313 oak leaves and
68 acorns was found inside the Larnax. The extremely small
size of the carefully
carved ivory figures still
impresses today. The
exhibition is dedicated to
the memory of Professor
Manolis Andronikos, the
well-known archaeologist who brought all these
treasures to light, while offered important help to
their preservation and restoration efforts.
All these impressive findings are some of
the finest examples of the detailed, sophisticated
ancient Greek art and jewellery. Definitely something not to be missed. After a visit you
will soon realize why this museum is considered one of the most popular and important
museums in Greece.
MOUNT OLYMPUS & LITOHORO VILLAGE
Mount Olympus also transliterated as Olympos,
is the highest mountain in Greece and the
second highest mountain in the Balkans. It is
located in the Olympus Range on the border
between Thessaly and Macedonia, between the
prefectures of Pieria and Larissa, about 80 km
southwest from Thessaloniki. Mount Olympus
has 52 peaks, deep gorges, and exceptional
biodiversity. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning
"nose", rises to 2,917 metres (9,570 ft). It is one
of the highest peaks in Europe in terms
of topographic prominence.
Olympus was notable in Ancient Greek
Mythology as the home of the Twelve
Olympians, on the Mytikas peak. Mount
Olympus is also noted for its very rich flora with
several species. It has been the first National
Park of Greece, since 1938, and a World's
Biosphere Reserve.
Litohoro is a village located at the base
of Mount Olympus, on the western shore of
the Thermaic Gulf. The first recorded
mention of Litochoro is in an account of a
visit by Saint Dionysius to Mount Olympus.
The town is a popular destination for those
wishing to climb Mount Olympus as almost
all climbing routes begin to the southwest of
the town.
The village offers great view of both mountain and
see, traditional products, tavernas and souvenirs.
A walk on the narrow stone made roads rewards
the visitors.
Plaka Litohorou is the extended coastal
area known s located east of the town of
Litochoro, spreading from the foot of
Olympus
to
the Thermaik
Gulf and
extending from Leptokarya in the south
to Gritsa in the north. The coast mainly
consists of sandy beaches with seaside
resorts as well as hotels, campsites,
restaurants, and beach bars
Depending on the weather the lunch will be offered in a greek taverna at Litohoro (with
mountain view) or at Plaka Litohorou (with sea view).
Detailed program will be announced after the required (minimum) participations are
completed.