Travel with Ancient historian Jeremy Paterson, to the heartland of Macedon, home of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great. We visit the spectacular tombs of Philip II at Vergina, ancient Aigai. Discovered in 1977, the tombs now lie under a brilliant recreation of the tumulus which originally covered them, surrounded by an underground display of the gold and silver objects buried with the dead. We will also visit Pella, the Macedonian capital, where Alexander the Great was born, to see the rich houses of the Macedonian elite with their remarkable pebble mosaics. On our way south we go to the site of Dion, the Macedonian religious centre, where Philip and Alexander celebrated their victories.For the first few days we will be based in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second city, and will explore a range of the great Byzantine churches in the city as well as its Byzantine Museum. To remind ourselves that until the 20th century Thessaloniki was a city where Greeks and Muslims lived side by side with the largest Jewish community in Europe, we will visit the Jewish Museum, and the house where Ataturk, the creator of Modern Turkey, was born.As we travel to the heart of Northern Greece we have the opportunity to spend a full day amid the breath-taking and unforgettable sights of the Meteora. Here, from the 14th century onwards, Orthodox monks, fleeing the insecurity of the times, built their monasteries on soaring pinnacles of rock.Other visits will include the pass of Thermopylae, site of the 300 Spartans’ resistance to the invading Persians, and the great sanctuary of Delphi.The group size on this tour is limited to 25 passengers to ensure that all sites are accessible and that you get a high level of attention at all sites visited.Click here for explanation of the footprint symbols