Day trips from Thessaloniki
Philip II's tomb, the three fingers of Halkidiki, the gorge below Olympus and a town on waterfalls — all one to two hours from Thessaloniki.
- Vergina
- 1 h by car
- Halkidiki
- 1–2 h by car depending on the peninsula
- Olympus and Litochoro
- About 1 h by train
Four trips from Thessaloniki that fit into one day: Vergina with the unlooted tomb of Philip II, the beaches of Halkidiki, the gorge below Olympus and Edessa with its waterfalls. On a clear day Olympus is visible from the city's own waterfront.
Vergina — the important one
An hour's drive west, near Veria. This is ancient Aigai, the first Macedonian capital, and where in 1977 an unlooted tomb was found that archaeologists attribute to Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. The museum was built inside the burial mound itself, in half-darkness, so you walk past the tomb facades as they were found. It has been UNESCO-listed since 1996, and a ticket is €20.
Halkidiki, but which finger
Halkidiki has three peninsulas and they are not three versions of the same place. Kassandra is the nearest and the most developed — an hour's drive, beaches with sunbeds and the most people. Sithonia is further and wilder, with coves you walk down to and pines running to the water. Athos is the third finger and holds the monastic republic: the entry permit, the diamonitirion, is applied for in advance by men and daily numbers are capped, while women are not admitted. The coast is visible from a boat, which is the only way for everyone else.
Olympus and Edessa
Litochoro is the starting point for Olympus. You can drive as far as Prionia, and from there a path leads to the refuge; the summit itself needs a night on the mountain and is not a day trip. For the mountain without the climb, take the Enipeas gorge — a path along the river with waterfalls and a monastery. Edessa lies north-west of Thessaloniki, a whole town built around waterfalls that drop through the middle of it.
How long each takes
All out and back from Thessaloniki the same day — no car needed: Litochoro and Edessa, Vergina with a change
What to know in advance
- Not Vergina on a Tuesday. In summer the museum opens only at 12:00 on Tuesdays, and in winter it is shut on Tuesdays; on other days it opens 8:00 to 20:00 in summer and 9:00 to 17:00 in winter.
- To Litochoro by bus, not train. The railway station is six kilometres outside the town, while the bus from Thessaloniki stops in the centre, where the gorge path also begins.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Which trip from Thessaloniki matters most?
Vergina — a tomb archaeologists attribute to Philip II and a museum built inside the burial mound itself. Just not on a Tuesday: in summer it opens at noon that day, and in winter it is shut.
Can I visit Mount Athos from Thessaloniki?
Entry needs a permit men apply for in advance, and daily numbers are capped; women are not admitted. The coast is visible from a boat, which is the option open to everyone.
Can Olympus be climbed in a day?
Not to the summit — that needs a night in a mountain refuge. For one day you take the Enipeas gorge, a riverside path with waterfalls.
Ready for Thessaloniki?
Where to next
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