Flights to Thessaloniki from €164.85

The modern Greek metropolis of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is the second biggest Greek city and a former capital of Macedonia. The city’s glorious history is preserved in grand architecture of Thessaloniki, and the city also has become a noisy and striking modern urban centre with numerous contemporary buildings, shops, and restaurants, surrounded by greenery.

How to travel?

Travelling to Thessaloniki is easy, and the planes will land in the Macedonia international airport. You can then reach the city centre by taking a bus number 50. This route is called “Culture line”, as it takes passengers to many important Thessaloniki sightseeing objects. The city has a well-developed public transport system that will leave you make your inner-city trips easy and comfortable, so you can pay more attention to local food.

What to taste?

Thessaloniki is an ideal place to begin your acquaintance with classic Greek cuisine, dominated by the Mediterranean region’s food traditions. When starting a lunch, first order some lentil or bean soup with tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and olive oil. Afterwards, you should try some dolmades, or grape leaves stuffed with ground meat, rice, spices, and nuts, as well as mouossaka, which is a baked egg-plant dish made with ground meat, tomatoes, potatoes, and cinnamon. Finally, don’t forget to taste some filo dough pie with cheese and honey, and doughnuts with honey and Greek nuts.

What to see?

The city not only offers some truly amazing food, but it also has many authentic architecture objects from the deep past. While visiting Thessaloniki, make sure to go and see the Hagia Sophia Church, the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Triumphal arch of emperor Galerius (built to celebrate a victory over the Persians), the Rotunda, the White Tower with its history museum, and medieval fortress walls, great for admiring a beautiful panoramic view of the city and the bay.

What to do?

Thessaloniki is often called a modern time metropolis that managed to preserve its rich history. Therefore, you should definitely get better acquainted with the city’s cultural life: best done by visiting a local festivity or another kind of event. The most popular ones are the international trade fair and the international cinema festival of Thessaloniki.

If you still have some free time left, head over to visit traditional markets of the city: the closed Modiano market, the Kapani market, or the colourful open-air Louloudadika flower market. Here you will not only be able to admire some plants and taste different Greek delicacies, but you will also have an opportunity to buy some gorgeous return gifts, so that you bring a tiny part of Thessaloniki back home.