ITINERARY

Day 1: Welcome in Northern Greece

Arrival in Thessaloniki. Transfer at your hotel. Depending on the arrival hour; orientation walk and dinner in a tavern. 1 night in Thessaloniki.

Day 2: Thessaloniki; the capital of the North. The Royal Tombs of Vergina

In the morning you visit Thessaloniki; the second city of Greece after Athens; founded by Cassander of Macedonia and named after his wife Thessaloniki; Philip’s II daughter and sister of Alexander the Great. You go for a walking city tour: the Byzantine city walls, the Acropolis, the Arch of Galerius, Rotunda and the Basilica of Saint Demetrios. You continue your walk to the Ancient Agora, the churches of Panagia Chalkeon, Agia Sofia and other important monuments. Transfer to Vergina where you will visit the royal Macedonian tombs (among others the grave of Philip II; Alexander’s the Great father) with the magnificent exhibition of the precious treasures in the refurbished tumulus. You continue towards the north frontier of Greece to eventually reach the National Park of Prespa Lakes. 2 nights in or near the traditional village of Agios Germanos.
Walking: Thessaloniki city walk, about 6-8 km
Transfer: Thessaloniki – Vergina, about 70km, 55min / Vergina – Agios Germanos, about 181km, 2h5min

Day 3: Prespa; aquatic birds and hermitages

The Prespa National Park is located on the border between Greece, Albania and North Macedonia. It is a natural reserve for aquatic birds that covers two lakes and belongs to three countries. In the village of Agios Germanos, next to the 19th century church, stands the Byzantine church of Saint Germanos; one of the oldest monuments in the area. You will walk on the islet of Agios Achillios; in the Little Prespa Lake, which was for a short period at the end of the 10th century the seat of the Bulgarian Tsar Samuel, towards the ruins of the imposing Basilica; built by Samuel to accommodate the relics of the Saint, brought from Larissa. Then you go to Psarades; a small fishermen’s village on the shores of the Great Prespa Lake and on foot or by boat you will explore hermitages with murals, on the shores of the lake.
Hiking: Agios Achillios, about 5km, +100m / -100m, 2h, simple
Hiking: Psarades – hermitages, about 10.5km, 4h, +450m / -450m, moderate

Day 4: Kastoria; on the lake shores. Hiking Mount Voio

In the morning you will travel to Kastoria; a town built on the shores of a lake. A number of beautiful Byzantine churches decorated with murals, show the importance of this place during Middle Ages. After visiting the Byzantine church of Panagia Mavriotissa, you continue your journey through one of the most isolated parts of Greece. From the wood of Pentalofos you will start a beautiful hike towards Ailias; the peak of Mt. Voio. Your trip continues through Eptachori and Konitsa to arrive at Monodendri; a traditional village at an altitude of 1060 m. 2 nights in Monodendri.
Transfers: Agios Germanos – Kastoria - Mavriotissa, about 61km, 1h10min / Kastoria – Pentalofos, about 75km, 1h15min / Pentalofos - Monodendri, about 106km, 2h5min
Hiking: Mount Voio, about 7.5km, +472m / -472m, 3h, moderate

Day 5: Zagori; ‘’the land behind the mountains’’. Traditional villages, paved trails and old arc stone bridges

You will go on a circular hike that starts directly from your hotel. You will walk through fantastic landscapes, typical of the area of Zagori with its strange imposing rocky formations and woods, crossing several old stone arc bridges and passing by picturesque traditional stone villages such as Vitsa, Dilofo, Kipi and Koukouli.
Hiking: Monodendri – Kipi - Koukouli (circular), about 17km, +950m / -950m, 5h, moderate

Day 6: Zagori. Vikos gorge; the deepest canyon of the world?

Today you hike through the magnificent, tree-shadowed Vikos Gorge; part of Vikos - Aoos National Park, between the villages of Monodendri and Vikos, which is the main part of the gorge, with a depth of 1000m. Vikos Gorge, with a length of about 20km, is included in the Guinness Record Book as the deepest canyon of the world in relation to its width. In the afternoon, you leave this very picturesque place, you cross Pindos Range and travel towards Thessaly. 2 nights in Kastraki; at the foothills of the Meteors.
Hiking: Vikos Gorge, about 13.5km, +710m / -380m, 5h, moderate
Transfer: Monodendri – Kastraki, about 144km, 2h25min

Day 7: Meteora; the ‘’floating monasteries’’. Anapafsas, Varlaam, the Great Meteor and Ypapanti

The first hermits in the area, had established their hermitages in caves on the vertical slopes of the impressive rocks, between heaven and earth and later on, the monasteries were built. It was in the 14th century that Saint Athanasios the Meteorite, founder of the “Great Meteor”, had organized monastic life into a larger community. You will walk in an impressive scenery, you will visit two monasteries decorated with fabulous mural paintings of the Cretan School and you will take your time to admire the panoramic view on a ‘’sea of rocks’’, the monasteries ‘’hunging between sky and earth’’, the plein of Thessaly and the mountains of Pindus. In the afternoon, there is the possibility of a lovely walk towards the vertical rock named Adrachti (=Spindle), over the old village of Kastraki and to the view point of the rock Marmaro (=Marble) that offers the best view to Kastraki.
Hiking: Kastraki – Ypapanti (circular), about 9km, +450m / -450m, 3h30min, simple-moderate
Hiking: Kastraki – Adrachti, about 3.5km, +230m / -230m, 1h, simple

Day 8: Meteora: Agio Pnevma and Agia Triada. From Meteors to the Olympus

In the morning you go on a circular hike from Kastraki, to Rousanou and Agia Triada (St. Trinity) monasteries. After visiting you walk down to Kalabaka, you cross the old city and passing by the Cathedral, you eventually return to Kastraki. In a roundtrip deviation you can ascent to the impressive rock of Agio Pnevma (Saint Spirit), over Kastraki. In the afternoon, you travel through the plain of Thessaly and passing through the narrow valley of Tempi, where Penios River flows, between Mt. Olympus and Mt. Ossa, towards the Aegean Sea, you eventually arrive to Litochoro. 2 nights in Litochoro on the foothills of Mt. Olympus.
Hiking: Kastraki – Agia Triada (circular), about 9km, +450m / -450m, 4h, moderate
Transfer: Kastraki – Litochoro, about 152km, 2h

Day 9: Mount Olympus. Hiking through Enipeas Gorge

Transfer to the location of Prionia from where you go hiking through the beautiful Gorge of Enipeas, towards Litochoro, passing by the monastery and cave of Saint Dionysios. In the afternoon, you will go to the beach of Litochoro for swimming in the sea!
Transfer: Litochoro - Prionia, about 19 km, 35 min
Hiking: Prionia – Litochoro, about 11.5 km, +372m / -1270 m, 5 h, moderate

Day 10: Farewell!

Transfer to the airport of Thessaloniki. Farewell!
Transfer: Litochoro – aéroport “Makedonia”, about 120km, 1h25min