Vergina is a small village at the foot of the Pierian mountains in northern Greece, and for most of history nobody outside the region knew its name. That changed in 1977, when the archaeologist Manolis Andronikos opened a great burial mound here and found royal tombs with astonishing grave goods. The site is ancient Aigai, the first capital of the Macedonian kingdom, and one of the tombs is widely attributed to Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. The prehistoric settlement and the large cemetery of burial mounds nearby show that people had been living and burying their dead here for a very long time before the Macedonian kings.
The museum built over the royal tombs is one of the most remarkable in Greece: the tumulus has been reconstructed and you walk inside it, in near darkness, past the tomb façades and display cases holding gold, ivory and weaponry. Allow at least an hour and a half. The palace remains and the theatre where Philip was assassinated are a short distance up the hill.
The riding around Vergina is varied. The plain of the Aliakmon river below is flat and agricultural, with orchards of peaches and apples, while the mountains rise sharply behind. Véroia, about nine kilometres away, is a lively town with an old Jewish quarter and a host of small Byzantine churches; the road west from there climbs into the Vermio mountains toward the ski area at Seli and the town of Naoussa, known for its red wine. Further south, the roads into the Pieria range and around Mount Olympus are excellent, with long series of bends and big views. Greek roads vary a lot: some are freshly surfaced, others rough and potholed, and dogs and goats are part of the traffic.
Véroia is the place for fuel, a good meal and a bed. Local specialities include revani, a syrupy semolina cake that Véroia is famous for. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; summer on the plain is very hot, though the mountains stay pleasant. Go early to the museum to beat the tour groups.