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11

Thessaloniki Holiday & Sightseeing Guide

Filed Under Greece

A trip to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece, known as Salonica by locals. A favourite seaside destination, Thessaloniki was once a grand city of the Byzantine Empire, second only to Constantinople. The cobblestone streets and historic buildings in the Upper City are charming and the remains of the Byzantine walls are incredible. The main gateway into Thessaloniki is Macedonia International Airport.

Flights to Thessaloniki
Located less than 10 miles from the city centre, Thessaloniki International Airport (Macedonia International Airport) services over three million passengers annually. Currently, the airport can’t handle long-haul flights, but connections to most major European cities are possible from here. The airport offers good domestic connections and many visitors use it as a gateway to the rest of Greece. Taxis are the easiest way to get into the city centre from the airport, with trips taking about 30 minutes. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Thessaloniki try
Thomas Cook.

There are currently only buses available in terms of public transportation. A metro is currently under construction, but this will take until 2012 to complete. Most visitors find taxis abundant, affordable and an easy way to get around. Otherwise, arranging tours or transportation through your hotel is the best option.

Thessaloniki

Sightseeing in Thessaloniki
There is plenty to see in Thessaloniki, both old and modern. The city is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Greece and is a stop for most Greek architecture students. The major landmarks are the White Tower, which is seen as the symbol of the city and is now home to the Museum of Byzantine Culture. The Kamara, or Arch and Tomb of Galerius, and Church of Aghios Demetrios are two other great landmarks of the city.

The Archaeological Museum should not be missed. The museum meticulously chronicles the history of Thessaloniki and displays thousands of artefacts that have been found in and around the city. The Dimitria is a three-month long festival that takes places every year between September and December showcases concerts, theatrical events, exhibitions and much more.

Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
As with most Greek cities, nightlife in Thessaloniki is vibrant and always changing. Many locals start their evening by taking a stroll. Start at Aristotelous square and walk towards Leoforos Nikis. This walk will take you past many bars and restaurants and is a nice precursor to nightlife in Thessaloniki. The main bars and clubs are located on the quay-side boulevard Nikis, also a good starting point. A popular evening haunt is the Regency Casino, near the airport. It is open 24-hours and offers not only gambling, but restaurants and bars as well.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
Thessaloniki offers plenty of variety for shoppers. The city centre, where most of the shops are located, can easily be explored on foot. The best shopping areas are along Tsimiski, Proxenou Koromila and Pavlou Mela streets. Here you will find department stores and boutiques. Near Dikasterion square you will find some nice jewellery shops with pieces made by local artisans. These items are quite reasonable when considering the high-quality workmanship that goes into making them. There are plenty of good quality crafts to be had, most of which are made locally.

Daytrips
Majestic Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest mountain, is easily visible from Thessaloniki, except on humid summer days. At the foot of Mount Olympus, where the ancient Greeks once paid tribute to Zeus, is the historical village and archaeological site of Dion, 96kms from Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki is also 80kms northeast of another ancient town, Vergina. Alexander the Great’s father, Philip II, was just one of the ancient Macedonian kings entombed at this UNESCO World Heritage site. Vergina also features a museum and an archaeological site.

The 500kms of beautiful beaches on the Halkidikí Peninsula are popular among Thessaloniki citizens and tourists alike, especially at weekends. Summertime classical and jazz concerts are frequently held at the resort of Sani and the Armenistis campground. Farther off the beaten path are the more intimate resorts and beachfront restaurants of the village of Nikiti, especially popular with German tourists.

Lake Prespa, a popular bird-watching destination with an austere Baltic atmosphere, is on the borders of Macedonia and Albania and may interest nature fans.

Must-see attractions
A stroll along Nikis Avenue waterfront promenade leads visitors from the White Tower to the ferry terminal which was once a large palace, with plenty of restaurants and shops along the way. The wooden houses and winding streets of Thessaloniki’s Upper Town provide another scenic walking tour past the historic churches of Osios David, St Nicolaos Orphanos and Vlatades Monastery to the top of the Eptapyrgio.

The Church of Aghios Demetrios is not only Thessaloniki’s most significant church, but it also features a museum, remains of the ancient agora and Roman forum, and the prison chamber of Saint Demetrios, Thessaloniki’s patron saint.

Bottle-shaped Aristotelous Square, filled with former mansions converted into hotels and shops, takes visitors from the Nikis Avenue waterfront to the Church of Panayia Halkeion. Thessaloniki’s thriving old market and one of its bigger parks are nearby. The OTE television tower and revolving restaurant on top of the Thessaloniki Expo Center provide a gorgeous panoramic view of the city.

Thessaloniki was also once known as ‘the mother of Israel’ because of its once prominent Jewish community, dating back from Roman times and boosted by the Spanish refugees who arrived during the Ottoman Empire. A Jewish museum and two synagogues are all that remain of this vibrant community which was almost exterminated during WWII.

Best time to go
Thessaloniki generally has a mild Mediterranean climate with hot, humid summers when temperatures can rise above 30°C and dry, cool winters with temperatures as low as -10°C. Most of Thessaloniki’s rain falls between November and March, while summer rain is less common and mainly occurs in thunderstorms.

Snow is fairly rare, but does fall about once each winter. If you want to enjoy the best of Thessaloniki’s outdoor attractions, avoid visiting in winter. Autumn and spring are mild and pleasant and make for less crowded and more temperate times to visit.

Rainy day suggestions
Should you encounter a rainy day, the city has a host of museums to keep you dry and occupied. Most of Thessaloniki’s museums are located in one area of Tsimiski Street, in the heart of the city. Several masterpieces are displayed in the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and the Municipal Gallery of Art, while the Thessaloniki Technology Park, the Museum of Photography, and the Museum of Cinematography are recommended for modern history buffs. The Goulandris Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Science are ideal places to learn more about the nature of Thessaloniki.

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