{"id":5616,"date":"2024-09-13T17:01:01","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T15:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/tour\/northern-greece-trekking-macedonia-thessaly-epirus\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T17:39:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T15:39:14","slug":"northern-greece-trekking-macedonia-thessaly-epirus","status":"publish","type":"tour","link":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/tour\/northern-greece-trekking-macedonia-thessaly-epirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Greece trekking: macedonia, thessaly &#038; Epirus"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>DAY 1 \u2013 ITALY \u2013 THESSALONIKI \u2013 KASTORIA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meet your guide and driver in the early afternoon at the airport or in the city (location to be confirmed according to flight schedules) and depart for Kastoria (approximately 2.5 to 3 hours).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">At sunset, on the shores of Lake Orestiada, fishermen throw the remains of their catch into the water, attracting a remarkable natural spectacle: the majestic arrival of pelicans.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overnight stay in Kastoria.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 2 \u2013 PRESPA LAKES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Morning departure for the Prespa Lakes, located north of Kastoria on the borders of Greece, Albania, and North Macedonia.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hike starting from Agios Germanos through reed beds and wetlands, an excellent area for birdwatching and observing this unique ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Return to Kastoria. Easy hike. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 3 \u2013 PINDUS NATIONAL PARK<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Early morning departure for Pindus National Park (approximately 3.5 hours). Trekking excursion in the Zagori region, famous for its traditional stone villages and historic arched bridges. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Visits to Monodendri, Vikos, and Papingo. Moderate hike. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 4 \u2013 ZAGORI \u2013 VIKOS GORGE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Excursion to Vikos Gorge, located within Vikos-Aoos National Park in the Zagori region. It is considered one of the deepest and most spectacular canyons in the world, narrowing in places to only a few metres wide. The cliffs, rising up to 1,000 metres, are covered with oak, beech, and pine forests, while lower elevations feature flowering meadows and aromatic plants.  <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Return to the hotel. Moderate hike. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 5 \u2013 METEORA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Morning departure for Kalambaka (approximately 3 hours). Upon entering Thessaly, the enormous rock formations of Meteora immediately dominate the landscape. This extraordinary site is one of the most important centres of Orthodox spirituality, renowned for its monasteries perched high above the valley. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will explore several of these remarkable monasteries on foot, following the ancient paths once used by monks while enjoying the surrounding natural beauty.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Easy hike.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 6 \u2013 METEORA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another fascinating day of walking along trails and climbing long stairways leading to the monasteries. The pace will be relaxed, making this a moderate to easy excursion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Late afternoon departure for the Mount Olympus region.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overnight stay in Litochoro.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 7 \u2013 MOUNT OLYMPUS \u2013 ENIPPEAS GORGE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Full-day trek through the Enippeas Gorge. The guide will share stories of the area&#8217;s history, mythology, flora, and fauna within Mount Olympus National Park. The route follows a rocky trail with a significant descent. While there are no technical difficulties, the terrain, distance, and elevation change classify the hike as challenging.   <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Technical Information: approximately 12 km, +410 m \/ -950 m.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the late afternoon, free time to relax, visit Litochoro Beach, or independently explore the archaeological site of ancient Dion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 8 \u2013 VERGINA \u2013 NAOUSSA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Today we leave our hiking boots aside for a day focused on culture and local traditions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We travel to Vergina, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Macedon, where a guided visit includes the archaeological site, the Royal Tombs, and the treasure of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Macedonia is also a renowned wine-growing region, and Naoussa is famous for producing the prestigious Xinomavro grape variety. Visit to a local winery, including a guided tour and wine tasting. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Continue to Thessaloniki.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 9 \u2013 THESSALONIKI<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Discover Thessaloniki, the capital of Macedonia and a historic crossroads between East and West. Guided exploration of the historic centre, tracing the legacy of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman civilizations. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, enjoy a walk along the city&#8217;s elegant waterfront, visiting the White Tower, the Modiano Market, and the Ladadika district.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the late afternoon, we climb to the ancient walls of Kastra, wandering through narrow streets and hidden corners while enjoying spectacular sunset views over the city.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 10 \u2013 DEPARTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Free time and departure according to individual flight schedules.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Please note: The itinerary may be modified depending on weather conditions or other circumstances beyond the control of the guide or tour leader.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong style=\"text-align: start;\">Tour Operator: Natura da Vivere by A.R.D.E.A. s.c.r.l. \u2013 Nature Travel Specialists.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a style=\"display: inline-block; padding: 10px 20px; background-color: #f60!important; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 5px; border: none; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact us<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2085,"template":"","tour_destination":[],"tour_type":[96],"class_list":["post-5616","tour","type-tour","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tour_type-trekking_and_hiking","tour_facility-trip_facilities_465d09c7-9073-41e2-811d-c99e2171e418_it","tour_facility-trip_facilities_af85bfa8-3cc8-439b-9bfd-0bad9b654c6a_it","tour_facility-trip_facilities_ccdf4378-07a0-4d75-9367-86d1cea00d85_it","tour_facility-trip_facilities_2f40f723-4bef-414f-9667-6888234b81c1_it","tour_facility-trip_facilities_1d6f2921-758b-41b0-a22a-74ef66abd9d4_it","tour_facility-trip_facilities_94b3b224-4fff-4d8f-8c3e-e0595265dfc2_it"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tour\/5616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tour"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/tour"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tour\/5616\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5620,"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tour\/5616\/revisions\/5620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"tour_destination","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tour_destination?post=5616"},{"taxonomy":"tour_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betaniatravel.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tour_type?post=5616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}