Thessaloniki and Ouranopolis

After spending the night in Thessaloniki, Denis and I took a bus to Ouranopolis, the final town before Mount Athos. We stayed the night there before beginning our pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain.

The Roman Forum in Thessaloniki. This is where St. Paul would have spoken when he visited Thessaloniki. We could see this ancient site from our hotel balcony!



Hagia Sophia Church. An important 8th Century Byzantine Church. In Thessaloniki Denis and I also saw the Cathedrals of St. Gregory Palamas and St. Demetrios.



A view from Ouranopolis. Ouranopolis is the last town before the Athonite Peninsula where the ferries to the Mountain depart. Recently this beautiful area has attracted a lot of vacationers and has seen the developement of several resorts.