The ancient Macedonian town of Dion lying in the foothills of Olymp has only about 1 000 permanent inhabitants. It played an important role especially in the ancient times. Its patron saint was the supreme god, zeus, to whom the main temple in the town is dedicated.

At present, the won is known mainly for its vast archaeological zone lying outside the town. The ancient town was rediscovered by a British traveller in 1806, yet systematic archaeological research only began in 1928. The ancient Dion was permanently inhabited from the 6th century BC till the 5th century AD. The complete fortification with the castle tower and the ruins of the ancient town including a theatre, the huge temple of Zeus and a few sanctuaries dedicated to Demeter and Isis have been preserved. The ramparts also included an inbuilt statue of Hera. From the later era, there are ruins of an early Christian basilica.