Central Macedonia covers the area between the Aegean coast and the border with the state of Northern Macedonia. Thessaloniki is its capital. You can find here the famous Chalkidiki Peninsula and the UNESCO archaeological site of Vergina.
Thessaloniki is a city in which, however, most of the monuments come from the Byzantine period. You can see the famous Rotunda of St. George, the Basilica of Saint. Demetriusz being the destination of pilgrimages as a place of martyrdom of this saint, fragments of the Arch of Galerius and the famous White Tower dating from the time of Turkish rule.
The region has two main centers of summer leisure tourism. The first of them is the Chalkidiki Peninsula, actually its two "fingers" Kassandra and Sithonia with beautiful beaches, numerous coves and capes. The third of the Chalkidiki peninsulas, Athos is inaccessible to the average tourist. There is the famous "Republic of Monks" with several dozen Orthodox monasteries. Only men are allowed after receiving special permission. Instead, you can go on a cruise around Athos.
The second important tourist region of Central Macedonia is the Olympic Riviera located near the town of Katerini. Above the coast rises here Olympus, snow-capped even in summer, through which the border with the neighboring Thessaly passes. The Riviera is a series of small holiday resorts with well-organized beaches and rich night life.
An interesting, though not well-known monument of the region is the archaeological site in Vergina, where the remains of the capital of ancient Macedonia were discovered. You can visit the graves of rulers, including Philip II and the remains of the city buildings. In turn, pilgrims often visit the neighboring Veria, in which during the mission trip he taught St. Paul.
