Vergina - Royal Tombs of Aigai

Aigai was the first capital of ancient Macedon, and the great grassy mound at Vergina kept its secret until 1977-78, when Manolis Andronikos's excavations opened royal tombs that had never been looted - among them the burial attributed to Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. The site went onto the UNESCO list in 1996, and the museum built inside the tumulus itself is one of Europe's most theatrical: you descend into darkness where the painted tomb facades stand as found, and spotlights pick out the golden larnax with its sixteen-rayed star, a gold oak wreath of impossible delicacy, armour, ivories and purple-and-gold textiles. Up the road, the vast restored palace of Philip II and the theatre where he was assassinated in 336 BC complete the picture of the city where Alexander's story began.

What you actually see

• The tomb facades - painted Macedonian fronts standing in the dark as excavated.
• The golden larnax - the star-embossed chest and the oak-leaf wreath.
• The armour and ivories - a warrior king's grave goods in full.
• The palace and theatre - the wider Aigai site above the modern village.

When to go

Open year-round; spring and autumn make the drive through the Macedonian orchards a pleasure and the site walking mild. Mornings are quietest - school groups arrive mid-day in term time.

Honest expectations

The museum interior is deliberately dark and photography rules inside are strict - this is a place for looking, not shooting. It sits about an hour and a quarter's drive from Thessaloniki, so pair it with Veria or Pella to justify the trip; the tumulus museum alone is compact enough to finish in two hours.

Nearby

Veria's old quarters, Pella's mosaics and the slopes of Mount Vermio.