Croatia

Thessaloniki Travel Guide

Thessaloniki

Airport Information

Thessaloniki Airport is located 15 km of the city centre of Thessaloniki.

Mount Athos / Halkidiki

Travel to Ormos Panagias on the eastern corner of the Sithonia Peninsula in Halkidiki and then sail with a boat towards Mount Athos –the “Holy Mountain” and its fantastic monasteries. The Garden of the Virgin as the Mt Athos peninsula is otherwise known with its rare and unspoiled beauty will cast its spell. This peninsula is the only monastic republic within Europe and is ruled by the 1700 monks who live in its monasteries.

Ancient Dion & Mount Olympus / Pieria

A historic place dedicated to the ancient cult of Olympian Zeus, Dion became the official religious centre of Macedonia in the 5th century BC. Today Dion sits among the eastern foothills of Mount Olympus, 83 Km from Thessaloniki. Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece and was the abode of the Greek Gods and the site of the throne of Zeus. Mount Olympus is located 78 km from Thessaloniki and is famous for its natural beauty and rich flora with several endemic species. It's a National Park of Greece and part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Petralona Cave / Halkidiki

The caves lie in Halkidiki, about 50 km from Thessaloniki. When you enter the caves, it’s like embarking on a voyage to the beginning of time with fascinating stalactites and stalagmites - thought to be the oldest in Europe (700,000 years old). The caves are also considered among the most important monuments of human prehistory with unique archaeological finds such as the fossilized cranium of a prehistoric man.

Pella and Royal Tombs of Vergina

Head 80km southwest of Thessaloniki to the archaeological sites of Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great before heading to Vergina, the old capital of the ancient Macedonia. Some of the most important remains are the palace and the burial ground with more than 300 tumuli, some of which date from the 11th century B.C. The tomb of Philip, father of Alexander the Great is recognized as a Monument of World Heritage by UNESCO.

Restaurants

Restaurants in Thessaloniki

The rich soil and mild climate of Northern Greece have made it famous for its olives and olive oil, its fine breads and cheeses, as well as traditional sweets and pastries made with delicious local products. Halkidiki and Pieria are famed for their bees and honey, and an important stopping point on many ‘wine trails’. Just a short distance from Thessaloniki, Halkidiki and Pieria offer a superb choice of restaurants and bars with mouthwatering dishes at reasonable prices. You will also find some of Greece’s award-winning restaurants around the Sani Marina at Sani Resort

Shopping

Shopping in Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki’s city centre offers a large variety of local shops, international brands and bustling outdoor markets, selling everything from leather goods to olive oil. Located in central Thessaloniki, the beautiful shopping street of Agias Sophias is a good place to start, as is Mitropoleos Street and the Aristotelous Square.

Activities

Pieria - Halkidiki

Thessaloniki and the regions of Pieria and Halkidiki offer everything for a perfect holiday: family-friendly luxurious beach resorts, spas, yacht marinas and white sandy beaches framed by pine forests. Some of the best beaches are located in Halkidiki, an amazing 550km of coastline with crystal-clear shallow waters. Just 70Km from Thessaloniki lies Kassandra, the first of the three beach-fringed peninsulas of Halkidiki with its spectacular turquoise waters and soft sands while further ahead Sithonia peninsula offers some of the most unspoiled beaches you will ever find in Greece.

Events

International Film Festival / Sani Festival and Sani Gourmet

International Film Festival is a unique annual celebration of independent cinema from all over the world taking place every year in Thessaloniki Sani Festival is a yearly music festival and bringing together nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz, ethnic and classical artists at Sani Resort in Kassandra. Sani Gourmet is an annual gastronomic festival featuring some of the finest chefs from Greece and around the globe. Sani Gourmet takes place in May at Sani Resort.

Top 5 Things to Do

“Many stories one heart”

“Many stories one heart” epitomizes the character of the city. Thessaloniki is proud of the many diverse stories the city can narrate. Having been a cosmopolitan crossroad, the city maintains a diverse architectural character, enhanced by the remnants of its 2,300-year history, enduring symbols of its glorious Archaic, Byzantine and Ottoman past.
The White Tower, Galerius Rotunda, and the Roman forum are few of the city’s distinctive monuments. The Upper Town (or Old City) is an enchanting neighborhood of traditional houses, worth visiting not only to enjoy the astonishing view from the remaining Byzantine Walls, but to also explore the area’s Byzantine churches with the superb frescoes, included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The art lovers would enjoy the special collections of modern art at the two magnificent museums of Contemporary Art.

Nightlife

Thessaloniki is famous for its intense and vivid nightlife. The 150,000 students from all over Greece, rates Thessaloniki among the top “party cities” of the world and involves many options, from arty bars to “noisy” nightclubs, fleshed out by a highly active music scene and daily live events and venues. Towards the late hours plenty of music stages are tempting visitors where amid the locals they are scattering flowers to each other. Most orchestras play traditional Greek songs with bouzouki but one can find many bands performing rock and pop music as well.

Gourmet City

Thought to be a gourmet city, Thessaloniki has numerous pastries, taverns and restaurants, allowing visitors to indulge in delicious oriental desserts and exquisite Mediterranean and Middle East flavors. Anyone who loves the idea of tasting plates of Greek specialties (called mezedes) will feel right at home in a city famously passionate about its cooking. Some of the best patisseries in Greece are located at Thessaloniki. The town is crazy about sweets, and its trademark bougatsa (a sweet custard-filled pie) as well as the traditional tsoureki (fluffy sweet bread coated in chocolate).
One has to try the famous soutzoukakia (spicy meatballs) and the fresh fish from the Aegean Sea accompanied by the Macedonian drink tsipouro or ouzo.

Wine production

Tasting great wines from the Macedonia region is just one of the many highlights Thessaloniki can offer. With a plentitude of local varieties, a superior climate for grape growing and an abundance of brainpower and technological resources, Greek wine presents exciting new possibilities for wine lovers around the world. In the past two decades, the region of Macedonia in Northern Greece has undergone a revolution in which quality, individuality and history are the hallmarks of a new generation of Greek wine producers determined to make their mark well known internationally.

Landscapes

Thessaloniki has unique beauties and every season of the year is special. The landscapes nearby provide the ideal conditions for touring and entertainment. And if summer entices us with the beautiful islands and the beaches nearby, winter forces us to reckon with the mountains. When the white snow covers Central and Northern Greece mountains slopes, the Ski areas welcome lovers of winter sports offering them a wide range of activities like skiing, snowboard and snowmobile. Climbing the mountain Olympus is a unique experience as well as rafting, canoeing and horse riding at well organized areas. In easy reach from Thessaloniki there are plenty thermal and mineral springs for recreation, health and wellness. The healing properties of thermal spas could heal and treat many health problems while you will get a feeling of renovation.
Within easy reach from Thessaloniki there are 800km of beautiful beaches, many of them being awarded with the “Blue Flag”. Thessaloniki is the city that only can be loved for its hospitality, entertainment and happiness it offers.