Experiences

Along with Aristotle

On the occasion of the 2,400th anniversary of Aristotle's birth in Ancient Stagira, and the official proclamation of 2016 and 2017 as “Aristotle Anniversary Years” by UNESCO, Sani VIP Services provides guests an incredible chance to discover the birthplace of Aristotle in Stagira.

Driving through mountains and forests you will visit Ancient Stagira where you will also have the chance to visit the walls of the city rebuilt by King Phillip II in return of Aristotle’s tutoring to his son Alexander the Great. On this excursion, you will also discover the aspects of Aristotle’s consistent work in logic by visiting Aristotle’s park, situated in the contemporary village of Stagira; in its extended form, the route includes one last stop at the village of Arnea - the compact residential complex – landmark of traditional architecture of the Halkidiki area.

Taste of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki (“Best Mid-Sized European city for human capital and lifestyle”, as voted by Financial Times in 2014) is not only known for its beauty and impressive number of Byzantine monuments but also for its great food. One of the main reasons can be found in the history of the city as Thessaloniki remained under Ottoman rule for about 100 years more than southern Greece, and it has retained a lot of its Eastern character especially when it comes to culinary taste. This excursion is a real journey of tastes. An early start takes you to the famous Aristotelous square where you will taste a cup of strong Greek coffee, traditional “koulouri” (sesame bread roll) and “mpougatsa” (puff pastry cream pie). During your tour you will wonder through well-known open-air markets of Thessaloniki, soak up the hustle and bustle of Athonos square, and you will visit one of the city’s oldest confectioneries for a sample of “siropiasta” filo pastry sweets. 

Thessaloniki Sightseeing Excursion

Vibrant Thessaloniki is Greece’s second largest city and the capital of Macedonia. It offers a rich cultural and historical heritage as well as a cosmopolitan café life. On this excursion, you will visit the recently renovated Archaeological Museum, the White Tower, some of the splendid churches including the Byzantine church of St. Dimitrios and climb up the Acropolis (highest point of the city) in Thessaloniki’s Old Town to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Naturally, there’s also time to enjoy the shopping and cafés downtown.

Gerovassiliou Excursion

Since 1981 the Domaine Gerovassiliou has been active in the cultivation and making of wine. Just a few kilometers outside Thessaloniki, this modern winery, in which the well-known wines of Domaine are produced, is surrounded by a carefully tended vineyard. New technological advances blend well with tradition throughout vine growing and vinification processes. Domaine Gerovassiliou is open to all wine lovers and anyone wishing to get to know the world of wine and agriculture. Visits comprise a short walk around the vineyard, a tour in the wine-production, bottling and ageing areas, and of course the Wine Museum situated at the heart of the winery. Be prepared for a unique wine tasting experience in the special wine-tasting rooms, while enjoying a spectacular view to the Domaine’s vineyard.

Pella-Vergina Excursion

Be prepared for an early start for this day excursion to Vergina (80km south-west of Thessaloniki) one of the most historic places in Greece and the old capital of the ancient Macedonia state. Some of the most important remains you will see include the palace, lavishly decorated with mosaics and painted stuccoes, and the burial ground with more than 300 tumuli, some of which date from the 11th century B.C. The tomb of the Macedonian King Philip, father of Alexander the Great, is listed as a  World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Philip's tomb complete with its unique valuables is kept in a specially designed museum. Click here to view a short video about this excursion.

Meteora Excursion

An early start takes you through fertile plains to Mount Olympus then on to Kalampaka, a small town at the foot of Meteora - the “stone forest of Christ”. Those who see Meteora for the first time believe it to be a geological miracle with thousands of rocks, merging to form an almost unearthly sight. Wanting to be closer to God, bold monks built monasteries on the peaks of these rocks and lived as true hermits for more than 600 hundred years. The “katholika” (central parts of churches) of the monasteries have been painted by skilled religious painters from the late Byzantine years and still hanging from the towers are the nets that the monks used for ascending and descending. Today, six monasteries survive and are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. 

Thessaloniki Jewish Tour

The history of the Jewish people in Thessaloniki reaches back two thousand years. The city of Thessaloniki housed a major Jewish community, mostly of Serphadic origin, until the middle of the Second World War. It is the only known example of such a scale in the Jewish diaspora and it retained a Jewish majority for centuries. On this excursion, you will visit the City wall offering marvelous views of Thessaloniki, the Jewish Museum, the Jewish Cemetery, the Monastirioton Synagogue, and of course, the Modiano Market initially owned by the great Jewish Modiano family.