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Northern

Why Go? ...... 237 Vast northern Greece (βόρεια Ελλάδα) has the country’s wildest terrain, and widest variety of cultures, cuisines and ...... 239 legacies. Its major city, Thessaloniki, is a hip metropolis with Halkidiki ...... 256 arguably the best nightlife in southeast Europe. ...... 272 The region stretches from the sandy Ionian coast over Thrace ...... 274 Epiros’ stark mountains, through Macedonia’s lakes and vineyards, and across Thrace’s mountains and plains all the Xanthi ...... 276 way to Turkey. It has been for centuries a stomping ground Evros Delta ...... 281 for major civilisations such as the , Thracians, Epiros ...... 284 Romans, Byzantines, Slavs and Turks. This mixed heritage Ioannina ...... 285 has graced the region with spectacular churches, monaster- ies, castles, towers and museums. The Zagorohoria ...... 290 For urban action, start with Thessaloniki or Ioannina. Parga ...... 297 Beach-lovers will love the Halkidiki Peninsula’s clear waters, the golden ‘Epirot Riviera’ and beaches east of Mt Olympus. Outdoor activities abound from the Vikos Gorge to the Pre- spa Lakes, protected Evros Delta and Dadia Forest Reserve. Best Places to Eat And, something is always happening, whatever the season. ¨¨Paparouna (p248) ¨¨Castello Restaurant (p298) When to Go ¨¨Kivotos (p258) Thessaloniki ¨¨Sta Riza (p294) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨Sapore Cucine Italiana 40/104 8/200 (p283) 30/86 6/150

20/68 4/100

Best Places to 10/50 2/50 Stay 0/32 0 ¨¨Colors Central Ladadika J F M A M J J A S O N D (p247) ¨¨Arhontiko Dilofo (p293) Jun-Aug Hit Sep-Nov Dig Dec-Mar Culti- the beaches Thessaloniki’s vate a ski-lodge ¨¨Salvator Villas & Spa Hotel at Halkidiki or culture scene, glow in Zagoroho- (p298) around Parga in at film fests art ria or celebrate a ¨¨Cavo Olympo Luxury Epirus. exhibits and alter- Mt Athos monas- Resort & Spa (p265) native bars. tic Christmas.

Skyros

Evia

a Prevez

Karpenisi

Kremasta

ISLANDS Skopelos

Skiathos n Tow

Lake

Lesvos

IONIAN

Arta

Antipaxi

i Mytilin

Peninsula Arahthos Farsala

Kyra Panagia Kyra

Alonnisos Paxi

Pelion

Efstratios Parga

Ayvalîk

a Kardits Piperi

THESSALY

Agios

Volos Gioura EPIROS

a Trikal u Corf

SPORADES TURKEY

A POTAMI

Igoumenitsa

AEGEAN ISLANDS AEGEAN

TRIA

Larisa a Kalambak Town

NORTHEASTERN

Corfu

Ioannina Meteora

) (1978m

o Metsov

Peninsula

Mt Ossa Mt

Limnos Peninsula

Sithonian

Platamonas

Myrina

e Gorg Vikos 30 miles 30 0

a Kassandr

Castle of Castle 0 50 km 50

) (2918m

Konitsa

Sarti

Kassandra

s Olympu Mt

(2637m)

o Litohor ) (2033m

(Gökçeada)

s

Gulf of Gulf

Mt Smolikas Mt

Mt Athos Mt i Thessalonik

Imvros

Aliakmonas na

Vourvourou

o

Çanakkale Gulf of Gulf

Gerakini

Lake

m

Karyes

k

) (2520m

a Peninsul

Samothraki

Mt Grammos Mt

Gallipoli Halkidiki Alia

Vlora Gulf

Kastoria

a Veri

A ALBANI

A SE Strymonic

Thasos

THRACIAN

Korça

Lake Kotas

Stavros

Berat Thessaloniki Edessa

a Presp

i Alexandroupol

Mikri

Kavala MACEDONIA

THRACE Bitola

Drama

Serres

Komotini

TURKEY

i Xanth

Reserve

s Evro MACEDONIA

Ohrid

Forest

(2111m)

REPUBLIC OF REPUBLIC

a Dadi

Prilep o Falakr Mt

FORMER YUGOSLAV FORMER A TIRAN

BULGARIA Orestiada

Smolyan

) (45km Skopje Edirne

Castle of Platamonas of Castle winter carnival winter Ioannina Dive clear Ionian waters waters Ionian clear Dive (p266) quarter of of quarter (p276) (p285) (p272) enigmatic lake enigmatic (p272) 2

Kastoria’s

Aegean coast from atop the the atop from coast Aegean Partake in Xanthi’s riotous riotous Xanthi’s in Partake silver and explore the castle castle the explore and silver back and breathe in in breathe and back

5 (p239)

Mt Olympus and the sandy sandy the and Olympus Mt Buy handcrafted local local handcrafted Buy Cycle, kayak, or simply sit sit simply or kayak, Cycle, 7 9 Thessaloniki Peninsula Halkidiki exuberant exuberant

(p256)

Contemplate snow-capped snow-capped Contemplate 3 Reserve Forest Gorge ruins and museums in in museums and ruins monks on the wildly varied varied wildly the on monks

(p281) (p293)

Dadia Vikos music, Byzantine churches, churches, Byzantine music, (p297) beaches or decamp with Athos’ Athos’ with decamp or beaches hawks at Thrace’s Thrace’s at hawks grandest canyons, the the canyons, grandest

Parga Enjoy fine dining, live live dining, fine Enjoy at Venetian-flavoured Venetian-flavoured at

ithonia’s ithonia’s S on out Chill ee circling vultures and and vultures circling ee S Hike one of Europe’s Europe’s of one Hike 1 4 6 8 Northern Greece Highlights Greece Northern

n Greece Greece Highlights

Norther 236