//
Amphipolis is an archeological site in Macedonia (Greece).
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
The museum is well equipped, interestingly designed and well worth a visit.
The remains of the buildings date from the early Christian and Byzantine periods. It has been proven that there are remains of buildings from the Roman period. It is likely that it was already built before the Roman era. As in many archaeological sites in this area, churches were built over earlier temples in order to remove the relics of the ancient belief in many gods (12 gods). So today you can essentially only see the foundations of old churches. The archaeological site is not very exciting and rather something for historians.
It was built in the 3rd century. Its construction suggests that it was a public building. The previously uncovered part of the villa was built around an atrium, which was covered with rectangular marble slabs. The walls of the rooms were plastered and painted with colored geometric patterns. The found mosaics (partly on display in the museum) are of particular interest.
The tower was built in 1367 based on an inscription that is now in the Amfipolis Museum. It was built by high officials in Constantinople who owned land in the area. Later, before 1384, the tower was donated to the Pantokrator Monastery (on Mount Athos).
The wooden bridge connected the city with its port. The river Strymon was probably navigable at this time. It was built outside the city walls and was flooded during floods.
A beautiful and photogenic grave monument from the 4th century BC in honour of the Admiral Laomedon from the island of Lesbos (Mytilene).
Kasta Hill is 2.5 km northeast of the Acropolis. It is the largest tomb that has been found in Greece so far. The complex is surrounded by a 497-m-long and 3-m-high wall made of marble from the island of Thassos. The burial mound is approx. 30 m high, 250,000 m³ of sand were needed to fill it up. The grave is said to be built in the late 4th century BC.
There is no information about the construction of the tower, but most likely it was built around the same time as the tower of Marmari, in the 14th century.
The tower is not mentioned in Byzantine or other historical sources. It is known that a Proastion (settlement) existed in this area, which was granted to the Chilandar Monastery on Mount Athos by Emperor Andronicos II. Palaiologos in 1299. So this was most likely a monastery tower similar to the towers of Chlakidiki, the purpose of which was to protect and serve the various dependencies of the monasteries of Mount Athos. The type of construction and what little we know about the history of the area date the tower to around the mid-14th century.
The ruins of a tower are in the village. The tower is known as the Tower of Maro or the Tower of Kyra-Maro. Maro was a princess of Greco-Serb origin who was born in 1418. At the age of 17 she married the Sultan of the Ottomans Murat II and became the foster mother of the next Sultan Muhamed II, the conqueror. She was very powerful and intervened in religious and political affairs many times. Towards the end of her life she withdrew here and lived in this tower. She had a large property (approved by the Sultan). When she died, her fortune was inherited by monasteries on Mount Athos.
The tower dates from the first half of the 14th century. On the same hill, below the tower, there is a chapel built into a rock in the immediate vicinity of the tower. The chapel is dedicated to Agia Marina.
It was an ancient port city on the left side of the mouth of the Strymon. Later it was a Byzantine port city that developed in the delta of the Strymonas River after the 10th century and became an important port. It is near Amfipolis on a lagoon that is full of flamingos in the fall. As a real Byzantine city, the place, now called Chrysopolis, was protected by a fortress, some remains of which are still preserved today.
In the Classical Period, as well as in the Roman and Byzantine periods, Amfipolis was the urban center of the region of the Strymon River Delta. During the Ottoman occupation, the city gradually lost its importance and business activity shifted to Marmario, while military control was concentrated in the modern village of Orfanio, where a small fortress was built. This small fortress to protect the delta was likely built in the 18th century or maybe earlier.
A few scattered remains of a Byzantine fortress on a low hill among vineyards. The castle is first mentioned by the sources in the 11th century. It seems that the castle never housed a settlement. It was probably just a haven for the population.
The area was first settled by the Thracians in the mid-8th century BC. Around 655/654 BC, the inhabitants of Paros established a colony here to exploit the region's timber and ore deposits. This made it the first colony in the area. Around 500 BC, the city was presumably destroyed by the Persians under Darius I, but it was subsequently rebuilt. Following the establishment of Amphipolis in 437 BC, however, Argilos declined in importance.
The excavation site is about 1 km from the museum in the village. A vehicle is required for the outlying attractions.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kavala · International · KVA
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Amphipolis and Greece.
Travel tipsFind out how much does a trip to Greece cost in 2026. Compare daily budgets for island ferries, hotels, taverna dining, and ancient archaeological sites.
8 min read
ItinerariesPlan an ideal 10-day Greek island-hopping itinerary for 2026. Explore Athens, Naxos, and Santorini with ferry tips, timings, and realistic costs.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Greece in 2026. Compare island ferry seasons, sea temperatures, Meltemi winds, ancient ruins weather, and hotel costs.
8 min read
Travel tipsCompare taking a ferry versus flying from Athens to Santorini. Examine transit times, ticket costs, luggage rules, seasickness risks, and scenery tips.
6 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.