Journeying north into Greece

ravi9130

Aug 19

3 min read

I write this post from Thessloniki, the second largest city in Greece located in the Macedonian province. Since leaving Athens on a week ago, I have been steadily moving north and seeing more of what mainland Greece has to offer. Tomorrow I fly to Santorini and begin phase 2 of my trip, an Intrepid sailing journey through the Cyclades islands.

Delphi

I took the bus from Athens to Delphi, and spent 1 day in Delphi. Delphi is a must visit for those interested in the ancient history of Greece as it is the site of the Temple of Apollo. Legend has it that Apollo defeated Python at this site, and the temple was rededicated to him. Delphi is also located in the hills of a magnificent valley, providing panoramic views of the valleys, surrounding mountains, and even the Gulf of Corinth.

Thermopyles

From there, I travelled via taxi to Meteora. Note that Greece does not have an extensive rail system, so all travel in the mainland of Greece is via taxi or bus. Apparently they were working on a rail system, but there was a major accident 3 years ago with two trains colliding that paused all further development of the rail network. On the way to Meteora, I stopped at Thermopolyae, with literally means 'hot gates', to learn more about the famous battle that took place there where 300 soldiers of Sparta fought against the invading Persian army. The museum is worth an hour visit, and it inspired me to re-watch the movie 300.

Meteora

In Meteora, I did a half-day tour of 3 monasteries, which I also highly recommend. Meteora is the site of strange and spectacular rock formations, on top of which are Greek Orthodox monasteries. These monasteries are not only an architectural marvel but also a significant part of Greece's cultural and religious heritage.

The monasteries of Meteora were established in the 14th century, during a period of religious and political turmoil in the region. The first monks were hermits who sought solitude and spiritual reflection in the rugged cliffs. Over time, they built these impressive monasteries, which became centers of religious life and scholarship. The construction of these monasteries was driven by the need for a safe haven from invaders and a place to foster spiritual growth.

The rock formations of Meteora were formed millions of years ago through a combination of geological processes, including sedimentation, erosion, and tectonic activity. This unique landscape provided the perfect setting for the monks to establish their monasteries in a remote and inaccessible environment.

Leptokarya, Katerini, and Olympus

From Meteora, I took another taxi to the coast starting in Leptokarya. This was the most flexible part of my journey as I wanted to climb Mount Olympus or at least hike in the general area. However, I had no set plans on doing so nor did I have a Guide nor did I even know which trails to follow so my plan was to be in the area and try to figure it out, which I eventually did. More on Olympus in a separate post, though it has been the highlight of my journey so far.

Thessaloniki

Now, I am in Thessaloniki, relaxing, and preparing for the next leg of my journey. Today is largely an Aaron day, including laundry, buying miscellaneous items. I need catching up on this blog and generally recovering from the climb of Olympus. I hope to see a few museums while I’m here, including learning more about Alexander at the great who is from Macedonia in Greece not from North Macedonia, which is a separate and recently created country to the north of Greece.

I have the ideal sink with a stopper in my hotel for washing clothes, and it’s a warm 90 to 95° day today in Thessaloniki , plus I have a balcony in my room. All of them makings for some great and cheap self service laundry.

One thing I have learned so far in my journey is that there is so much more to see in Greece beyond Athens and the islands, though I’m very excited for the next phase of my journey where I will be diving deeper into them. The mainland of Greece has significant historical and cultural sites that most travelers would enjoy learning about. Of the places I’ve visited going north into Greece, Athens, Delphi, and Meteora are places I would highly recommend to almost any traveler. Olympus and the surrounding areas could be visited briefly or not at all depending on how much you enjoy hiking and the mountains. And the beach areas directly west of Olympus can be skipped if you’re planning to visit beaches elsewhere in the Greek islands. These islands are great for locals or others coming from parts of the Balkans who want to experience the beach at less cost.