Veria was the second most significant town, after Aigai, during the blooming ancient Macedonian years. The city is built on the foothills of Mt. Vermion and crossed by the River Tripotamo.From the 11th to the 14th century it was the third most important city of the Byzantine Empire, after Constantinople (Istanbul) and Thessaloniki. The impressively large number of Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches gave the city the nickname “Little Jerusalem”. Today, 48 Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches are preserved in the city centre. Aigai, today’s Vergina, was the first capital of the ancient Macedonian Kingdom. The excavations in 1977, by professor Manolis Andronikos, revealed the 20th century greatest discovery on Greek land. The treasures found were of great archaeological and historic significance and the territory of the ancient Macedonian Kings was proclaimed as a World Heritage Site in 1996 by UNESCO. At the Royal Tombs Museum, you can admire portable findings and wall paintings in an impressive underground construction. Philip II’s tomb and the magnificent golden urn are the items that stand out. The Archaeological Museum houses findings from Veria’s archaeological sites dating back to the Late Stone Age up to the Hellenistic Period.

Where to head next?

Keep exploring the best of Greece! After Veria, the top destinations to visit are Thessaloniki, Litochoro, and Edessa.