Thessaloniki

The second largest city of Greece, Thessaloniki , also known as the "Nymph of Thermaikos", fascinates all travelers, whether visiting on leisure or for business. The city has a thousand faces, as the different cultures that settled in the area throughout the centuries have created a town with a welcoming atmosphere. Thessaloniki is known for its rich history, its monuments and of course the vibrant night life thanks to the thousands of students it hosts every year. It is no coincidence that many say it is"the city that never sleeps". Vacation in Thessaloniki offers a variety of activities to visitors and especially to those who love good food as generally the North of Greece is famous for its gastronomy.

Thessaloniki was founded in 316/5 BC by the Macedonian General Cassander, who gave the city the name of his wife, Thessaloniki, who was the half-sister of Alexander the Great. In the 2nd century BC the city fell in the hands of the Romans, and after alternations in dominance, from 1432 until the beginning of the 20th century Thessaloniki was part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1912 Thessaloniki is united with the Greek state. A few years later, after the asia Minor disaster in 1922 and the population exchange with Turkey, Thessaloniki receives the largest part of the refugees, many of whom were of pontic Greek descent and who were significant factors in the economic and social development of the city.

For every visitor who arrives in Thessaloniki the tour of the city begins, of course, from the White Tower and the wider area of the beach where there are several museums. In the surrounding area of White Tower, you will find the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art. Within walking distance lies the Palace complex of Galerius, the Arch of Galerius, the famous ‘Kamara’ and the Rotunda, which is the only and a unique cylindrical construction in Greece. On the west side of the city you will find the Ladadika district, where quite a few traditional buildings have survived and nowadays in the area there are restaurants and cafes. In a neoclassical building close to the Ladadika is also located the Jewish Museum which is worth a visit. If you find yourself in Thessaloniki you should definitely take a stroll in the Ano Poli (Upper Town) and the Castra area (the area of Castles). The tour of the Upper Town is a unique trip to the past and the history of the city as the unique architecture of all buildings is maintained until today. Of course, while in Thessaloniki, don't miss the opportunity to visit some monasteries and Byzantine churches, which prove how important was the city of Thessaloniki during the byzantine period. Samples of this particular ecclesiastical architecture are the churches of  Agios Dimitrios, of Agia Sophia, the Monastery Vlattadon and a large number of churches and monasteries that you can visit on your vacation.

The famous Nea Paralia (New Beach) of Thessaloniki, may not be suitable for swimming but is ideal for walks. If you find yourself in the area you will certainly notice thousands of Thessalonians -and non - to enjoy their walk along the beach. A privilege of Thessaloniki is that it is surrounded by seaside villages which are within short distance and you can visit by bus or even by boat during the summer months. Within short distance you will find the beach of Perea, of Neoi Epivates, of Agia Triada and of Epanomi. Most of the beaches are awarded with blue flag and are well organized with restaurants and caffees.

The gastronomy of Thessaloniki has great variety and is well known. Don't miss the opportunity to try local dishes and traditional recipes during your holiday. As through the centuries the city was dominated by many people and welcomed people from different regions, the cuisine is influenced from everywhere. A traditional dish is the Koulouri (bagel like), which you can find everywhere, even at street vendors. Of course, the famous bougatsa is the first thing that each and every visitor who comes to town has to try. Another unique in appearance and taste dessert of Thessaloniki is the Trigona Panoramatos (cream puffs like) and other syrupy sweets. Food in Thessaloniki has a particular flavor because all the ingredients are local.

Thessaloniki is famous for its nightlife scene. There are a lot of nightclubs in almost every neighborhood of the city that offer quality entertainment in foreign and/or Greek rhythms. In Thessaloniki you can find a way to have fun for every taste. There are bars with special decors where you can enjoy your drink quietly alongside other places with a more hectic pace. Large venues of nightlife that host famous artists and smaller live scene venues are all over the city. Of course, in the "city that never sleeps" there are clubs in which you can have fun and dance until the early hours.

The airport "Macedonia" is 16 kilometers away, south of the city of Thessaloniki, in Thermi Municipality and is served by buses of the Organisation of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki (OASTH) and the bus stop is located just outside the terminal of Arrivals. The port of the city is located in the city centre. The central bus station is approximately 3 kilometers from the city centre and the railway station 2.8 kilometers. The transportation within the city is done by buses of OASTH and taxis. The phone code for Thessaloniki is 2310.