Unlike bustling Athens, Thessaloniki moves at the slower pace. The locals’ mantra roughly translates to ‘’chill out,’’ and so they truly live and eat it. Conveniently, the city’s neighborhoods, hip dining quarters, and nightlife are usually within walking distance, so that you can explore almost all of it by foot within a day, permitting yourself to get distracted by a sweet-smelling bakery or simply a cozy café along the route.
Head the cobblestone alleys to Ano Poli (top of the city) to have an astonishing check out the city, and marvel within the Byzantine churches and monasteries. You’ll see neoclassical buildings as you ignore Aristotelous Square towards Athonos Square which consists of traditional food markets. When you get sick and tired with bargaining when using the food stall owners for olives, sardines, and halva, begin the famous Ladadika district for a late lunch. Or have meals during the erstwhile Jewish district, which can be brimming with tavernas and restaurants among colorful two-story stone houses.
You can stay before dawn.
Thessaloniki could be chill, but that doesn’t mean it’s sleepy. The city invites everyone to party the moment the sun sets. A common evening depends on some warm-up drinks down via the waterfront beside the White Tower, a local-favorite hangout spot. Reaching more detailed the area center, within the Valaoritou and Ladadika districts where a great deal of the city gathers, bars might be starting go shopping for another busy night. Choices plentiful, from fancy cocktail bars and live music pubs to underground smoky watering holes and in some cases the famous Arabella Cruise Bar, a floating pirate-ship bar that sails throughout the Thermaic Gulf. Thessaloniki seldom quiets down prior to when the break of dawn, rightfully earning its nickname for the reason that city that never sleeps.
Its most iconic landmark comes with a amazing view.
The White Tower is a city’s most well-known landmark. It stands tall about the city’s waterfront as dominant now as it has become because the 1400s. Originally built along with Byzantine ruins, it\’s got served a plethora of purposes, with a fort, military post, prison, communication hub, air force office, and meteorology lab. Today it’s a museum with fascinating stories to determine and magnificent views out along the Thermaic Gulf to present on the top menu. After learning about Thessaloniki’s complex history inside Tower Museum, try some grilled corn or walnuts in the waterfront’s street-food vendors, then stroll to some nearby bar for any refreshing glass of ouzo.
It possesses the best hammam baths in Greece.
If there is something Thessaloniki does as good as in other regions in Greece, it’s the normal hammam bath. Way back to the 15th century, hammam baths function as reminder of the not-so-distant Turkish occupation of Greece along with its ongoing influence in your community. Situated near commercial establishments throughout the city, though habitually under-advertised, hammam baths would be the perfect method to relax after having a long day\’s sightseeing. The feeling helps you blow off some steam (literally!) while socializing with locals and other tourists doing the same principal.
It’s a foodie paradise.
Both southern and northern Greeks state they have the most authentic, delicious cuisine. We won’t take sides, but Thessaloniki’s food items are nothing more than excellent, as well as restaurant scene offers samples of what the cuisine of northern Greece is centered on. Shaped by very diverse cultural influences, the town boasts some of the finest street food in Europe, offering syrupy desserts through the Asia Minor region together with beloved traditional Greek dishes and drinks. Where ever you opt to dine, you’ll realize that fresh seafood, grilled meat, and savory pies are normally for the menu. Always try the standard mpougatsa, a cheese pie dish with minced meat and chocolate or cream in addition to a local-favorite snack early morning, lunch, and dinner.
Its museums are world-class.
Along with enjoying the great hilltop views, delicious food, and lively nightlife, you\’ll want to view a several of the city’s captivating museums. The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki have been open for more than a century which is an excellent place to start out. Alternatively, the Museum of Byzantine Culture features mosaic walls together with sculptures, paintings, and also other artifacts that shine an easy about the city’s past life. For art lovers, the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and its particular 2000 exhibits or the fascinating Thessaloniki Museum of Cinema are wonderful options.
It’s for international art hub.
Thessaloniki has always inspired artists. Songwriters, novelists, and poets have praised the city’s beauty for decades. Lately, this has been rapidly transforming into a universal art hub with events and exhibitions developing all year long. Many are hosted on the Teloglion Art Foundation and possess exhibits of sculptures, photographs, and paintings from both Greek and European artists. The Thessaloniki International Film Festival, that\’s taken place annually since 1992, features films from throughout the world. Come summertime, street musicians and performers visible on virtually every corner to amaze passers-by. If you’re lucky, you might witness a traditional Greek celebration at the local tavern, usually sparked by the sudden appearance of your Greek stringed instrument known as bouzouki.
It’s near one of Greece’s most well-known nature.
If you will want an opportunity from urban surroundings, plan a short trip to probably the most famous national parks in Greece. Only a few kilometers far from Thessaloniki, Axios Delta National Park is really a majestically biodiverse ecosystem that encompasses two river estuaries, lagoons, and marshlands. Strolling on the riverbanks, you’ll be met by flamingos, water buffalos, swans, ducks, and pelicans, and so do have your camera loaded plus your trigger finger ready.
