Pieria ...more on Pieria
The city of Dion was well fortified by the walls erected in the 4th century B.C., and it had a splendid layout. The excavations have exposed flagstone streets, public buildings, shops, workshops, and houses, as well as the orchestra, stage, and lower seats of Dion's large theater. In the vast cemetery, to the north and west of Dion, there are four subterranean, brick-roofed Macedonian tombs.
In the 5th century A.D., violent earthquakes brought an end to the city's prosperity. Nevertheless, enough remains of it to give today's visitor a good idea of the beauty of the town, with its ample public spaces, theater, numerous statues, and impressive fortifications.
To go back to the present, Leptokarya (23 kilometers from Katerini) has a lovely beach, long enough to attract crowds of Greek and foreign tourists each summer. Other seaside resorts are Methoni; Nea Agathoupoli, with its splendid fishmarket; Agios Panteleimonas, with its Venetian castle; Platamonas, with its sandy beaches; and Makrigialos, with the ruins of ancient Pydna. Finally, on the slopes of Olympos is the small town of Litohoro (24 kilometers from Katerini), an old summer resort and the starting point for those wishing to climb the legendary mountain. There are well-marked trekking itineraries starting here and ending up high on the mountain. The enchanting valley of Enipeas, with its river flowing down from Olympos, is worth visiting. |
|