Description

Get to know the imperial capital, the ancient city where Alexander the Great was born and raised and where the great philosopher and tutor Aristoteles was invited to educate him. The archaeological treasures of the glorious Macedonian Kingdom of Alexander the Great and his father Phillip II, as detailed by Herodotus, invite you to a unique roadtrip to history. The excursion travels you to the ancient greek, byzantine and modern history bringing back in light the lost prestige of Aigai, the first city of the Macedonians. Discover the museum of Aigai; a World Heritage site of UNESCO, against the natural beauty of the area and the view of the Macedonian plain that travels our eye till the end of the horizon.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Museum ad Archaeological site of Pella
• Museum of the Royal Tombs and New Museum of Aigai (Vergina)

STARTING POINTS AND DEPARTURE TIMES

• Starting point: Aristotelous Square & Egnatia Street (Venizelos Statue) | 08:00

EXCURSION DURATION

• 8 hours and 30 minutes (3 hours on the road)

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXCURSION

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

at 08:00 from Aristotelous Square & Egnatia Street (at the white Statue of Venizelos).

The distance is 50km and lasts approximately 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.

Last stop before our departure is at the grand New Museum of Aigai, hosting findings and artifacts unearthed from the soil of the old capital;

An imposing portrait of Alexander welcomes us and calls us to unravel the roots of History. At the temporary numismatic exhibition you can admire excellent coins coming from every corner of the Hellenistic world, including coinage of the Macedonian kings and Alexander's successors, while in the following atrium the restored facade of the Palace enlivens in front of your eyes the royal residence of the Macedonian kings and queens. Monumental sculptures, sárissa spears and helmets of the Macedonian phalanx soldiers, banqetuing utensils from the aristocratic symposiums, high-class painted pottery and of course the queen burials with all their jeweleries and royal insignia, are some of the masterpieces retelling you their ancient stories and the amazing history of Agai!

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

THE PRICE OF THE EXCURSION INCLUDES

• Round-trip transportation to Vergina and Pella
• English speaking trip attendant-archaeologist
• Basic travel insurance (during transportation)
• Assistance with the ticket issuance process for anyone who wishes to avoid the queue in the ticket office

NOT INCLUDED

• The entrance fee to the Museum of Vergina (15€ Summer Season / 8€ Winter Season) and to the museum and the archaeological site of Pella (8€ Summer Season / 4€ Winter Season)
• Tour-guide to the museum of Vergina and to the museum and the archaeological site of Pella
• Cost of lunch at the restaurant
• Tips

USEFUL INFORMATION

• Our trip attendant shall wear a clothing with the Ammon Express marking so that he will be recognisable easily.
• You should be at the departure points 10’ before the time indicated in the schedule. The bus cannot remain at designated stops, except for boarding.
• Free of charge entrance for children and young people up to the age of 25, from EU member-states, upon presentation of their ID card or passport for verification of their age and country of origin
• Free of charge entrance for children up to the age of 5, from non-European Union countries, upon presentation of their passport for verification of their age and country of origin
• Reduced entrance fee (-50%) is valid for Children and young people aged between 6 and 25 years, from non-European Union countries, upon presentation of their passport for verification of their age and country of origin.
• Reduced entrance fee (-50%) is valid also for Senior citizens over 65 from Greece or other EU member-states and the European Economic Area, upon presentation of their ID card or passport for verification of their age and country of origin.
• In winter season, 01/11 - 31/03, the general entrance fee to the museum of Vergina is 8€ and to the archaeological site and museum of Pella is 4€
• Wear comfortable shoes to walk around the archaeological sights
• In summer season bear in mind to have sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
• Please be consistent with the exact appointment times specified by the Ammon Express escort, so that the excursion will remain unforgettable to all participants
• Have a nice trip and an unforgettable experience!
• Don’t forget to share pictures and comments from your experience!