Now Macedonia is the second largest prefecture in Greece and its capital, Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. The beautiful Prespa Lakes are one of Europes most important bird sanctuaries and Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece. Thessaloniki is rich in culture and is perhaps the most entertaining city in Greece when it comes to nightlife and eating out and is the birthplace of some of Greeces finest musicians and basketball players. The city of Kastoria on Lake Orestiada is considered to be the countries most beautiful city by the Greeks themselves. The Halkidiki Peninsula with its three prongs of Kassandra, Sithonia and Mount Athos run from crowded tourist resorts to beautiful remote beaches all the way to simple monasticism.

South of Thessaloniki is the peninsula of Halidiki which boasts some of the finest beaches in all of Greece. At one time the prime destination for Germans and other Europeans, the area's popularity has receded only slightly because of the difficulties in driving through what was once Yugoslavia. People still come here in droves and unless you book in advance you may not find a place. On the other hand the campsites seem to always have room.

Yes, there are still plenty of tourists there, an obscene number in July and August, but the beaches are long, the hotels large and beautiful and there is enough authentic Greek life in the more remote villages to make a traveller here not feel like he is missing something somewhere else. The area is not only known for its amazing beaches but also for the mountains, valleys and the splendid selection of wildflowers in the spring, which may be the best time to be here to beat the crowds.

If you are looking for an area to explore, either by car or local bus, or just a place to settle in and get to know the region and its people, then Macedonia will not disappoint you.

Security concerns continue to prevent faster growth in Macedonia. It has been spared the severity of conflict which has endured in other Balkan countries; the country has nonetheless not escaped unscathed. Even a small internal conflict between Albanians and Macedonians has resulted in security concerns which have negatively impacted on the tourist industry. However, even more importantly, almost all of the countries neighbouring countries are still embroiled in political troubles and economic stagnation. As a result, Macedonia has been unable to count on one of the normally most important factors in the development of its tourist industry, tourists from neighbouring countries. With low domestic travel receipts, the tourist industry remains patchy.