Greece: Travel Guide: Macedonia

Greece: Macedonia

Macedonia (Greek: Μακεδονία, Makedonia), is the largest and second most populous region of Greece. Together with the regions of Thessaly, Thrace and Epirus, it is often referred to unofficially as northern Greece.Macedonia covers an area of some 44,231 km². High ground makes up much of the region with mountains reaching up to 2,919 m (6,500 ft); extensive fertile plains lie along the Aegean Sea coast. Macedonia is traversed by the valleys of the Aliakmon, Axios, Nestos, and Strymonas rivers, all of which drain into the Aegean. It borders the countries of Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, and the Greek regions of Epirus, Thessaly and Thrace. The offshore island of Thasos is within the precincts of Macedonia; together with Samothrace, they belong to the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Ανατολική Μακεδονία και Θράκη).