From Thessaloniki: Day Trip to Vergina-Pella

We depart to Pella with the bus of Ammon Express along with our friendly trip attendant-archaeologist,

at 08:00 from Aristotle’s Square & Egnatia Street (at the statue of Venizelos).

The distance is about 50 km and lasts about 45’.

We reach Pella, which in the antiquity used to be a port, where we visit the new, modern museum as well as the archaeological site with the unique mosaics. In the archaeological site we can admire the ancient market of the city, the mosaic of the “Abduction of Helen” and the “Amazonomachy” (the battle of Amazons). In the museum, there are exposed objects and artifacts from the daily life of the people; characteristic signs of the lifestyle in the antiquity.

Next, we reach Vergina where we visit the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai, situated in the borders of the village. The characteristic Golden Larnax (funerary casket), an urn with the cremated remains of Phillip II is marked with a 16-rayed sun, the symbol of Macedonia. The Sun of Vergina (or Star of Vergina), which is characteristic symbol of the Argead Dynasty (of the King Phillip II and Alexander the Great) was found together with the excavations that brought back to light his father’s Royal Tomb. 4 of the sun rays represent of the 4 classical elements and the other 12 sun rays represent the 12 Olympian Gods. Admire the golden oak wreath that Phillip II had during his funeral pyre, military armors, various grave goods, the other tombs that were brought back to light and a small sanctuary, the Heroon.

Later, we enjoy our lunch break in a restaurant with greek traditional flavours.

We depart to Thessaloniki at around 15:30p.m and we are back after an hour (around 16:30p.m), making the same stops where we started from.