General Information & Reviews

Thessaloniki Travel info: The sculpture \ ©shutterstock
Thessaloniki is constructed around the Gulf of Thermaikos ©shutterstock
Aristotelous square, Thessaloniki ©shutterstock
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Thessaloniki Greece (or Salonica), the capital of Macedonia Prefecture, is the second largest city in Greece, after Athens. In fact, the town is honorarily called co-capital, for its historical and administrative importance. The history of the town started in ancient times and due to its strategic location, it played an important economic and political role in the wider region of the Balkans.

The town was founded in 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedon on the site of a former settlement named Therma. He named it after his wife Thessalonike, the half-sister of Alexander the Great. The name actually means "victory of the Thessalians" and it is believed that the woman was named like that because her birth coincided with a victory of the Macedonians with the help of the Thessalians.

In Roman times, Thessaloniki was an important trade center to transport goods between the East and the West. Its economic expansion continued all through the Byzantine Times and it became one of the most important centers of the empire. Many public buildings and churches were built that period all over the town. Many of these early Christian and Byzantine churches survive till today and they have been declared as World Heritage Monuments by Unesco.

Because of its economic power, the town received the attack of many Balkan tribes, including the Slavs and the Bulgarians, and of the Crusaders as well. In 1423, while the Byzantine Empire was coming to its end, Thessaloniki was sold to Venice, which held it until it was captured by the Ottomans in 1430.

During the Ottoman rule, the city's population of Muslims and Jews grew. In fact, the Ottomans had invited the expelled Jews from Spain to reside Thessaloniki in their effort to prevent the Orthodox population to grow. Also, many Orthodox churches were converted into mosques.

Thessaloniki was set free from the Turks on October 26th, 1912, during the First Balkan Wars. That day, it was the feast of Agios Dimitrios (Saint Demetrius) and since then, the locals celebrate it as the patron saint of the town. In August 1917, a fire burnt down most of the Old Town of Thessaloniki and left almost 1/4 of the population homeless.

In the Second World War, bombing destroyed many parts of the town, while most of the Jewish population was sent to the gas chambers and concentration camps by the Nazi.

Today, Thessaloniki is a modern town that has restored most of its wounds and receives millions of visitors every year. As it serves as a transportation hub for northern Greece, it has a railway system that connects the town to Turkey and the Balkans, a busy port and an international airport. With a population of about 800,000 people, Thessaloniki is famous for its ancient monuments, the vivid nightlife, and its shopping options.

The trademark of Thessaloniki is the White Tower, right in the waterfront. It was built in the 16th century by the Ottomans and along with its history, it has been used as a fort, a prison, a meteorology laboratory and today it houses the Byzantine Museum of the town.

Thessaloniki is also famous for the International Trade Fair that takes place every September and for the International Film Festival in autumn. Such cultural events and many others give the town a glamorous style.

PHOTO GALLERY

Reviews

4.5/5.0
8 Reviews
  • sarahve22 01 Nov 2011
    Full of energy
    Thessaloniki is a city with hectic nightlife and excellent food tradition. Last month I attended a two-day seminar that took place in there, and I was lucky enough to get a small taste of this historical town. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do any sightseeing but most of the sights can be seen in a long promenade along the beach or from Aristotle Square to Kamara. The hotel receptionist was also kind enough to recommend a couple for traditional taverns with local food in Ladadika, the best spot for an unforgettable night out. Of course, once you go to Thessaloniki, you should definitely try the cream-filled pastry and other traditional desserts. We took a stroll by the sea, we passed by the lovely Aristotle square with the fabulous cafes until we reached the White Tower.

    There are surprisingly many bars right opposite the seaport full of young crowds. We found a jazz bar by chance, one of those hidden gems in the street corner that is not hard to find in Thessaloniki. We listened to some great musicians playing jazz and we had the best time. I 'm thinking that maybe i should visit this town again soon. They say that Halkidiki, few min drive from Thessaloniki, is a great place for holidays so maybewe combine both.
  • johndsas22 16 Jul 2011
    Thessaloniki by car
    To Thessaloniki from Athens by car, my kind of adventure... There are many places to stop on the way. A magnificent road that goes along the valley of Tempi and the river of Penios was truly an inspiring place surrounded by green vegetation and rock formations. Tempi is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Greece. I was fascinated by the green environment and romantic atmosphere. The road at this point gets quite dangerous, so make sure you drive carefully.

    The first thing that drew our attention was the White Tower, the landmark of Thessaloniki. A wonderful circled building that stands proudly in the middle of the lively town. We made a stroll at the most popular road of the town with great taverns, cozy bars and the best pastries. I can surely guarantee you will enjoy the cream-filled pastry, the most popular dessert in Thessaloniki. It doesn't matter if you go to a cheap restaurant as they will serve you the best meal.

    This town is also famous for its rich nightlife agenda. It is hard to choose among the bars and cafeterias, as they all keep a unique style with fine decoration and cheerful people. In Thessaloniki you will never get bored, so whether you enjoy a meal in a small tavern or a drink in the bar overlooking the port, this palace will remain unforgettable. Best coffee spots was in the paralia (beach promenade pass the White Tower) or at Saint Paul, which is a nice quarter on the hill with great view.

    We stayed in Thessaloniki for 3 nights and the trip continued to Halkidiki, Kavala and Platamonas on the way back.
  • montpe55 12 Apr 2011
    Enjoy the good food and pastry
    Our trip to Thessaloniki was full of surprising moments. During the road down this big city, we passed by some amazing forests and the greenery surroundings. As soon as we arrived, after a tiring trip we took a walk at the port and around the White Tower. I noticed that it is a popular spot in Thessaloniki where people walk, run or ride a bicycle in the beautiful paved streets. The roads were quite busy during the day and night.

    We went to some great traditional taverns with very good food. The hotel receptionist recommended us some good and cheap places for food, actually. Try the cream-filled pastry, a popular dessert in Thessaloniki and bun covered with chocolate. They are in all pastry shops.

    For a night out I suggest Ladadika one of the best known area for real entertainment and the bars along the beach. There are also nice boat-bars that depart from the port and go around the Gulf to see the city lights from the sea. We also visited the Old Town of Thesaloniki, an area with great archeological interest and Byzantine churches.
  • vasilikiang 13 Sep 2010
    Romantic seaside promenade
    I stayed only for a day in Thessaloniki but we saw most of it. Actually it is not that a big city and if you have a car, you make a tour of all neighbourhoods in a few hours. Of course, we didn't see museums and other indoor areas because they usually close at noon or early in the afternoon.

    Ano Poli was a picturesque quarter, this is the old part of the town with lovely houses and narrow streets. It spreads around a castle. The streets are not comfortable for the car, but walking there is nice. Also the small square of Agios Athanasios right beneath the castle gives a relaxing atmosphere. The cafes in Agios Pavlos give great views of the large city beneath.

    Lots of traffic in the city centre in the day. Also the church of Agios Demetrius is very impressive and it has been built on the site of some Roman baths. Next to the altar, there is a small stair that leads to these old baths.

    The beach promenade was also nice. Strolling by the sea, till you reach the White Tower. It was sad that no cafeterias or taverns are found right under the Tower (just a Roma Rizza restaurant), it would be a nice spot to relax. At night, there are wooden ships that have been turned into bars and make the tour of the port. No entrance ticket, you just pay your drink. Very romantic experience and something special, haven't seen it elsewhere.

    Not to mention Thessaloniki is famous for the delicious food and the pastries. If you have a car, go for excursion in Panorama, Exohi and Hortiatis: very picturesque neighbourhoods with lots of greenery.
  • tzeniusa 30 Jun 2010
    Great food and bars
    We boarded the Intercity Express train from Athens to avail the student's concession (11 Euros) and stayed at a cheap hotel opposite the train station. Nothing great, but adequate for a bunch of students like us, who just wanted someplace reasonably clean to crash out late at night.

    The next morning, we boarded a bus to get to the city centre. We saw so many important historical monuments in Thessaloniki. There were Ottoman and Jewish monuments and some of the Byzantine monuments which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were quite magnificent. We didn't do much shopping, but picked up some clothes at Egnatia Street. Surprisingly, they turned out to be pretty cheap.

    We ate a lot of gyros, the traditional Greek fast food (pork meat sandwiches) and souvlaki, and it cost just a little over 2euros every gyros. To take back home, we bought ourselves some "tsoureki", a type of sweet bread filled with several combinations of chocolates, creams or nuts and flavored with spices. One night, we went to one of the clubs to check out Greek nightlife. Nice experience. If you are looking to hang out someplace popular with the students, try the Arch of Galerius, also called Kamara. The place is crowded with cheap cafes and bars.
  • chelsea34 09 Jan 2010
    For shopping and nightlife
    We had a three-day stop in Thessaloniki while driving to Halkidiki in summer. I remember a nice busy town with a lovely, paved waterfront to walk in the sunset. My favourite promenade was in Ano Poli, which seemed so quiet even in the middle of the day. The Castle has amzing views of the big city.

    Shopping will be your favourite activity in Thessaloniki, especially after you visit Mediterranean Cosmos, a gorgeous shopping mall near the airport. Nightlife was also a favourite activity. In summer, people of course come to the port side and all bars along the waterfront (Nikis ave) were filled up to the pavement. Music was beating and people seem so open-hearted and humorous.

    I love this with Greeks, how friendly they can be even with complete strangers! We don't have this in northern Europe and I haven't seen it in other countries either. It seems that the warmer the weather, the warmer the people!

    The only bad thing with Thessaloniki was driving. I left my car for the whole three days in the hotel parking and didn't move it at all. Apparently, there is a lot of traffic and no parking seats. Buses and taxis are the means to go around. I also heard that they contructed an underground train netwrok but it will not be ready for the next 3-4 years.
  • agelikoni 13 Oct 2009
    Lady of the North
    Thessaloniki, or Salonica, is the second biggest city in Greece. If you decide to go by bus, which we did, traveling through the Greek mainland and villages, was a nice experience. Although, for those that prefer the easy way, there are many flights every day.

    As we arrived in Thessaloniki, we moved to the main, well known street of Aristotelous to get to our hotel. There is a strange romance between Salonica and its people. Her citizens seem to love their homeland and they are usually very friendly with tourists.

    The city is full of old churches, almost in every corner, every little street. Tsimiski street is the main shopping street, full of shops and young people walking around enjoying the usually sunny weather.

    Whenever you go to Salonica, do not miss the coastland. Full of cafeterias and sweet shops and a great view to the sea. And of course the brand mark of the city and maybe of whole Macedonia, as the citizens say, the White Tower of Salonica, at the coast. For those who like good food and sweets, you are going to love Salonica. Famous in whole Greece about her sweets, sweetly smelly buns, pasties and souvlaki.
  • dimitris567ny 07 Oct 2009
    A city to live in
    Thessaloniki is a city to live in. As such, it is a city for those who care more about real food, real fun, real city-life (there is even a club owned by NBA player Peja Stojaokovic) than for those who just want to go sightseeing although it has great ancient Byzantine monuments, museums and the famous White tower which I think was used during war as prison.

    Enjoy your coffee on the tower of OTE Communications offering a breathtaking overview along with the famous bun from Terkenlis Patisserie(when you are close to this shop you can truly see that the whole street smells of his sweats and pastries).

    In order to reach marvellous beaches, try nearby areas such as Halkidiki with the great scenery.

    People in Thessaloniki are extremely friendly and ready to help you in any case but don't mention anything related to football, especially against their favourite local team! They get really upset!

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