Thessaloniki
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On paper, Thessaloniki has a lot to offer. Greece’s second largest city not only functions as an economic powerhouse, the harbour town is also renowned for its lengthy list of festivals, radiant nightlife and a cutting-edge cultural scene. The Port of Thessaloniki’s prime positioning on the Thermaic Gulf, tucked into the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea, has been proofed quite lucrative indeed… However, it’s exactly that industrial character that leaves quite a visible mark on te city’s appearance, dominating the otherwise appealing remnants of the foregone Byzantine and Ottoman times. Somehow, Thessaloniki was crowned the European Capital of Culture in 1997… she said, scratching her head. A corrupt city marketing trick? Or is Thessaloniki simply a tough nut to crack and am I obviously missing something? I went with the latter, as that’s always a good motivation for a thorough exploration.
The time has come to present my findings. What did I trace down in Thessaloniki that I actually liked?
The time has come to present my findings. What did I trace down in Thessaloniki that I actually liked?
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites
As a bundled listing, the “Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki” are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List due to their outstanding universal value, ranking among the most significant monuments worldwide dating from the Byzantine period. The monuments included are believed to have influenced the monumental arts with their crafty frescoes and mosaics, while functioning as one of the first bases benefiting the spread of Christianity (they phrase it like that’s a good thing).
To thoroughly dive into this, let’s go back in time for a second: The city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315BC by Cassander of Macedon* as part of the Kingdom of Macedonia. When this kingdom fell (in 168BC), Thessaloniki merged into the Roman Empire, serving as the capital of the province of Macedonia. When the Roman Empire split up in two, Thessaloniki grew out to be the second largest and wealthiest city of the eastern Byzantine Empire (only beaten by Byzantium, also named Constantinople / current-day Istanbul). The metropolis formed an important trade hub on the Via Egnatia, the road connecting Dyrrachium (Durrës in Albania) and Byzantium.
In this era, in between the 4th and 15th Century, a series of Byzantine monuments found their origins, including: The Church of St. Demetrius; Church of St. Apostoles; Church of Agia Sofia; Church of Acheiropoietos; Church of St. Aikaterini; Church of Panayia Chalkeon; Church of St. Nikolaos Orphanos; Church of Panteleimon; Church of Metamorphosis Sotiros; Church of Profitis Elias; the Rotunda; the Latamou Monastery; Vlatadon Monastery; the Byzantine Baths; the Heptapyrgion fortress / castle; and the City / Acropolis Walls including the Anna Paleolgina Gate, Rampart, Triginion Tower and White Tower. The mentioned landmarks withstood the test of time, and with that I specifically refer to the destruction by the hands of the Ottomans.
I’m not sure exactly how much time you have planned in Thessaloniki, but I recommend to at least visit a few of the list, surely including the Heptapyrgion… a prime sunset spot!
* He named the city after his wife Thessalonike, who was Philip II’s daughter and Alexander the Great’s half-sister. You can trace down their statues around town.
Ano Poli
Many of the mentioned UNESCO sites are located in the most attractive part of the city: Ano Poli, the “upper town.” This area was the only part of Thessaloniki that survived the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917, wiping out most of the city and leaving 72,000 people homeless (and 70% unemployed, due to destroyed businesses). The Old Town truly is a world apart from the city center… Think narrow swirling streets, adorable traditional houses and alfresco tavernas.
Besides a sizeable chunk of the Byzantine treasures, the area also includes the Atatürk Museum and house of birth. Wait, you mean the founding father of the Republic of Turkey… what the hell is he doing here? Well, the Greeks and Turks go way back. It all started in 1430, when Greece and the entire surrounding Balkan area was conquered by the Ottoman Empire for a duration of nearly five centuries. Thessaloniki was captured by Sultan Murad II, who sacked the city and enslaved about one-fifth of the population. During Ottoman times, Thessaloniki didn’t lose its relevance and, together with the now-Turkish city Smyrna, formed the main trading hub. Independence was only obtained in 1912 and as such, Kemal Atatürk was born in the Ottoman Empire of which Thessaloniki was a crucial part. However, it didn’t end there. When the First and Second Balkan War broke out in the same year, Greece decided to declare war on the Ottoman Empire in order to expand its borders. As a result, it gained Epirus, Macedonia, Crete and the North Aegean Islands from the Ottomans (and Thrace from Bulgaria). Then, in 1919-1922 the Greeks invaded Smyrna under the flag of the Greco-Turkish War… and failed. What did happen is a population exchange, deporting the Muslims of Greece to Turkey and the Christian-Orthodox living in Turkey to Greece, even if they had never been there and were definitely not welcome. This severely affected the local demographics and, needless to say, turned the lives of thousands of people entirely upside-down.**
* The Greek Consulate during the times of Ottoman Thessaloniki served as the center of operation for the Greek guerrillas. Nowadays, it is the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. Ottoman monuments include the Bey, Yeni, Paşa and Yahudi Hammam, as well as a wide selection of mosques.
** This area is the main focal point of the Thessaloniki “Free” Walks tour, which is tip-based. I participated in that tour as well, but wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. Even though I liked the personality of the guide and his musical contribution of some traditional live Rebete-music, he speaks soooo damn slow and has an issue with getting to the point of his story. He goes on and on about the same topic when everyone already lost interest 10 minutes ago, even though the sights covered in the tour are worth seeing. I recommend exploring on your own instead.
Many of the mentioned UNESCO sites are located in the most attractive part of the city: Ano Poli, the “upper town.” This area was the only part of Thessaloniki that survived the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917, wiping out most of the city and leaving 72,000 people homeless (and 70% unemployed, due to destroyed businesses). The Old Town truly is a world apart from the city center… Think narrow swirling streets, adorable traditional houses and alfresco tavernas.
Besides a sizeable chunk of the Byzantine treasures, the area also includes the Atatürk Museum and house of birth. Wait, you mean the founding father of the Republic of Turkey… what the hell is he doing here? Well, the Greeks and Turks go way back. It all started in 1430, when Greece and the entire surrounding Balkan area was conquered by the Ottoman Empire for a duration of nearly five centuries. Thessaloniki was captured by Sultan Murad II, who sacked the city and enslaved about one-fifth of the population. During Ottoman times, Thessaloniki didn’t lose its relevance and, together with the now-Turkish city Smyrna, formed the main trading hub. Independence was only obtained in 1912 and as such, Kemal Atatürk was born in the Ottoman Empire of which Thessaloniki was a crucial part. However, it didn’t end there. When the First and Second Balkan War broke out in the same year, Greece decided to declare war on the Ottoman Empire in order to expand its borders. As a result, it gained Epirus, Macedonia, Crete and the North Aegean Islands from the Ottomans (and Thrace from Bulgaria). Then, in 1919-1922 the Greeks invaded Smyrna under the flag of the Greco-Turkish War… and failed. What did happen is a population exchange, deporting the Muslims of Greece to Turkey and the Christian-Orthodox living in Turkey to Greece, even if they had never been there and were definitely not welcome. This severely affected the local demographics and, needless to say, turned the lives of thousands of people entirely upside-down.**
* The Greek Consulate during the times of Ottoman Thessaloniki served as the center of operation for the Greek guerrillas. Nowadays, it is the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. Ottoman monuments include the Bey, Yeni, Paşa and Yahudi Hammam, as well as a wide selection of mosques.
** This area is the main focal point of the Thessaloniki “Free” Walks tour, which is tip-based. I participated in that tour as well, but wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. Even though I liked the personality of the guide and his musical contribution of some traditional live Rebete-music, he speaks soooo damn slow and has an issue with getting to the point of his story. He goes on and on about the same topic when everyone already lost interest 10 minutes ago, even though the sights covered in the tour are worth seeing. I recommend exploring on your own instead.
Harbour Area & Contemporary Art Center
Everything I liked about Ano Poli is absent in the Port of Thessaloniki and the waterfront area, which was entirely rebuilt after the Great Thessaloniki Fire. It’s quite sad to realize how superb the place once was, until modern architecture and current humanity f*cked it all up, leaving us to admire history instead of the present. A problem definitely not unique to Thessaloniki or Greece, and one of the many topics addressed in the downright superb Contemporary Art Center, which is paired with the Photography Museum (MOMus). What I liked about this museum is that it goes beyond just a simple exhibition of artefacts and artistic photography… it raises questions, it educates and make your mind wander off to certain social dilemmas underneath. Every corner of this exposition has a new narrative, every single one of them grabbing my undivided attention. The highlight of Thessaloniki for me!
The area is thoroughly re-developed, in an attempt to make it slightly more attractive to visitors. If you follow the waterfront city-inwards you will eventually bump into the White Tower, one of the earlier mentioned UNESCO-monuments. It was constructed as a Byzantine fortification, but repurposed by the Ottomans as a notorious prison where numerous mass executions were carried out. Further down the coast, you can also trace down a couple of beaches, including Neoi Epivates, Peraia, Agia Triada, Epanomi Nea Michaniona… which can all be reached by local bus lines 69 / 72 as well.
Talking about museums… The following museums are free the 1st Sunday of the month in Nov-Mar / 6-Mar / 18-Apr / 18-May / last weekend Sept / 28-Oct: Archaeological Museum; War Museum of Thessaloniki; Museum of Byzantine Culture; Roman Agora; Folk and Ethnological Museum (the last 2 minus the 1st Sundays).
Everything I liked about Ano Poli is absent in the Port of Thessaloniki and the waterfront area, which was entirely rebuilt after the Great Thessaloniki Fire. It’s quite sad to realize how superb the place once was, until modern architecture and current humanity f*cked it all up, leaving us to admire history instead of the present. A problem definitely not unique to Thessaloniki or Greece, and one of the many topics addressed in the downright superb Contemporary Art Center, which is paired with the Photography Museum (MOMus). What I liked about this museum is that it goes beyond just a simple exhibition of artefacts and artistic photography… it raises questions, it educates and make your mind wander off to certain social dilemmas underneath. Every corner of this exposition has a new narrative, every single one of them grabbing my undivided attention. The highlight of Thessaloniki for me!
The area is thoroughly re-developed, in an attempt to make it slightly more attractive to visitors. If you follow the waterfront city-inwards you will eventually bump into the White Tower, one of the earlier mentioned UNESCO-monuments. It was constructed as a Byzantine fortification, but repurposed by the Ottomans as a notorious prison where numerous mass executions were carried out. Further down the coast, you can also trace down a couple of beaches, including Neoi Epivates, Peraia, Agia Triada, Epanomi Nea Michaniona… which can all be reached by local bus lines 69 / 72 as well.
Talking about museums… The following museums are free the 1st Sunday of the month in Nov-Mar / 6-Mar / 18-Apr / 18-May / last weekend Sept / 28-Oct: Archaeological Museum; War Museum of Thessaloniki; Museum of Byzantine Culture; Roman Agora; Folk and Ethnological Museum (the last 2 minus the 1st Sundays).
Ladadika
The landmark that most prominently caught my eye was the Arch of Galerius, also named Kamara. This structure, together with the Rotunda, was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Galerius. They form the main elements of the imperial precinct linked to the palace / fortress. It’s an interesting sight to see these in-your-face pillars of history flawlessly adopted into the modern reality of Thessaloniki. Besides that, the area Ladadika, where these monuments are located in, form the vibrant core of the local nightlife: Thessaloniki’s USP, which was unfortunately severely ballsed up by that annoying little thing called covid. Thessaloniki’s response was to re-open all establishments, but to forbid any music to be played… Uhuh, so let me get this straight: They are generous enough to allow us to spend the same amount of money on a glass for which we can easily buy a bottle to drink at home, whilst still hanging out among crowds spreading covid to one another, but they’ll take away the only reason why people go out to begin with: enjoy and dance to music with their friends. Big sarcastic thumbs up Thessaloniki!
Luckily, our Couchsurfing hosts Stavroula and Anil, experts of the night, went out of their way to let us taste a bit of the midnight adventures to be had in this otherwise vibrant city. Be it in a silent bar in Ladadika, filled up with Stavroula’s laughter and anecdotes, or at a home hang-out easily transformed into a spontaneous house party bristling with new friends-for-the-night. In the end it’s exactly these experiences, over any UNESCO listing or world-class monument, that add flavour to a place… attaching it to certain emotions and memories you once had there. I might not have felt the strongest connection with the city itself, but I was patient enough to let the beauty in.
The landmark that most prominently caught my eye was the Arch of Galerius, also named Kamara. This structure, together with the Rotunda, was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Galerius. They form the main elements of the imperial precinct linked to the palace / fortress. It’s an interesting sight to see these in-your-face pillars of history flawlessly adopted into the modern reality of Thessaloniki. Besides that, the area Ladadika, where these monuments are located in, form the vibrant core of the local nightlife: Thessaloniki’s USP, which was unfortunately severely ballsed up by that annoying little thing called covid. Thessaloniki’s response was to re-open all establishments, but to forbid any music to be played… Uhuh, so let me get this straight: They are generous enough to allow us to spend the same amount of money on a glass for which we can easily buy a bottle to drink at home, whilst still hanging out among crowds spreading covid to one another, but they’ll take away the only reason why people go out to begin with: enjoy and dance to music with their friends. Big sarcastic thumbs up Thessaloniki!
Luckily, our Couchsurfing hosts Stavroula and Anil, experts of the night, went out of their way to let us taste a bit of the midnight adventures to be had in this otherwise vibrant city. Be it in a silent bar in Ladadika, filled up with Stavroula’s laughter and anecdotes, or at a home hang-out easily transformed into a spontaneous house party bristling with new friends-for-the-night. In the end it’s exactly these experiences, over any UNESCO listing or world-class monument, that add flavour to a place… attaching it to certain emotions and memories you once had there. I might not have felt the strongest connection with the city itself, but I was patient enough to let the beauty in.
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Greece Facts
Short History Recap
3000-1400BC: Cycladic / Early Bronze Age – Cyclades settle in Asia Minor. 2100-1500BC: Minoan culture. 1400BC: Minoan centres destroyed by natural elements and abandoned. 1400-750BC: Mycenaean / Dorian Period – Mycenaeans from Peloponnese rise to prominence. 1150BC: Dorians conquer large areas of Peloponnese. 776BC: First Olympic Games. 750-550BC: Archaic Period – City-states Athens / Sparta / Thebes / Corinth compete for supremacy. 550BC: Sparta forms Peloponnesian League, rivalry with Athens. 500-338BC: Classical Period – Persia’s King Darius attempts to conquer Greece, but is defeated by Athenian army at Marathon. 481-479BC: Darius’ son Xerxes invades – Spartan king Leonidas (small army) finally falls at Battle of Thermopylae. Athens captured, but sinks Persian fleet off Salamis in surprise attack. 431-404BC: Peloponnesian Wars. Sparta controls most of Greece. 338BC: Philip II of Macedonia defeats Athens/Thebes at Battle of Chaeronea and unites all Greek cities except of Sparta. 338BC-395AD: Hellenistic / Roman Period – Philip II assassinated. His son, Alexander the Great, develops Greece into imperial power with Macedonia at governmental centre. 323BC: Diadochi divide empire after Alexander’s death. Centres of power shift to Middle East / Egypt. 320-275BC: Rome emerges as major power. 146BC: Greece province of Roman Empire. 295-1453AD Byzantine Period – Roman Empire divided in East (Byzantine) and West. 1204: Crusaders attack Constantinople. Franks / Venetians divide Greek territory. 1452: Defeat Byzantine Empire by Ottoman Empire: 1453-1821. 1821-’29: Greek War of Independence from Ottomans. ’12-’13: First Balkan War: Greece wins Epirus, Macedonia, Crete and North Aegean Islands from Ottomans / Second Balkan War: Greece wins Thrace from Bulgaria. 1821 onwards: Modern Times. 1917: Start WWI, Greece with Allies. ’19-’22: Greco-Turkish War (Greek failed invasion of Smyrna). ’24: Monarchy abolished, Greek republic. ’35: Monarchy restored. ’36: General Metaxas starts right-winged dictatorship as PM. ’40: Start WWII, Greece initially neutral – Mussolini attacks Greece from Albania, but is repelled. ’41: Nazi Germany - Resistance by communists and royalists. ’44: Collaboration with UK to repel Nazis. ’46-’49: Greek Civil War between US/UK-backed governmental Hellenic Army and communist SU/Bulgaria/Albania/Yugoslavia-backed Democratic Army of Greece (1st won).’52: Parliamentary kingdom. Joins NATO. ’67: Military coup. ’73: Republic again. Coup. ’74: Coup against president of Cyprus. Turkish invasion / occupation Northern Cyprus. ’75: Parliamentary republic. ’81: Joins EU. ’91: Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia declares independence. Greek objects to name and flag due to territorial claims of Greek province Macedonia. ’96: Tension with Turkey over Aegean islet. ’99: Earthquake Athens kills dozens. 2002: Euro replaces drachma. ’04: Athens hosts Olympic Games. Formal warning EC: Greece falsified budget deficit data in run-up to eurozone. ’08: Greece blocks Macedonia’s bid to join NATO over unresolved name-dispute. ’09-‘15: Debt crisis – massive debt caused by Greece. Long series of EU + Eurozone rescue bailouts and loans (hundreds of billions of euros) and debt-cuts in exchange for austerity and spending cuts programs, continuously accompanied by mass protests. ’13: Highest unemployment rate EU (26.8% - ’14: 28%). ’18: Agreement with Macedonia after 27-year-long name dispute (Macedonia vs. North Macedonia).
Greece Facts
- Capital: Athens
- Language: Greek
- Population: ± 10.72mln (Thessaloniki: ± 1.3 mln)
- Sq km: ± 131,957 (Thessaloniki: ± 19.31)
- Currency: Euro (€)
- Electricity Outlet: C and F / 230V / 50Hz. Check here!
- Country Code Phone: +30
- Emergency Phone: 112 (general), 166 (ambulance), 199 (fire), 100 (police), 171 (tourist police)
- Visa: Check out the visa requirements here.
- Vaccinations: Covid.
- Climate Thessaloniki: Dry-Summer Subtropical (Csa)
- High season: July-October.
Short History Recap
3000-1400BC: Cycladic / Early Bronze Age – Cyclades settle in Asia Minor. 2100-1500BC: Minoan culture. 1400BC: Minoan centres destroyed by natural elements and abandoned. 1400-750BC: Mycenaean / Dorian Period – Mycenaeans from Peloponnese rise to prominence. 1150BC: Dorians conquer large areas of Peloponnese. 776BC: First Olympic Games. 750-550BC: Archaic Period – City-states Athens / Sparta / Thebes / Corinth compete for supremacy. 550BC: Sparta forms Peloponnesian League, rivalry with Athens. 500-338BC: Classical Period – Persia’s King Darius attempts to conquer Greece, but is defeated by Athenian army at Marathon. 481-479BC: Darius’ son Xerxes invades – Spartan king Leonidas (small army) finally falls at Battle of Thermopylae. Athens captured, but sinks Persian fleet off Salamis in surprise attack. 431-404BC: Peloponnesian Wars. Sparta controls most of Greece. 338BC: Philip II of Macedonia defeats Athens/Thebes at Battle of Chaeronea and unites all Greek cities except of Sparta. 338BC-395AD: Hellenistic / Roman Period – Philip II assassinated. His son, Alexander the Great, develops Greece into imperial power with Macedonia at governmental centre. 323BC: Diadochi divide empire after Alexander’s death. Centres of power shift to Middle East / Egypt. 320-275BC: Rome emerges as major power. 146BC: Greece province of Roman Empire. 295-1453AD Byzantine Period – Roman Empire divided in East (Byzantine) and West. 1204: Crusaders attack Constantinople. Franks / Venetians divide Greek territory. 1452: Defeat Byzantine Empire by Ottoman Empire: 1453-1821. 1821-’29: Greek War of Independence from Ottomans. ’12-’13: First Balkan War: Greece wins Epirus, Macedonia, Crete and North Aegean Islands from Ottomans / Second Balkan War: Greece wins Thrace from Bulgaria. 1821 onwards: Modern Times. 1917: Start WWI, Greece with Allies. ’19-’22: Greco-Turkish War (Greek failed invasion of Smyrna). ’24: Monarchy abolished, Greek republic. ’35: Monarchy restored. ’36: General Metaxas starts right-winged dictatorship as PM. ’40: Start WWII, Greece initially neutral – Mussolini attacks Greece from Albania, but is repelled. ’41: Nazi Germany - Resistance by communists and royalists. ’44: Collaboration with UK to repel Nazis. ’46-’49: Greek Civil War between US/UK-backed governmental Hellenic Army and communist SU/Bulgaria/Albania/Yugoslavia-backed Democratic Army of Greece (1st won).’52: Parliamentary kingdom. Joins NATO. ’67: Military coup. ’73: Republic again. Coup. ’74: Coup against president of Cyprus. Turkish invasion / occupation Northern Cyprus. ’75: Parliamentary republic. ’81: Joins EU. ’91: Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia declares independence. Greek objects to name and flag due to territorial claims of Greek province Macedonia. ’96: Tension with Turkey over Aegean islet. ’99: Earthquake Athens kills dozens. 2002: Euro replaces drachma. ’04: Athens hosts Olympic Games. Formal warning EC: Greece falsified budget deficit data in run-up to eurozone. ’08: Greece blocks Macedonia’s bid to join NATO over unresolved name-dispute. ’09-‘15: Debt crisis – massive debt caused by Greece. Long series of EU + Eurozone rescue bailouts and loans (hundreds of billions of euros) and debt-cuts in exchange for austerity and spending cuts programs, continuously accompanied by mass protests. ’13: Highest unemployment rate EU (26.8% - ’14: 28%). ’18: Agreement with Macedonia after 27-year-long name dispute (Macedonia vs. North Macedonia).
FREE Recommended Sights / Activities*
PAID Recommended Sights / Activities*
* A relatively complete overview of all sights and activities can be found on TripAdvisor… these lists include the ones I personally recommend. You can order your Lonely Planet here.
Evening Entertainment
Local Festivals
More festivals here.
- Sights: Waterfront Boulevard; Port of Thessaloniki; Ano Poli (upper town); Ladadika District; Roman Market; Bey / Yeni / Paşa / Yahudi Hammam; Aristotelous Square; Monument of Alexander the Great; Statue of Aristotle; Statue of Philip II of Macedon; Bezesteni Market; Arch of Galerius; UNESCO World Heritage sights: Church of St. Demetrius; Church of St. Apostoles; Church of Agia Sofia; Church of Acheiropoietos; Church of St. Aikaterini; Church of Panayia Chalkeon; Church of St. Nikolaos Orphanos; Church of Panteleimon; Church of Metamorphosis Sotiros; Church of Profitis Elias; Rotunda; the Latamou Monastery; Vlatadon Monastery; Byzantine Baths; the Heptapyrgion fortress; the City / Acropolis Walls including the Anna Paleolgina Gate, Rampart, Triginion Tower and White Tower (entry tower paid).
- Museums: Atatürk House; Municipal Art Gallery of Thessaloniki; Balkan Wars Museum. The following museums are free the 1st Sunday of the month Nov-Mar / 6-Mar / 18-Apr / 18-May / last weekend Sept / 28-Oct: Archaeological Museum; War Museum of Thessaloniki; Museum of Byzantine Culture; Roman Agora; Folk and Ethnological Museum (the last 2 minus the 1st Sundays).
- Hikes / Nature: Nymph Stones; Neoi Epivates, Peraia, Agia Triada and Epanomi Nea Michaniona Beach (reached by bus line 69 / 72).
PAID Recommended Sights / Activities*
- Sights: White Tower.
- Museums: Jewish Museum; Museum of Macedonian Struggle; Seikilo; Thessaloniki Museum of Photography (MOMus); Thessaloniki Olympic Museum; Science Center Technology Museum.
* A relatively complete overview of all sights and activities can be found on TripAdvisor… these lists include the ones I personally recommend. You can order your Lonely Planet here.
Evening Entertainment
- Nightlife Areas: Ladadika; Kamara / Rotunda / Arch of Galerius Area.
- Theatres: National Theatre of Northern Greece; NTNG Vassiliko Theatro Royal; Theatro Dassous (forest theatre); Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies; Theatro T; Concert Hall; Aristotelian Theatre; Radio City Theatre; Theatro Aylaia; Amalia Theatre; Principal Club Theatre; Theater Aneton; Athenaeum Theatre; Egnatia Theatre.
Local Festivals
- Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – March.
- Balkan Fest – March.
- Upnloud Festival – March.
- Urban Picnic Festival – August.
- International Festival of Folk Dances & Music – August.
- Street Mode Festival – August.
- Reworks Music Festival – September.
- Dimitria Festival – September.
- Thessaloniki Dance Festival – October.
- Thessaloniki Beer Festival – October.
- Kapani Project Contemporary Art & Music Festival – October.
- International Film Festival – November.
More festivals here.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Supermarkets: Discount; Bazaar; Masoutis; Sklavenitis; Market In.
- Farmers Markets: Modiano Market; Kapani Market; Athonos Square Market; Litochourou Market; Kaftantzoglou Market.
- Local Dishes: Pita Gyros (meat); Souvlaki (meat skewer); Moussaka (oven dish with minced meat / eggplant / potatoes / bechamel sauce); Pastitsio (macaroni lasagne); Kefthetes (meat balls); Loutza (cured pork tenderloin); Yemista (stuffed tomatoes); Papoutsakia (stuffed eggplants); Stifado (beef stew); Giouvetsi (beef stew with pasta); Kleftiko / Paidakia (lamb); Brizola (pork / beef steak); Mydia (mussels); Sofrito (slow-cooked veal); Xiphias (sword fish); Antzougi (anchovis); Spetzofai (sausage-wine dish); Fasolatha (white bean soup); Dolmadakia (rice-stuffed grape leaves); Koulouri (bread rings); Spanakopita (stuffed pastry); Loukoumades (fried honey-covered dough balls); Greek Salad / Choriatiki; Tzatziki (garlic-yoghurt dip); Taramasalata (fish roe dip); Tirokafteri (cheese dip); Tiropita (cheese pie); Olives; Greek Yoghurt (with honey and walnuts).
- The Veg Situation: Going vegan is rather complicated in Greece outside of the bigger cities, but in Thessaloniki there are plenty of options. Many local dishes are ‘accidentally’ vegetarian… most however containing cheese, eggs and/or honey. Local veg dishes (some descriptions above): Fasolatha; Vegetarian Moussaka; Yemista; Papoutsakia; Dolmadakia; Koulouri; Spanakopita with Cheese/Spinach; Loukoumades; Greek Salad; Tzatziki; Tirokafteri; Tiropita; Olives; Greek Yoghurt; Kolokitho Keftedes (courgette balls); Tomato Keftedes (tomato fritters); Fava (split peas dip); Melitzanosalata (eggplant dip); Tirokroketes (fried cheese balls); Saganaki (fried cheese); Daklos (crackers with feta and capers); Horta (leafy boiled greens); Briam (roasted vegetables); Gigantes (giant beans); Pissara (feta, sun-dried tomato and pine nuts salad); Salata Koliandrou (collard salad); Pitaroudia (chickpea dumpling); Fasolakia (green beans); Spanakoriza (spinach-rice stew). Local veg-friendly restaurants can be found here.
- National Drink: Tsipouro (spirit), Ouzo (anise spirit) and delicious Greek wine. The standard coffee served in Greece is ice coffee. If you want hot coffee, specify this in your order.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels: are definitely not cheap in Greece. However, if you’re with 2 people or more, a private room or apartment is generally cheaper than a dormitory bed in a hostel (not necessarily the case in Meteora). I personally found the best deals on Booking.com, which is generally cheaper than Air BnB listings here. Booking.com also has the biggest selection, is transparent about the final price and had an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs. If you use it often enough, generous Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is a better alternative. Keep in mind that most municipalities charge a city tax. Writer’s Choice: I Couchsurfed.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). That said, at my time of visiting, there wasn’t any active Couchsurfing community in Kalambaka.
- Housesitting: is an amazing exchange allowing you to stay short- or long-term in somebody’s house, while looking after their house and pets. There are many different websites, most of them paid… but once you landed a sit, the subscription fee is pays itself back quickly. The main housesitting website is Trusted Housesitters.
- Wild Camping: is rather complicated in a big city like Thessaloniki. Also know that this is illegal in Greece and if caught, you have to go to trial (I personally met someone who had to go through this unpleasant experience).
Be welcome!
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
* As described in the “History Recap,” this name is very controversial and still a topic of political debate. Macedonia is the name of a northern Greek province, North Macedonia the official name of the country. However, if you use “North” before the country-name, you profoundly insult the local population of (North) Macedonia. On the other hand, if you are in Greece and use the word “Macedonia” to refer to the country, you will not make any friends. The solution is to refer to the country as “North Macedonia” while in Greece, and change to “Macedonia” while crossing the border.
Mama Said
- Safety: European tourist destinations are generally safe, but use your common sense like everywhere. Don’t walk alone in remote areas after sunset, don’t take valuables along and follow your instinct when entering certain neighbourhoods further away from the centre.
- Tap Water: is drinkable.
- English is widely spoken, even by the older generation.
- Boycott zoos such as Parko Zoologikos Kipos, where animals are held in captivity out of their natural habitat.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates without any extra fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Keep in mind that all Greek ATMs charge a fee, the amount always indicated before completing the transaction. Payment by card is generally accepted everywhere.
- Simcard: The cheapest prepaid deals can be found on the street of Athens, generally around the major metro/train stations. Whereas in the shop they might charge €20 per month for limited calls and data, on the street the same simcard but with unlimited data is only €10. Don’t ask me how, just enjoy it.
Transport
- Walking: Thessaloniki is big, but nevertheless pedestrian-friendly. Most sights can be reached on foot.
- Cycling: Thessaloniki is rather bicycle-friendly, with dedicated lanes for cyclists. There’s a bike-share service called Thessbike, with their main station at the Concert Hall (ID needed).
- City Buses / Tram / Metro: Thessaloniki is served by bus lines. You can buy tickets in kiosks (cheapest option – especially if you buy a 2-ride ticket), vending machines or inside the bus. The lines operate from 5AM until 12:30AM. There’s one half-hourly night bus going from the bus station to the airport (78N), costing about 4x the standard ticket price. Bus line 50 is called the “Cultural Route”, as it passes along the city’s main sights. For navigation in inner-city public transport, Moovit works most efficiently (not Google Maps). You can also download a local navigation app here.
- Taxi / Uber: Taxis are available and can be ordered or hailed down on the street. This is not a cheap option, so make sure to negotiate the price ahead or ask for the meter to be turned on.
- Intercity Buses: Thessaloniki has 3 bus stations: Thessaloniki Bus Terminal (Selitsis 10, 1.7km outside of the centre); Macedonia Intercity Bus Terminal (Giannitson 244, 5km outside of the centre); Simoneodis Tours Bus Terminal (Monastiriou 28, 1.7 km outside of center). Keep this in mind when booking your ticket, as the bus generally only stops at one of these stations. The main bus line is Ktel and their tickets are much cheaper when bought online (on the day itself you still have to go to their stand and let them print out the tickets). Due to constantly changing departure times, I recommend to always verify the times at the bus station and buy the tickets in advance as they can sell out. Student tickets available (different discounts for foreign and local students).
- Train: The Thessaloniki train station is located at Thessaloniki 546 29. Trains in Greece are served by Trainose and this is a rather expensive mode of transport, with tickets prone to sell out. Pre-buy the tickets a few days in advance or book online. Student tickets available. Omio is a useful website for booking discount deals online in a wide variety of countries. For train passes check Eurail.
- Car Rental: is remarkably cheap. In off-season I found a rental car of €4-5 per day (excl. insurance) via Kayak, as long as the pick-up and drop-off point is Athens Airport. The pick-up rates from Thessaloniki are a bit more expensive.
- Airport: Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia (SKG).
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Greece, but it’s not very common. It’s pretty complicated to get in and out of the bigger cities, so depending on where you’re going, you’ll have to take a bus out of town. I had success doing this though. More info here.
Next?
- National Destinations Close By: Neos Marmaras, Pefkochori, Mount Athos, Kavala, Xanti, Meteora, Ioannina, Volos, Arachova, Athens, Pelopponese.
- International Destinations Close By: Albania, (North) Macedonia*, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy.
* As described in the “History Recap,” this name is very controversial and still a topic of political debate. Macedonia is the name of a northern Greek province, North Macedonia the official name of the country. However, if you use “North” before the country-name, you profoundly insult the local population of (North) Macedonia. On the other hand, if you are in Greece and use the word “Macedonia” to refer to the country, you will not make any friends. The solution is to refer to the country as “North Macedonia” while in Greece, and change to “Macedonia” while crossing the border.
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