Greek Macedonia

The two northern regions of Macedonia and Thrace have been part of the Greek state for just less than three generations. Macedonia ( Makedhonía ) was surrendered by the Turks after the Balkan wars in 1913; Greek sovereignty over western Thrace ( Thráki ) was not confirmed until 1923. As such, they stand slightly apart from the rest of Greece, an impression reinforced for visitors by architecture and scenery, customs and climate that seem more Balkan than typically Mediterranean. The two regions even have their own government ministry, in recognition of their specific nature and needs. In physical terms, Macedonia is characterized by dense forests and a brood of lakes to the west, and in the east by heavily cultivated flood plains and deltas of rivers with sources in former Yugoslavia or Bulgaria. Essentially continental in nature, the climate is harsher than in the rest of the country, with steamy summers and bitterly cold winters, especially up in the Rodhópi mountains on the border with Bulgaria.

 

These factors, along with a dearth of good beaches and thus fewer direct charter flights from abroad, plus often overpriced accommodation, may explain why northern Greece is relatively little known to outsiders. Only Halkidhikí and Mount Olympus draw more than a scattering of visitors, even at the height of summer. Halkidhikí 's three mountainous peninsulas trailing below Thessaloníki serve as a beach-playground for the inhabitants of Greece's second city. More hard-won pleasures - including stunning views - are available on the slopes of Mount Olympus , the mythical abode of the gods.

 

Although the north is less obviously appealing than the Peloponnese, say, visitors who spend some time getting to know the area find that it has much to offer. Part of its charm lies in its vigorous day-to-day life, independent of tourism, at its most evident in the sybaritic Macedonian capital of Thessaloníki (Salonica) and the north's second port-city, Kavála . The north also has some outstandingly beautiful spots, especially the Préspa national park in rugged western Macedonia. The nearby lakeside city of Kastoriá and the clifftop town of Édhessa are among Greece's most beguiling urban centres, thanks to a belated but determined attempt to restore some fine old buildings. Admittedly, the region's monuments are on the whole modest, though there is one notable exception: the ancient, awe-inspiring Macedonian tombs discovered at Veryína in the 1970s. Not so well known are the Macedonian and Roman sites at Pella , with its fabulous mosaics, and at Philippi , St Paul's first stop in Greece, as well as an up-and-coming trio of archeological digs along the Thracian seaboard: Abdera, Maroneia and Mesembria . Few travellers on their way to Bulgaria or Turkey stray from the dull trunk road through eastern Thrace, but the well-preserved town of Xánthi , the waterfowl reserves of the Évros delta and the Dhadhiá Forest , with its black vultures, deserve more than just a meal stop. Other attractions are two sharply antithetical islands just off the coast - popular Thássos and introverted Samothráki .

 

If you are male, over 18 and interested enough in monasticism - or Byzantine art, music and architecture - to obtain a pilgrimage permit, Mount Athos may prove to be a highlight of a visit to Greece. This "Monks' Republic" occupies the spectacular easternmost prong of Halkidhikí, and maintains control over twenty monasteries and numerous dependencies and hermitages. Women (and most female animals) have been excluded from the peninsula since a decree of 1060, although it is possible for both sexes to view the monasteries from the sea by taking a boat tour from the resorts of Ierissós and Ouranoúpoli in the "secular" part of Athos.

 

Public transport in the north is somewhat limited. Unreliable and infrequent trains link some of the urban centres, but the railway line east from Thessaloníki curls unhelpfully inland, bypassing Kavála altogether and leaving buses or your own transport as the only alternatives. The road system has improved beyond recognition in recent years, and the partly-EU-funded "Via Egnatia" highway - sections of which are already operational - will provide an uninterrupted link between the west coast and the Bulgarian and Turkish borders within a few years. The Athens-Thessaloníki motorway is also nearing completion.