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Northern Greece
Why Go? Macedonia ...... 237 Vast northern Greece (βόρεια Ελλάδα) has the country’s wildest terrain, and widest variety of cultures, cuisines and Thessaloniki ...... 239 legacies. Its major city, Thessaloniki, is a hip metropolis with Halkidiki ...... 256 arguably the best nightlife in southeast Europe. Kastoria ...... 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 Macedonians, 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 Kozani
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 Florina
Mikri
Kavala MACEDONIA
THRACE Kilkis 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