ACTIVITIES
The unique combination of Sea, Mountain and Lake, around Nea Vrasna, gives the visitor the opportunity for many activities. So if you’re the adventurous type, you’ll find loads of activities to do in a small distance from our hotel. Also in a very small distance, you will find many attractions to visit and important monuments and sightseeings with great archaeological history.
Activities by the Sea
What makes Strymonikos gulf a desirable destination for a summer vacation besides it’s marvelous beaches, are a variety of other activities one can enjoy. Whether you came for a peaceful vacation or to engage in sport activities, you can try yourself out in some of related activities that will make your vacation more entertaining.
The clear water of Strymoniko’s sea, is ideal for underwater exploration offering a far-reaching view that allows you to see the bottom of the sea even if you are a couple of dozen meters away from the coast!
When it comes to water sports, the area offers canoeing, pedal sea biking and tubing. If you are up for some beach sports you will have no trouble in finding beach volley courts in all of the beaches.
Fishing is one more popular activity and you can find people with their fishing equipment even during early hours.
Also many prefer spearfishing and surfing during their summer vacations.
Mountain activities
Finding opportunities for an active vacation around Nea Vrasna, isn’t difficult at all. All you have to do is turn your gaze toward nearby mountains and valleys, and a bunch of attractions you can tour on foot or bike will pop-up. Some of the best hiking and biking paths you can find in the vicinity of Volvi, are Makedonika Tempi, Mount Kerdyllia and Mount Stratoniko.
Makedonika Tempi is a natural resort, featuring a wide diversity of herbal and animal species. Τhe byzantine castle of Redina towers high in the area.
Mount Kerdyllia assumes the dominating position over Asprovalta and Nea Vrasna, offering exceptional panoramic views over the Strymonikos Gulf. There you’ll discover springs, brooks and other natural creations concealed with fir, beech and pine trees. The Saint Georgios (St. George) Monastery, featuring Byzantine style architecture, is another worthy site that awaits hikers and bikers to discover.
The Stratonikos Mountain trail, starts from the mountain road af Ano Stavros and leads to Stagira, which is the birthplace of the great ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Besides hiking and biking, there are also paths for Enduro motorbikes in all the trails. International competitions take place every Spring in Volvi, such as “Sougliani trail” and “Logger’s land”.
Lake Activities - Birdwatching
Lake Volvi is the second largest lake in Greece and is 20 km away from Nea Vrasna. It is in a row with Lake Koronia which is 11,5km away. Together the two lakes make up a wetland of international importance under the name “Lake Koronia – Volvi“.
The starting point of your excursions in the Volvi Lake area may be the Wetland Koronia – Volvi Information Centre, in the town of Apollonia. In the Center there is an environmental exhibition about the lake and the species it hosts. Half hour tours can be taken and additional informational material can be provided.
If you follow the dirt road to the lake, you reach a site suitable for bird watching. From there you can clearly see the heron colony hosted in a towering poplar tree, in the rare hydrophilic forest of Apollonia. Herons come here from early spring, preparing their nests, they lay eggs in the late spring and raise their young during the summer.
In Volvi lake were organized the First International Rowing Competition in 2022 with 286 athletes from various European countries.
The wind blowing at Rentina Straits creates the right kind of waves on Lake Volvi for aspiring wind-surfers who gather from all over Greece.
SIGHTSEEING
Ammos Luxury is ideally located for sightseeing with many major attractions within easy reach, no more than 1 hour by car.
So, take the opportunity and visit one or more destinations during your vacation.
Museum of minerals and rocks of Northern Greece - Vrasna
The museum of minerals and rocks of Northern Greece in Vrasna is located in the old Primary School. It also houses the Folklore Museum and belongs to the Cultural Association of Vrasna.
Folklore objects have been collected from the residents since 2000 and in 2012 the collection of minerals and rocks was added, with the main purpose of highlighting the geological heritage of Northern Greece. The collection of minerals and rocks is considered by experts to be unique in Greece.
The visitor has the opportunity to admire findings from the geological wealth of Northern Greece, such as the red corundum from Paranesti.The material from the earth’s mantle donated by the Geological Park of Grevena is still distinguishable.
Since 2017, it has been carrying out an educational program approved by the Ministry of Education and has a vocational character.
Municipal Folklore Museum - Ano Stavros
The Municipal Folklore Museum of Ano Stavros, was inaugurated in the fall of 2021 and is housed in the renovated old Primary School of Ano Stavros.
Its purpose is to highlight our cultural heritage through the use of digital media.
At the entrance of the museum, the visitor has the opportunity to learn about the history of the school. The museum space consists of 2 rooms. In the first, local history is presented through photographs, oral testimonies, with the help of new technology and interactive media. In the second room, objects from traditional trades and arts, rural life, bread production and more are exhibited.
The folklore museum carries out educational programs and guided tours for schools of all levels.
The aim of the municipal museum is to be a point of reference. A cultural space accessible to everyone.
Aristotle's Birthplace - Ancient Stageira
Stagira was an ancient Greek city, located in central Macedonia, near the eastern coast of the peninsula of Chalkidiki, and is chiefly known for being the birthplace of Aristotle, who was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.
Aristotle was born in 384 BC , and was to become one of the most important Greek philosophers of antiquity. After Socrates and Plato, Aristotle was the great philosopher who influenced the thinking of the ancients.
A unique park of Aristotle is located at an altitude of about 500 meters, in the historical village of Stagira. It is worth visiting not only for its interesting instruments but also for the great view to the gulf of Ierissos. The park preexisted and the wonderful location was chosen in 1956 to host the statue of Aristotle, made by sculptor Nicholas, in honor of the great philosopher who was born there. The unique interactive instruments were placed there in 2003. They are experimental instruments, operating by rules of physics that are mentioned in Aristotle’s textbooks and especially in the one called “The Naturals and combines recreation, entertainment and education.
Kasta Tomp & Amphipoli's Museum - Amphipolis
The Kasta Tomb, also known as the Amphipolis Tomb, is an ancient Macedonian tomb that was discovered inside the Kasta mound near Amphipolis, Central Macedonia, in northern Greece in 2012. The recently discovered tomb is dated to the last quarter of the 4th century B.C. Close to the tomb, lies the Lion of Amphipolis, that was originally located on the top of the Kasta Tomb and at some time in the past was moved to its current location. Archaeologists have made a number of important discoveries on the site since August 2014.
Two marble sphinxes approximately 2 m (7 ft) tall that guard the main entrance to the tomb. A fresco, paint still visible, that mimics an Ionian peristyle, on top of which the sphinxes sit. Two female statues of the Caryatid type in the antechamber, which support the entrance to the second compartment of the tomb. A marble door, typical of Macedonian tomb doors. A mosaic—3 m (9.8 ft) wide and 4.5 m (15 ft) long—in the second chamber, which depicts Persephone abducted by the god Pluto,ruler of the underworld. An eight square metre vault and a marble door in the third chamber, where the skeletal remains of 5 individuals were found.
There is also the Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis where finds from Amphipolis and its surroundings are exhibited.
Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki is one of the largest museums in Greece and the central museum of northern Greece. All visitors are welcome to experience its unique collections of ancient artefacts as well as its rich and extrovert cultural activities.
It holds artifacts from the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, mostly from the city of Thessaloniki but also from the region of Macedonia in general. The central rooms hold exhibits from the archaeological excavations conducted in Thessaloniki and the broader area of Macedonia. The new wing hosts two exhibitions: The Gold of Macedon, with artefacts from the cemeteries of Sindos, Agia Paraskevi, Nea Filadelfia, Makrygialos, Derveni, Lete, Serres, and Evropos; and The Thessaloniki Area in Prehistory, with material from prehistoric settlements, dating from the Neolithic to the Early and Late Bronze Age.
Apart from its permanent displays, the Archaeological Museum also hosts major temporary and thematic exhibitions. In the Manolis Andronikos Room, for instance, there is an exhibition titled The Coins of Macedonia from the 6th Century to 148 BC, with examples of coins that were circulating in Macedonia in that period. A showcase in the lobby of the museum displays some finds from the excavation of the Neolithic settlement at Makrygialos in Pieria, accompanied by information about the progress of the excavation. In the new wing, the Gold of Macedon exhibition includes finds from numerous excavations in Central Macedonia.
Ancient Theatre of Philippoi
The ancient theatre of Philippi is an important and remarkable monument. It is located at the feet of the acropolis and it is supported on the eastern wall of the city of Philippi. Eventhough it has sustained many changes throughout the centuries and some interventions so that it can host the Philippi Festival, it still preserves many of its original elements.
Opposite the ancient theatre of Philippi there are the ruins of the ancient city. The ancient city took its name in 356 b.c. after the father of Alexander the Great, Philippos the II.
The excavations have brought to light ruins from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Paleochristian period. The octagon, the Roman forum, the paleochristian basilicas and parts of the city walls, are some of the most well known.
One of the most important festivals in Greece. It takes place every summer on the site of the ancient theatre of Philippi and it hosts various plays and musical performances.
Mount Athos
An Orthodox spiritual centre since 1054, Mount Athos has enjoyed an autonomous statute since Byzantine times. The ‘Holy Mountain’, which is forbidden to women and children, is also a recognized artistic site. The layout of the monasteries had an influence as far afield as Russia, and its school of painting influenced the history of Orthodox art.
Mount Athos has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its nearly 1,800-year continuous Christian presence and its long historical monastic traditions, which date back to at least 800 A.D. and the Byzantine era. Today, over 2,000 monks from Greece and many other countries, including Eastern Orthodox countries such as Romania, Moldova, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia, live an ascetic life in Athos, isolated from the rest of the world. The Athonite monasteries feature a rich collection of well-preserved artifacts, rare books, ancient documents, and artworks of immense historical value, and Mount Athos has been listed as a World Heritage site since 1988.
Although Mount Athos is forbidden to women and children, you can take a cruise around the peninsula of Athos by boat, from the ports of Ierissos or Ouranoupolis.
