Exploring Macedonia Traveller Reviews

The tour exposed me to an area of Europe I knew little about and stunned me with the history and natural beauty. Our tour leader archaeologists Michael and Nota told intriguing stories of Phillip II and Alexander the Great, occasionally right in the spot where the events occurred. They were able to get us into archaeological sites that few tourists have seen. Their care and attention to detail was superb. I will most definitely travel on one of their tours again.

Easy to book and good communication.

The BEST of everything . Truly expert guides ,not a guide who thinks they know but a true academic , with knowledge spilling from every pore ! Great accommodation, wonderful food , interesting and engaging people to travel with from UK, USA, Canada and Australia

Peter Sommer delivers everything they promise …. And more

Having been wary of group tours before we could not resist the itinerary of the Exploring Macedonia Tour; it took us to places we could not easily have visited ourselves in such a short time. The tour was exactly as described in our itinerary, the only surprise being how good it was. Our guides were wonderful at conveying information in an entertaining and compelling style and evocatively recalling significant events in the lives of Philip II and Alexander the Great in the places where they happened. The specially selected restaurants and local specialities added extra depth to the experience and helped the group to gel. A wonderful experience.

This was our first tour with Peter Sommer Tours. We have appreciated their attention to detail, nothing seems to have been overlooked in organising the tour and the information we received from the moment we first booked has been outstanding. We felt looked after thoughout our trip.

An excellent tour with a focus on archaeology, history, culture, plus fabulous regional and local food. The small group size is ideal for seeing a lot, and our guides took us to site both well-known and hidden, where we had exclusive access.

Peter Sommer Travels was always a pleasure to work with and travel with. The tour was well organized, staff and guides were very helpful and informative, and I knew I was in good hands the whole time.

An awe inspiring excursion into ancient Macedonian society, its history and amazing archaeological sites brought to life descriptively by our tour operator in colourful context of a tumultuous epoch of conflict and social upheaval. The pervasive exploits and achievements including social changes and military campaigns of Philip II and his son Alexander were laid to bare in this most fascinating tour. Revelations and story telling were relived through most eloquent deliveries and animations by our tour guide, Dr Maria Girtzi

Maria led us into an exceptional history of Macedonia infusing our group with colourful factual knowledgeable historical accounts of ancient events occurring within this region. Moreover, her animated and descriptive theatricals brought to life and illuminated monumental occasions such as the slaying of Philip II and the great battles at Philippi. There are many more rich examples of Maria’s professionalism that could be related here, thank you Maria. A word about our two tour drivers, they were exceptional both in support of Maria and our tour group members and helpful at every opportunity.

The Macedonian tour explored a sweeping journey across the region, with visits to ancient archaeological sites, excellent museums, amazing tombs, a crusader castle, Byzantine churches, an island of interest and enchanting towns. Beginning and ending in Thessaloniki, this thriving city offered historic sites in its midst. The cultural expense and food provided an extra indulgence and were much appreciated by the guests.

Peter Sommers Travels offers small-group holidays of value. When you book a tour you know that you will receive excellent guides, a well-thought out and organised trip, very good accommodation and an outstanding insight into the past. It is a sheer pleasure to be associated with them and leaves you very much looking forward to another adventure.

My husband & I recently returned from the Peter Sommer Macedonia Greece trip. Wow, what an amazing journey. Spectacular scenery, delicious food & stupendous history -- from Neolithic site dating back to 6500 BC, ancient tombs (including King Philip's tomb), King Philip's capital, Alexander the Great, Crusader castle, Byzantine Empire of the 4th Crusade. Such a breadth of history, all led by Maria Girtzi, our wonderful PhD archeologist leader.

Peter Sommer Travels is wonderful. Their trips are beautiful planned & organized

The trip was for me a dream come true! Brought up on classical literature , I had always wanted to visit the storied cities I had read so much about. Peter Sommer's Tour "Exploring Macedonia" (travel start date June 17, 2024) allowed me to do just that and in the company of perhaps the best guide I have ever had on a tour. Her name is Maria Mirtzi . A trained archaeologist and University professor she regaled us with the history, geography, mythology, culture, and cuisine of each locality we visited. The places came alive under her dramatic retelling-Philippi, Amphipolis, Dion, Pella, Aigai, Stageira et countless others. We were treated to fresh food family- style at most of the places visited with wine at dinner. We all agreed that water was best during the midday meal with more hiking ahead of us! Our hotels were first-rate- even "boutique" wherever we stayed. Everything was taken care of and the comfort and safety of each member of our tour group was paramount. My experience will stay with me for years to come and the countless photos I took will be a reminder of the wonders of that particular area of Greece and of its people!

I think I already have ! Suffice to say that Maria Mirtzi was highly knowledgeable, professional, solicitous of our well-being, conscientious, accessible, and just plain very nice! Her enthusiasm for what we were seeing and what she related about what we saw was contagious and fired up our enthusiasm in turn. Her energy never flagged and neither did ours!

This tour was very satisfactory for me under all points of view. I'm not new to the history of Greece and to the country. For me, the tour was a perfect blending of sightseeing, history in depth, but told with passion (and humour), very confortable and charming accomodation, great meals, with specific care in having us taste different specialities, so much so that I would call it not just an archaelogical and historical tour, but also a gastronomic tour of Macedonia. And we also got a comprehensive overview of the different geographical regions, including a trip to Thasos Island.

As someone who has been working in the tailormade travel business in Italy for the past 40 years (now I'm retired) I can confidently say that the care that Peter Sommer Travels put in their tours is truly outstanding, under every aspect: itinerary, choice of guides, of hotels, of restaurants, of everything that can make a trip absolutely satisfactory.

Peter Sommer's Exploring Macedonia tour was all that I hoped it would be. It was a perfect combination of on-site archaeology and museum-going with fabulous meals and some winetasting included. We had the free time we needed to explore some of the little villages we stayed in with a grand finale in Thessaloniki.

Peter Sommers was all about communication. Someone from his office responded to all of my questions the day they were asked (amending for a large time change) and supplied clear information about what to expect on and before the tour.