Amphipolis – Philippi & Kavala , Full Day

08:30: Start of Tour in Thessaloniki towards the city of Kavala driving along the Egnatia highway built on the trace of the ancient Roman road ” Via Egnatia” and passing by the two lakes of Koroni and Volvi and the Village of Asprovalta.

10:30 a.m.: Stop at the place where St. Lydia was baptized by St. Paul today regarded as the first Christian baptism in Europe. Lydia was a woman known as Lydia of Thyatira, her name meaning Lydian Woman indicating her origin from Lydia in Asia Minor. She is commonly known as Saint Lydia or simply “the Purple Woman.
Lydia was like a Greek even though she lived in a Roman settlement. She provided hospitality to Apostle Paul and his companions in Philippi. She had given hospitality in Philippi to Apostle Paul and his followers. The Apostle Paul established the first Christian Church in Europe in Philippi.

11:00-13:00: At the end of the stop and visit to the site of St. Lydia continuation to visit the Archaeological Site of Philippi as the ‘Forum Romanum’.
Philippi is located near the ruins of the ancient city and is part of the Region of Macedonia. The ancient city of Philippi founded by the King of Macedonia Philip II (father of Alexander the Great) as a Thasian colony of Crenides in 356 BC.
The main purpose of founding the city was to gain control of the nearby gold mines and to establish a garrison at a strategic crossing, the side controlled the road between Amphipolis and Neapolis, part of the great royal road crossing Macedonia from east to west later reconstructed by the Roman Empire as the Via Egnatia. Philippi preserved its autonomy within the Kingdom of Macedonia and retained its political institutions.
When the Romans destroyed the Antigonian dynasty of Macedonia in 167 B.C. and divided it into 4 different states, Amphipoli was the capital of the state of East Macedonia and not Philippi.

1:30 p.m.: Afterwards continue to the city of Kavala, short sightseeing tour of the city .At the end free lunch at the small quaint harbor in a seafood restaurant.

2:30 p.m.: Return to Thessaloniki stop to visit the famous Amphipolis Statue of the Lion, a mark for Serres, a symbol for Macedonia. The Lion of Amphipolis is undoubtedly one of the most significant monuments of the 4th century BC. It has been restored and is located near the old bridge over the Strymonas River on the Amphipolis-Serraiki regional road. After the recent discovery of the common tomb of “Kasta” in ancient Amphipolis, and according to the latest research data the lion monument turns out to be a tombstone of the mound, which in fact its foundation and is placed in the highest central part of the mound also following the geometric lines.

4:30 p.m.: Late afternoon return to Thessaloniki.

6:30 pm: Arrival in Thessaloniki

Note: This Tour includes considerable walking in Philippi, some of it on uneven surfaces. The Tour is not available for guests with wheelchairs to those with mobility problems please assess your personal ability condition. Appropriate clothing, hat, sunglasses comfortable walking shoes are recommended.