Dion

Dion lies at the northeastern foot of Mount Olympus, on a well-watered plain in the region of Pieria. Its name comes from Dios, meaning 'of Zeus', and for the kings of Macedon this was the most important religious centre in their realm. Here they made sacrifices, staged festivals and held athletic and dramatic games in honour of the Olympian gods. It was at Dion that Alexander the Great offered sacrifice to Zeus before setting out on his campaign against the Persian Empire.

The site is now an expansive archaeological park, and it is the setting that makes it memorable. Springs rising from Olympus feed streams and marshy channels that thread between the ruins, so that the sanctuaries sit among reeds, poplars and running water. Paths lead past the sanctuaries of Demeter, Isis and Olympian Zeus, the remains of Roman baths, an odeon and a theatre, and long stretches of the paved ancient road that once ran through the walled city.

Many of the finest discoveries have been moved a short distance to the Archaeological Museum of Dion in the modern village, including statues, grave stelae, mosaics and a remarkable set of bronze surgical and musical instruments. Together, park and museum give an unusually complete picture of a Macedonian city across its Greek and Roman phases, from the fifth century BC to late antiquity.

Dion is a peaceful, green place to visit, quite different in feel from the sun-baked sites further south. The combination of water, shade and the wall of Olympus rising behind gives it an almost sacred stillness that suits its history. Birds and frogs fill the marshy corners, and in spring the whole park is thick with wildflowers.

Most visitors come as a day trip from Katerini, about twenty minutes away, or from Thessaloniki, around an hour and a quarter to the north. The village of Dion has a handful of tavernas and small guesthouses, and it makes a calm alternative base for anyone climbing Olympus from the nearby town of Litochoro. Allow two to three hours for the park and museum together.