Pella & Vergina Day Trip from Thessaloniki: Royal Tombs Mosaics

Two Royal Tombs, One Morning: Where Alexander the Great's Father Was Buried

You're picked up from central Thessaloniki and driven to two museums in one day: Pella, where Alexander was born, and Vergina, where his father Philip II was buried in a golden tomb. The trip includes transport, a traditional lunch, museum entries, and an English-speaking attendant who stays with the group. Total time is roughly nine hours, with the drive and museum time split evenly.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Pella and Vergina archaeological sites

• Depart Thessaloniki at 8:00 AM
• Travel 45 minutes to Pella
• Explore Pella museum and mosaics
• See "Abduction of Helen" and "Amazonomachy" mosaics
• Visit archaeological site in Pella
• Travel to Vergina village
• Visit Museum of Royal Tombs of Aigai
• Admire Golden Larnax and royal artifacts
• Enjoy lunch with traditional Greek flavors
• Visit New Museum of Aigai

The experience

You drive out of Thessaloniki at 8am from Aristotelous Square, heading northwest toward Pella. The bus takes the highway for about 45 minutes, 50 kilometers through the Macedonian plain, and the landscape opens up as you leave the city behind. Your trip attendant, wearing the Ammon Express marking so you can spot them easily, settles in for the first leg. Pella comes first: the birthplace of Alexander, where Aristotle himself was invited to tutor the young prince. The modern museum sits right next to the archaeological site, and you move through rooms of mosaics that survived two thousand years: the "Abduction of Helen" and "Amazonomachy" scenes still vivid in stone, surrounded by everyday objects that tell you how people actually lived here.

Then you turn toward Vergina, the ancient capital of Aigai. The Museum of the Royal Tombs is built partly underground, and the moment you enter, the light hits the Golden Larnax: the funerary casket holding the cremated remains of Philip II, Alexander's father. It's marked with the 16-rayed Sun of Vergina, the symbol of the Argead Dynasty, and the guide walks you through what each ray means: four for the classical elements, twelve for the Olympian Gods. You see the golden oak wreath Philip wore at his funeral pyre, military armor, the objects that made him real instead of just a name in a textbook. The museum holds everything excavated from this soil: the finds that brought the old capital back to light.

Lunch happens in a local restaurant with traditional Greek food, and then you visit the New Museum of Aigai before heading back to Thessaloniki. The whole day moves at a pace that lets you actually look, not rushed, not dragging. You're back in the city by evening, having crossed two thousand years of Macedonian history without arranging transport, entry fees, or timing it yourself.

What’s included

Round-trip transportation from Thessaloniki to Pella and Vergina, entry to the Museum of the Royal Tombs at Vergina and the Museum of Pella, a traditional Greek lunch at a local restaurant, basic travel insurance during transportation, and an English-speaking trip attendant throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Winter SeasonGuide in English · 08:00Winter Season

Summer SeasonGuide in English · Available from 1 Apr 2027Summer Season

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 8h 30m, runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 08:00, from € 49.90 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and FridayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site€ 28

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Ammon Express

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the tombs and artifacts of Alexander the Great's world without arranging your own transport, paying entry fees separately, or timing museum visits yourself. The fixed schedule handles all three, and the attendant stays with your group so you're never figuring out where to go next.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What time does the day trip leave Thessaloniki?

8:00am from Aristotelous Square at Egnatia Street, near the white Statue of Venizelos. You should arrive 10 minutes early.

How far is Pella from Thessaloniki?

50 kilometers, about 45 minutes by bus.

Is lunch included?

Yes, you have a lunch break at a restaurant with traditional Greek food.

What's the Sun of Vergina?

A 16-rayed symbol found on Philip II's golden funerary casket. It represents the four classical elements and the twelve Olympian Gods, and was the emblem of the Argead Dynasty.

Do I need to pay for museum entry separately?

Museum entry is included in the tour price. EU students and people under 19 get free entry to Vergina with ID. EU citizens over 65 get a reduced rate of €6.

Is there a guide?

Yes, an English-speaking trip attendant travels with the group and wears Ammon Express clothing so you can identify them easily.

How long is the whole day?

Roughly nine hours from pickup to return, including transport, two museums, and lunch.

Is this suitable for people with mobility concerns?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The museums involve walking through galleries. Ask about specific access needs when booking.