Western Macedonia is one of Greece’s poorest and least visited regions. Located in the north of the country, between Epeiros, Thessaly, and Central Macedonia, it is a wild and beautiful place, defined by mountains and upland plateaus, lakes and rivers, forests and fields. Despite being the energy centre of Greece, with lignite mines feeding numerous power stations, it remains largely underdeveloped and underappreciated. Yet things might be about to change. This year the Greek Ministry of Tourism has announced promoting Western Macedonia as a key priority, while the region’s local authority has launched a new plan to boost visitor numbers. Western Macedonia looks set to step into the limelight at last. For those willing to venture away from Greece’s premier sites, they will find a region as rich in history and culture as anywhere else in the country. Each of the four regional units – Kozani, Grevena, Kastoria, and Florina – has something different to offer, making it ideal for a clockwise round-trip.
The Egnatia motorway (or E90) now provides the quickest and easiest access to Western Macedonia. After travelling westwards from Thessaloniki, the road begins to rise steeply at the pretty town of Veroia, situated on the flanks of Mount Vermion. The rich agricultural plains of the lowlands vanish in the rear-view mirror. The Haliakmon, one of the great rivers of northern Greece, begins to fall away by the roadside, sinking into its rocky gorge. Across the waters, constellations of white houses can be seen gathered around the slopes of Mount Pieria, with folds of emerald-green pine forest shimmering in the distance. A series of tunnels mark the road’s upwards passage. Ears begin to pop with the change in altitude. Emerging from the dark for the final time, the curtain rises on Western Macedonia. There is open space, light, and crystalline air. The land lies flat, patterned with fields, and surrounded by a grandstand of grey mountains. To the north, the massive Ptolemaida power station ejects a column of steam into a sky steeped in blue. This region – known as Upper Macedonia in antiquity – was also an ancient powerhouse, producing fine horses and even finer fighters. In the early 350s BC, Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, managed to reunify the region under his rule. The formerly independent cantons of Elimeia, Tymphaia, Orestis, and Lynkestis (roughly equivalent to Kozani, Grevena, Kastoria, and Florina) were joined to his lowland kingdom, nearly doubling its size. The addition of highland battalions and a superb cavalry squadron to the army helped drive his success on the battlefield. Alexander too would come to rely on the competence of many friends and generals from this area. Men such as Harpalos of Elimeia, Polyperchon of Tymphaia, Perdikkas and Krateros of Orestis, Leonnatos of Lynkestis, and Ptolemy of Eordaia (this last being another canton situated at the juncture of upper and lower Macedonia). They shared in Alexander’s ambitious designs, contributed to his astonishing success, and turned on each other as soon as he was dead. This region also played a key role in myth and legend. It was regarded as the cradle of the Macedonian people, and this heritage may be echoed in the etymology of the word ‘Macedonian’. It can be translated as ‘highlander’.
Kozani
The archaeological exploration of Western Macedonia has lagged behind the coastal lowlands, but the past 40 years have seen huge advances and there are now many ancient sites to visit. Foremost among them is Aiani, capital of ancient Elimeia in Kozani. Located on a rocky hill, overlooking the Haliakmon and its dam-swollen waters, the site occupies a commanding position. The visitor’s path corkscrews up around the hill, passing numerous ancient private properties along the way. They have been named after the prevalence of certain finds or features discovered within them: House with the Staircases, House with the Pithoi (storage jars), and House with the Loom Weights. Three sets of public buildings have been unearthed on the upper terraces. The so-called ‘Building with the Stoa’ may have formed part of the agora or royal complex. The ‘Excavation of the Ashlar Masonry’ consists of a number of rectangular rooms, which probably housed workshops. These buildings have been dated to the 6th-5th centuries BC and are among the earliest examples of monumental public architecture found in Macedonia.
A short distance to the north-east, archaeologists have located a contemporary cemetery, with 12 chamber tombs and smaller cist graves. The largest had rectangular enclosures and evidence for cults of the dead. An abundance of marble fragments from funerary sculpture suggests that the area was reserved for the community’s elite. These finds, along with other discoveries from Aiani, are displayed in the excellent on-site museum. Not to be missed are the bone plaques carved with images of women, warriors, and animals that adorned the insides of one of the oldest tombs (Tomb I). They’ve been called ‘masterpieces of miniature art’. The Kozani Archaeological Museum, situated in the nearby city of Kozani, has more artefacts from the surrounding area. They range in date from the Palaeolithic to the Roman period. Kozani is also well-known for its late- winter tradition of Fanoi. Neighbourhood bonfires are lit in turn throughout the week-long carnival, the last day being marked by a mass conflagration. Locals gather around the flames to drink tsipouro, sing songs, and feast under the night sky. A Dionysian revel for the 21st century.
Grevena
As you travel further west along the Egnatia motorway, the road becomes sheathed in bear-proof fencing: an indication that the visitor is moving into wilder territory. Grevena is flanked by the Pindos Mountains – known as the spine of Greece – and within the thick swathes of pine forest, signs of boar, brown bear, and wolf can still be found. For those fond of fungi, Grevena’s mushroom harvest is considered the best in Greece. The region has recently become a hub for outdoor activities and offers opportunities for hiking, rafting, cycling, and skiing in winter. The steep descent to the base of Portitsa gorge is rewarded by one of Western Macedonia’s most photogenic sights: a narrow stone-bridge arched across a tributary of the Haliakmon and set against a dramatic cleft in the rock. The river is wincingly cold, its waters mildly resinous to the taste.
The region’s best-known archaeological site is Kastri, located to the west of Grevena town. The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki have been excavating here since the mid-1990s. They have revealed a fortified citadel with temple, stoa, and another stone building of unknown function. This may be ancient Aiginio, which was mentioned by the Roman-era geographer Strabo as one of the main cities of Tymphaia, although direct evidence is still lacking. The site dates to Classical and Hellenistic times, when this little corner of Greece was in its element, with local men such as the general Polyperchon elevated to high office. But this was a short-lived state of affairs. Arrowheads and burning accompany the violent end of Kastri’s life in the 2nd century BC.
Kastoria
Orestis (modern Kastoria) was the homeland of such famous Macedonians as Perdikkas, who was given the ring of power on Alexander’s death, and Krateros, one of the king’s best generals, as well as the infamous Pausanias, the assassin of Philip II. Its capital has not been securely identified, but there are a number of possibilities: Pentavryssos, Krepeni, Kastoria, and Armenochori have all been proposed. Many finds from these locations have been conveniently gathered together and housed in a new Archaeological Museum at Argos Orestiko. Among the star exhibits are some excellent examples of the super-weapons that made the Macedonian army so formidable: iron-faced circular shields, bronze helmets, slashing swords, and – most importantly of all – sarissas. These were 15ft- to 18ft-long pikes that, when levelled in unison against the opposition, resembled a porcupine’s spines. Their length inflicted terrible damage before the enemy were in range to fight back. It was an innovation that helped the Macedonian Empire to expand as far east as India.
This part of Western Macedonia also has links to another war story, one much closer to our own time. It was at Mount Grammos, in the north-west of the region, that the brutal final stages of the Greek Civil War played out. In August 1949, the Greek National Army launched a final offensive against the beleaguered troops of the Communist-led Democratic Army of Greece, who had gathered around the mountain. Supported by the Americans, the Greek Air Force rained down bombs on the region. The explosives included napalm. Victory was swift and came at the cost of many of Grammos’ villages. Today, they remain like ghosts in the landscape. A war memorial to commemorate those who died now stands atop the Gkesos peak.
The small city of Kastoria is known as ‘The Lady of Macedonia’. It is situated on a narrow peninsula that stretches out into the chilling waters of Lake Orestiada. In winter, the white-walled houses blend seamlessly with the snow-capped mountains that surround it. Human settlement in this idyllic location has been long-lived. The Dispilio Lakeshore Prehistoric Settlement was discovered in 1932 on the southern shoreline, and dates from around 5600 to 3000 BC. The settlement, which had occupied a small off-shore islet, consisted of a number of rectangular huts, some of which were raised on wooden platforms and connected with elevated walkways. With access to the rich resources of the lake, agricultural land, and forests, its residents flourished. Among the usual Neolithic assemblage of coarse pottery, loom weights, and flints were two exceptional artefacts: a bone flute – one of Europe’s oldest instruments – and a wooden tablet bearing inscribed markings, perhaps some form of proto-writing. A section of the settlement has been reconstructed within an outdoor eco-museum, and visitors are now able to explore the eight replica huts, complete with household items, and tread the wooden walkways set among the rustling reed-beds.
The city of Kastoria has a long history, too, and was a large settlement in Roman and Byzantine times. Its importance is reflected in its high number of churches: 54 remain of the original 72. They come in all shapes and sizes. Among the most interesting is the 10th-century triconch church of Panagia Koumpelidiki, while the 14th-century church of St Athanasios of Mouzaki is decorated with a series of beautiful frescos. One scene is believed to be the earliest depiction of Jesus and the Madonna wearing imperial costume. The Byzantine Museum of Kastoria holds further treasures with an incredible collection of icons that testifies to the city’s role as a centre for regional art. The highlight of the local calendar is the Epiphany festival of Ragoutsaria, when residents don costumes and parade through the city centre. At night, the sky is lit up with fireworks. The glowing embers of souvlaki stands warm the icy air, and the stars sparkle like jewels.
Florina
The land of the Lynx or ancient Lynkestis – today’s Florina region – was well-known for its fearsome residents. Alexander the Great’s formidable grandmother, Eurydike, was from here, as were the men who reportedly collaborated with the assassin Pausanias to murder Philip II – a sign that not everybody had been happy with the unification of Upper and Lower Macedonia. Philip, nevertheless, had succeeded in leaving his mark on the region. During the 350s and 340s BC, he built a number of new towns and moved populations around the kingdom as if he were herding sheep. This was designed to strengthen the frontiers, and such settlements as Herakleia Lynkestis, across the border in North Macedonia; Petres, guarding the entrance into Lynkestis; and the settlement on the hill of Aghios Panteleimon, located close to the town of Florina, are all thought to be associated with his state-building programme. Florina’s Archaeological Museum now houses the finds from some of these sites. Their populations evidently enjoyed high standards of living – they drank imported wine and spent money on such novelty items as a foot-shaped vase. But these finds pale in comparison with those unearthed at Achlada, across the Florina plain, where excavations have recently revealed one of Lynkestis’ richest cemeteries. Dating to the Archaic and Classical eras, the graves contained a wealthy array of weapons, terracottas, and jewellery of precious metal. It’s an assemblage similar to Aiani’s and other opulent cemeteries in the lowlands. Such discoveries have helped overturn the notion that Upper Macedonia was a backwater, culturally and socially isolated from developments happening elsewhere in Greece.
The Prespa Lakes – now a National Park shared with North Macedonia and Albania – are located to the north of Florina town. They occupy a basin surrounded by mountains, their isolation making the area feel like a lost world. It is a wildlife haven with the lakes, marshes, grasslands, and rocky slopes supporting a rich diversity of species. It has become a favourite spot for birders. There is history here, too. The ruinous basilica of St Achilleios – situated on an island in the middle of Little Prespa Lake – once housed the saint’s remains, and in the late 10th century the area functioned as a power centre for the Bulgar ruler Samuel. Other Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments can be found along the lake edge, including many hermitages squeezed into caves and crevices, and bright frescos painted on to the rock. In 2018, the area made international headlines as the local village of Psarades was chosen for the symbolic signing of the Prespa Agreement, which saw the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia, thereby ending a decades-long name dispute.
The most direct return route to the lowlands runs around the Petres and Vegoritida lakes, through an area well-known for its vineyards and orchards. The course parallels the original Via Egnatia – the great Roman highway that once linked East with West. On leaving the highlands, it is hard not to think of Alexander’s most famous Successor, Ptolemy, who was born here, where mountain meets plain. In 334 BC, he left with the rest of the Macedonian army – never to return. He went on to establish his own kingdom in Egypt and founded a dynasty that lasted some 300 years. It came to an end in 30 BC with the death of Cleopatra VII. His life is a reminder that Western Macedonia’s influence stretches far beyond its mountainous confines. And this is just one of the many reasons why it deserves to be better known today.
FURTHER INFORMATION
More information about what Western Macedonia has to offer can be found at the website www.visitwestmacedonia.gr.
Alex Rowson is the author of The Young Alexander: the making of Alexander the Great, published by William Collins.
All photos: Alex Rowson
