Ancient Stagira

Stagira was founded in the seventh century BC on a small peninsula of two hills joined by a saddle, and Aristotle was born here in 384 BC; Alexander later rebuilt the town in his tutor's honour. The site is unusually pleasant to walk: paths lead through pine and oleander past the classical fortification wall, an archaic temple, the agora with its stoa foundations, houses and cisterns, and out to the tip of the headland where the walls meet the water and the sea is clear enough to swim from the rocks. Signage explains the layout well. Nearby in the modern village of Stagira stands a park with a bust of Aristotle and a set of physics instruments that demonstrate optical and acoustic principles, popular with children.

What you actually see

• The headland walls - classical fortifications running down to the sea.
• The agora and stoa - the civic centre of the ancient town.
• The shoreline - rocks and clear water at the foot of the site.
• The Aristotle park - a nearby hilltop park with working physics exhibits.

When to go

Spring and autumn for walking the paths comfortably; the site is partly shaded by pines, which helps in summer, and swimming from the rocks is a bonus in warm months.

Honest expectations

The remains are foundations and wall stretches rather than standing buildings, and there is no museum on site. Access is by a short walk from a small car park. There is no shop or cafe at the ruins.

Nearby

Olympiada village and its beach are minutes away; Ouranoupoli and the Athos coast lie east.