Excursions & Activities

Excursions and Activities

FIPSE-7 offers to all participants and spouses/companions two optional day-long excursions, on Sunday and Thursday. In addition, there are three half-day activities for spouses/companions on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

On Sunday, July 6, an excursion will take place west of Thessaloniki to visit the Vergina Royal Tombs of King Philip of Macedonia and the related Museum. This will be followed by a wine-and-food tasting at the Kir-Yianni winery.  On Thursday, July 9, the second optional day-long excursion will take place. We will travel east of town for a cruise to Mount Athos, which will include swimming and lunch. The optional activities for spouses/companions include a Gastronomy Tour on Monday, a Byzantine Tour on Tuesday, and a Cooking class on Wednesday.  More information below.  

To see the prices and register, please go to the Registration page HERE.

King Philip's Tomb and Winery Visit - Sunday

As it has become customary since the first FIPSE, a cultural tour is planned for Sunday, July 5, before the conference’s start. Join us on this optional day-long bus excursion to the Vergina Royal Tombs and Museum, followed by a wine and food tasting experience at the Kir-Yianni winery.

The Vergina Royal Tombs and Museum are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Polycentric Museum of Aigai, housing the spectacular Macedonian royal tombs, including that of King Philip II (father of Alexander the Great), as well as incredible gold treasures, armor, and frescoes, housed in an underground structure built over the burial mounds. The visit will include a guided tour of the tombs and museum, offering a unique, immersive experience into ancient Macedonian wealth and power. The day will continue with a tour and wine tasting at the famous Kir-Yianni winery. It will include lunch.

Departure from the hotel at 8:30 a.m. The excursion is expected to last 7-8 hours. Please note that the schedule may be adjusted slightly depending on the available time slot for the winery visit. We will return to the hotel just in time for some relaxation and preparation for the FIPSE-7 opening reception.

Price: € 90 — Register HERE

Gastronomy Tour - Monday

Participants will visit three historical food markets in the city center and learn how locals have used their ingredients in their cooking throughout the centuries. They will taste several local delicacies at shops hidden in the old markets. All tastings will be organized according to the group’s dietary restrictions. The tour will be led by chef and connoisseur Smaragda Ntasioudi Makri, who introduced culinary walks for travelers in Thessaloniki 15 years ago. The group will return to the hotel in time for those wishing to continue with lunch. Departure from the hotel at 9:30 a.m.

Price: € 30 — Register HERE

More information HERE.

Byzantine Tour - Tuesday

This guided tour will include visits to Heptapyrgion Castle and the Monastery of Vlatadon, the Agios Dimitrios church, and the Byzantine Museum (tickets included), paying homage to Thessaloniki’s rich Byzantine tradition.

Departure from the hotel at 8:00 a.m. The tour is expected to last 5 hours. The group will return to the hotel in time for lunch.

Price: € 40 — Register HERE

Greek Cooking Class - Wednesday

This cooking class is led by chef and connoisseur Smaragda Ntasioudi Makri.

Participants will wear their aprons, play some sensory games with spices and aromas, and then prepare lunch, influenced by the different ethnicities that inhabited the city (Armenian, Pontian, Ottoman, Sephardic), depending on the group’s dietary restrictions. Lunch will follow, accompanied by a glass of wine from the wineries of the area and other refreshments.

The group will leave the hotel at 10:30.

Price: € 40 — Register HERE

More information is provided HERE.

Mount Athos Cruise

We will travel east by bus to board a cruise ship departing from Ormos Panagias and sailing along the western coast of Mount Athos. Participants will enjoy majestic views of the historic monasteries, with a professional guide providing information on the spiritual and architectural significance of Athos. The cruise will continue with a stop for swimming at the islet of Ammouliani, and we will conclude with lunch by the sea at Ormos Panagias before returning to the hotel.

Price: € 110 — Register HERE