Archaeological Site of Aigai

I visited this site recently (August 2024) and would like to share my experience, particularly regarding the palace. I hiked up towards the palace from the Royal Tombs at Aigai; it took about 25 minutes. Along the gravel path, I had to pass through some private properties. Fortunately, the owners are okay with visitors passing through, though the road signs could be clearer.

At the palace site, a few Doric columns and remnants of mosaics still stand, offering a glimpse into its former grandeur. According to the information board, this palace was the largest building in Classical Greece. It’s fascinating to think that the nearby theater is the very place where Philip II was assassinated. Additionally, it was within this palace that Alexander the Great was proclaimed king of the Macedonians.

There are a few staff members present to ensure visitors don’t step on marble stones or do anything inappropriate. I wish they could improve the facilities at this site, such as adding a small information center or even just placing ladders beside the mosaics so that I could see them more clearly.

Standing at the palace, it’s easy to understand why Philip II chose this location. The palace overlooks the northern plains, with hills and dense forests to the south, offering a strategic and scenic vantage point. It’s no wonder Philip II preferred Aigai Palace over the capital city of the Macedonian Kingdom, Pella, which is about 45 km north of Aigai/Vergina.

I also visited …

I wrote this review to provide a brief overview of what visitors can currently expect from Aigai (September 2023). Most importantly, the palace site is still closed for construction works, the re-opening date is not known. The theatre is open to visitors, but there is not much to see (nothing more than on the photo in Solivagant's review). The new museum is open (since December 2022). And as mentioned in the previous review, photography is now allowed (without flash) in the Royal Tombs Museum.
[Edit January 2024: the Palace of Aigai was reopened on January 7, 2024]

Here is my dialogue with the lady at the ticket counter at the Royal Tombs:
Lady: Would you like to take a combined ticket?
Me: What is included?
Lady: The Royal Tombs museum, the new museum outside the town and the archaeological park.
Me: Archaeological park? Is that the site where the palace and the theatre are?
Lady: The palace is closed for construction work.
Me: Do you know when it will reopen?
Lady: They said at the end of the year. So maybe next year. Maybe (accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders).
Me: And what about the other tombs that are even marked on Google Maps? For example, the Queen's tomb?
Lady: Those are not accessible.
Me: So it's just the theatre?
Lady: Yes.
Me: Isn't it a bit exaggerated to call it an "archaeological park" when it's just the ruins of a theatre?
Lady: …. would you like to …

Update on the photography policy as at 01 August 2023. Photography is now allowed in the Tomb without flash.  

There is non EU discrimination on entry for kids in that it is free for children from the EU but 1/2 price for kids from elsewhere. Although the kind ticket lady insisted that our 6 year old daughter was 5 and therefore free (which everyone found amusing except, of course, for the 6 year old)

We visited Aigai in April 2018 and, in common with previous reviewers, concentrated on the “Royal Tombs Museum” in the “Great Tumulus”. It is truly magnificent, both in concept and in contents. A tumulus, which was successively extended by the Macedonians to include 4 different tombs, has been “hollowed out” during and after excavation (which only commenced in 1976), and then roofed over to create a large interior space whilst maintaining its exterior size and covering of grass.

Within this space each tomb is accessible in its original location (though unfortunately not their interiors, for which one has to rely on replicas - though the original exterior paintings are visible). Their vast collections of funerary objects have been laid out in display cases adjacent to each tomb and include many items which are fully “up there” in their artistic and historical value in comparison with other famous “tomb finds” from around the World. One thing which does seem to have changed since the earlier reviews is what appears to be a far more strict enforcement of a “no photos” policy - I was verbally “warned” on entering that photos were not allowed and that there was CCTV “watching us”. There were plenty of notices around but the guards no doubt regard "old codgers" with cameras around their necks as spelling potential trouble! There was also a full complement of guards located around the tomb museum and I saw no-one surreptitiously using their mobile. Hence – …

At the time of my visit (April 2017) only the royal tombs museum is open and can be visited. As previous reviewers have pointed out the combination of excavation site with actual graves plus the artifacts found on site and all of that hosted within the original hill is unique. Still, it’s a fairly quick visit. And personally, having a bit more lightening would have helped; I found the rooms way too dark without a reason.

The palace area is currently under renovation. I climbed nonetheless to get a bit more out of my visit. From the little I could see from the outskirts heavy construction works are taking place. Don’t expect this to be open for the foreseeable future. A pity, if you ask me, as I am hard-pressed to see why you would have to lock up the whole area and could’t keep parts of the site open for viewing. The only part you can view is the theater area.

Getting There

The official website refers to frequent busses between Vergina and Veria. When I arrived in Veria around 2 p.m. the next bus was to run at 8 p.m. I ended up taking a cab back and forth (17€ and 15€). Taxis are frequent in Veria. In Vergina I had the gas station call a cab.

Vergina is well connected by frequent busses (1h express, 1.5h normal) and far less frequent trains (1h) to Thessaloniki. The train station is outside town with cabs …

I travelled from Thessaloniki by bus to Veria, and changed there to a bus going to Vergina.

Having just read Scott Oden's book 'Memnon', I was most interested to see the reconstructed tomb of Macedonian King Philip II within the museum.

The museum in Vergina is by far my favorite. The set up is unlike anything I have ever seen before since the museum is literally underground. The dark atmosphere with spotlights of each exhibit gives the whole place an eerie, mystical feel, as if you were actually there in the time of Phillip II. I visited a lot of museums at different sites on that trip, and they are all relatively similar except for this one. I would highly recommend it to all, history aficionado or not, it is a great experience and you will learn a lot.

We visited this site in 2007. It was the most memorable museum I have ever enjoyed. The fact that it was built on the site and in the same design of the original discovery is amazing. The quality of the restoration of the artifacts was incredible. I especially remember the crown made of delicate gold foil and decorated with what looked like 3D acorns, flowers and leaves. I also appreciated the two burial temples inside the tumulus. If you are anywhere near, be sure to visit.

I was a tour leader to Greece a couple of years ago. Visiting this museum in Vergina was absolutely one of the highlights of the trip for all of us. All artifacts were beautifully displayed, labeled in English, with explanations given to verify their authenticity. I was totally amazed at the craftsmanship and condition of the various items! I believe it is one of those places that most people have never heard of and I'm sure a huge percentage of the visitors to Greece miss it.

There are few accessible sites associated with Alexander the Great, his father Philip II, and ancient Macedonia in general, but Vergina is one of them and a very interesting one to boot. The focus of the site is the great museum that is cut into Philip´s tumulus. It´s one of the most interesting museums I´ve ever been to, and I wish I had had more time in Vergina to explore the area in closer detail. The roads in the vicinity of Vergina are scattered with tumuli, and there are probably lots of undiscovered treasures there. I also visited nearby Pella, which has some interesting mosaics and a nice museum, but doesn´t have anything like Vergina.

Vergina is situated near Veroia, some 75 kilometers east of Thessaloniki. The easiest way to get there is by car. Not for the first time in my world heritage hunting life, I had some trouble finding the site. It actually is very easy: the tumulus is like a small hill in the center of the town, with lots of souvenir shops nearby. The palace and the theatre are about 2 kilometers uphill.

The burial mound doesn't look inspiring from the outside, but when you go down inside you enter a magic scene. The place has a diameter of 110 meters and is 12 meters high. Currently, there is a fascinating combination to be seen of on-site remains (tombs, columns) and museum pieces taken from the site. A lot of sublime silverware was found (enough to equip a huge kitchen), but the golden crowns made of leaves are my favourite items.

The palace is just outside town, and more like a classic Greek sight. Unfortunately, the supposedly great mosaics were covered during my visit. However, this area and the theatre below are worth strolling around.