A TRIP ROUTE
IT IS WORTH KNOWING
Thessaloniki is the hometown of later Saints Cyril and Methodius. The brothers were born to the family of a Byzantine official, Cyril (Constantine) around 827 and Methodius (Michael) around 815. Because in Old Church Slavonic, Thessaloniki was referred to as Solun, Saints Cyril and Methodius are often called the Brothers of Solomon. Well educated, they ran diplomatic missions in the Arabian Peninsula, Crimea and Bulgaria. Then they were directed by Emperor Michael III to the Great Moravian State, whose ruler Rościsław did not want his people to be Christianized by the German clergy. In preparation for the activity in the new territory, they simplified and modified the 38-letter alphabet representing sounds occurring in the Old Church Slavonic language, called Glagolitic. Together with their students, they also began translating the Holy Scriptures and liturgical scriptures into this language. The activity of the saints turned out to be extremely important for the culture of the Slavs, popularizing literature. In 1969, Unesco celebrated the 1100th anniversary of Cyril's death. Pope John Paul II in 1980 proclaimed Cyril and Methodius co-patrons of Europe, and in 1985 he dedicated to them the encyclical Slavorum apostoli.INTERESTING STORIES
Born in 1911 in Warsaw, Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz was a scout and sportsman, and during World War II, an agent of the British and Polish special services and a hero of the Greek resistance movement. In 1925 he moved to Thessaloniki when his mother remarried the Greek Jannis Lambrianidis. In cooperation with the Greek resistance movement, he conducted espionage and sabotage activities. He provided the English command with information about German military installations in Greece, the movements of German and Italian troops and convoys sailing to North Africa. Ivanov's group destroyed or damaged about 400 German and Italian planes, sabotaging their engines with iron filings, repaired at the Bracia Maltsinioti plant in Athens. Using your swimming skills, thanks to the help of Greek conspirators, Ivanov personally mined and destroyed German submarines and transport ships in the port and on the roadstead. Captured three times by the Gestapo, he managed to escape twice, but was finally shot after an unsuccessful attempt to escape from the execution site. He was buried in the third cemetery of the Nikea district, in Athens. In 1971, a film was made based on the events of Iwanow-Szajnowicz's activity in Greece, entitled "Agent no. 1". Karol Strasburger played the role of our hero.August 2021
A holiday on the Halkidiki Peninsula is another holiday spent in the time of the pandemic with Marta's friend, with whom they spent the previous year in Dubai. This time it was a stay organized by a travel agency, which guaranteed a successful and safe holiday with a child.
Despite the fact that the Chalkidiki region is one of the most popular in all of Greece, you can find here quiet, secluded coves, phenomenal sandy beaches, picturesque mountains covered with pine forests and olive groves that give you relaxation. Despite the fact that the weather was not always good, the trip should be classified as successful. The only thing they failed to do was visit the famous Mount Athos, an autonomous republic of Orthodox monks. The obstacle was very prosaic, only men can visit the Holy Mountain.Kassandra Peninsula
The Kassandra Peninsula is one of the three "fingers" of Chalkidiki. Its name comes from the name of the commander of Alexander the Great, who proclaimed himself king of Macedonia after his death. Kassandra is famous for its beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. Apart from swimming in the sea and having fun on the beach, Julek also visited the picturesque town of Afitos. Although he did not meet the Titans who once lived here, the views from the cliff nearby were delightful.
Thessaloniki
A trip to Thessaloniki was the icing on the cake of my entire stay in Chalkidiki. This multinational metropolis, founded in the time of Alexander the Great, offers so many attractions that you need to spend a whole day visiting them. The showcase of Thessaloniki is the famous White Tower of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, but there are also buildings from Greek, Roman and Byzantine times in the city.
Sithonia Peninsula
Sithonia is the middle of the three "fingers" in the south of Chalkidiki. The green and mountainous peninsula is quite poorly connected, so it was a good idea to book a round trip at a local travel agency. During the tour, they admired unspoiled nature and small towns with traditional buildings. They especially remember Sarti, from where there is a beautiful view of Mount Athos.