Dion and Mount Olympus Full Day Private Tour from Thessaloniki

Archaeological Museum of Dion

The Archaeological Museum of Dion, inaugurated in 1983, offers a thorough picture of the daily life and culture of the inhabitants of ancient Dion, from the Iron Age (1000-700 BC) to the early Christian centuries. The exhibits originate from the archaeological area of Dion and the wider area of Pieria. The three rooms of the museum feature grouped exhibits such as statues, tomb sculptures, architectural members, inscriptions, vessels, mosaics, coins and other items found mainly in the wider area of Dion. In the spacious ground floor, there are findings from the Roman baths and the sanctuaries of Demeter and Isis. The visitor can also admire an exquisite finding dating to the 1st century BC, a unique musical instrument of antiquity, the famous hydraulis (water organ) of Dion, brought to light during archaeological excavations in 1992. The bronze tubes of the instrument and the entire sound-producing system have survived.

The archeological excavations in Dion, the holy city of the Macedonians, led by Professor Dimitris Pantermalis, brought to light many findings, which prove the existence of a brilliant civilization and one of the most important Macedonian cities. The Archaeological Park of Dion, includes important findings, as well as the Ancient Theater, where during the Olympus Festival, the ancient tragedy and other performances are revived. To the south of the Municipality are the Ancient Livithra, the burial place of the mythical Orpheus, the most gifted musician of antiquity. Also, in the south the visitor will see the Castle of Platamonas, one of the most beautiful and best preserved castles in Greece, which dates back to the Frankish era. It is built on the site of ancient Heraklion, the first city of Macedonia.

Orlias Waterfalls

In eastern Olympus, west of Dion, there are two unknown places, except the locals, as we found out during our recent visit. We are referring to the waterfalls of Orlias (Urlias) and the Koromilia shelter. According to tradition, the river Elikonas or Vafyras or Orlias (so named from the noise, the roar of the water) is an ancient river of Pieria which was lost from its shame refusing to purify them – when the Mainades wanted to wash their hands there of their blood of Orpheus after they had killed him in Dion, he disappeared from the ground and re-emerged there just outside Dion, where he forms his waterfalls, two of which are accessible. In the river Elikonas, the Mainades tried to cleanse themselves from the blood of Orpheus, after they killed him in Dion.