Salonika

24th - 29th April 2024
(6 Days)

Expert Historian : Alan Wakefield

Tour price: £2,260

click here to book

Your Holiday Essentials

24th - 29th April 2024
(6 Days)

3 & 4-star hotels, meals as indicated, drinks with dinner, all entrance fees, tour manager and expert historian throughout, all internal travel and optional travel from UK.

Activity Level: 2/3

Expert Historian: Alan Wakefield

Prices:

Standard price: £1,960

Incl. travel from UK: £2,260
Room sole occupancy supplement: £95
Non-refundable deposit: £350

Booking open

click here to book

Interested in this tour but not ready to book? Register your interest using the link below and we will keep you updated on the progress of the tour.

click here to register your interest

Tour Introduction

This fabulous tour to the quiet and untouched area of northern Greece and North Macedonia takes us to the battlefields of one of the least visited and much overlooked campaigns of the First World War. The scenic backdrop will never be forgotten: spectacular hills and mountains, the picturesque Lake Doiran, wonderful springtime flowers, verdant vegetation and rustic villages. The battlefields on the Salonika front are some of the best preserved from the First World War and offer a great insight into the conditions which the men on both sides withstood. This necessarily means considerable walking (of up to 9 miles on one day) on occasionally awkward terrain, although at times local farmers with tractors will be at hand to provide all terrain transport. We will be staying in comfortable hotels in Thessaloniki, Serres and Star Dojran, almost on the battlefields themselves, offering the chance to sit on the terrace with a cold drink in the evening reflecting on the day’s explorations.

Background

The Salonika (or Macedonian) front was established in 1915 by the allies as an attempt to protect Serbia against a combined German, Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian attack. Due to the late arrival of the mixed allied army and the sudden political upheaval in Greece, which resulted in them remaining neutral, they failed to stop the fall of Serbia. A stable frontline was established near what is now the Greek/North Macedonian border, which saw various actions until a big, allied advance in the September of 1918 led to the collapse of Bulgaria and Serbia’s liberation. The Salonika front is characterised by the huge mix of nationalities and armies that took part in the actions and also the terrible conditions endured by the soldiers. Weather extremes and disease were rife on the front line, the biggest problem being malaria which inflicted many more casualties than the fighting itself. There were around 160,000 admissions to British hospitals due to malaria over three years, which is almost equal to the fighting force.

Highlights

  • A wonderful tour in Greece & Macedonia
  • Explore Thessaloniki port and the White Tower
  • Visit Lembet Road Cemetery
  • See surviving elements of the infamous Birdcage defence line
  • Visit to Struma Cemetery
  • Explore the Doiran battlefield
  • Enjoy a relaxing boat ride on Lake Doiran
  • Visit the British Doiran Memorial and Cemetery
  • Ascend the Grand Couronne to discover the Devil’s Eye Bunker
  • The battlefield of Kosturino
  • Three nights in a lakeside hotel

What's Included

  • Return flights from London (optional)
  • 3 & 4 Star Hotels
  • Buffet breakfast each morning
  • Dinner parties hosted by your expert historian and tour manager
  • Two drinks i,e wine or beer at each dinner and a welcome drink on first evening
  • Dedicated Tour Manager
  • Entrance fees for sites included in itinerary
  • Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned coach
  • Tour information booklet
  • Access to the Cultural Experience app
  • Helpful and friendly travel advice
  • The company of like-minded travelers

"This was my first trip with the Cultural Experience and I was very impressed. Our tour manager and guide were extremely helpful and knowledgeable"

Itinerary

Day 1: Thessaloniki
Fly London to Thessaloniki. This afternoon explore the 2,000 years old port and the White Tower, which has become the symbol of the city, before heading to Lembet Road multinational WW1 cemetery. Check-in to our hotel for one night. (D)

Day 2: Doiran
Drive to Dorian where we visit the old station, the British monument to the missing and the CWGC cemetery. We cross the border into North Macedonia and check-in to our hotel in Star Dojran. This afternoon we enjoy a gentle 2-hour circular walk following tracks over scrubby, gently undulating and occasionally rocky terrain to Hill 340 via Petit Couronne (3 miles/level 3) in the Bulgarian second line. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Doiran
Our exploration of the Doiran battlefield continues, taking in the varying terrain which played a key role in the story of the actions there. We begin with an uphill walk (1 miles/45 minutes) along tracks to bunkers of the Bulgarian 3rd Line from where the more adventurous can elect to ascend the Grand Couronne, with its fabulous view over the battlefield from the Devil's Eye bunker, before returning to Star Dojran via The key Bulgarian position on The Hilt (round trip of 6 miles/level 3 walk). Late afternoon we will enjoy a relaxing boat trip on Lake Doiran. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Kosturino
On the battlefield of Kosturino we learn of the first British action of the Salonika campaign. It was here that a much depleted and poorly equipped 10th Irish Division struggled against the invading Bulgarian army and we will have a chance to pay our respects at their divisional memorial. With much of the day on foot but with the aid of local farmers and their tractors we will cover up to 7 miles. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Struma Valley
We cross the border back into Greece and drive to the River Struma from where, high above, we assess the battlefield which was the scene of fierce fighting as XVI Corps stemmed the Bulgarian advance. Descending into the valley we look at the successful British offensive of October 1916 and compare that with the failure at Tumbitza Farm and Prosenik. Check-in to our hotel near Serres for one night. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Return
En-route to Thessalonika airport we explore surviving elements of the infamous Birdcage defence line, so named due to the sheer quantity of barbed wire used. Afternoon flight to London. (B)

Recommended Reading List

Alan Wakefield

Alan Wakefield

Alan Wakefield was born in Marlborough, Wiltshire in 1968. He graduated from the University of Reading in 1990 with a degree in History and followed this with an MA in War Studies from King’s College London. Having worked as a curator at the National Maritime Museum and RAF Museum, Alan qualified with an MA in Museum Studies from University College London. Between 2000 and 2016 he was employed as a curator and then Head of the Photograph Archive of the Imperial War Museum.

Read more

Photo Gallery

  • The group at Rocky Peak
  • View over to Doiran
  • Hill 380, Macedonia
  • Doiran military cemetery
  • Dorian military cemetery
  • Doiran (Greece) railway station
  • View from the Birdcage to Bulgarian lines
  • The Struma Valley military cemetery
  • Bunker at the Birdcage defence line
  • The British positions from the Bulgarian lines
  • Alan Wakefield explains the fighting in the Struma Valley

Your Holiday Essentials

24th - 29th April 2024
(6 Days)

3 & 4-star hotels, meals as indicated, drinks with dinner, all entrance fees, tour manager and expert historian throughout, all internal travel and optional travel from UK.

Activity Level: 2/3

Expert Historian: Alan Wakefield

Prices:

Standard price: £1,960

Incl. travel from UK: £2,260
Room sole occupancy supplement: £95
Non-refundable deposit: £350

Booking open

click here to book

Interested in this tour but not ready to book? Register your interest using the link below and we will keep you updated on the progress of the tour.

click here to register your interest

Tour Reviews

View images of our 2018 Salonika tour here

Take a look at some independent reviews of this tour by previous participants here

Photo Gallery

tours by datethemesperiodsdestinations

direct link

Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter

For up to date news as well as details about all of our tours please subscribe to our fortnightly e-newsletter

Subscribe