Your flight to Thessaloniki (also known as Salonika) brings you to Greece's second city, in the north of the country on the Aegean Sea. A key trading port between the Mediterranean and the Balkans, Thessaloniki is Greece's biggest university town with a thriving café life. The White Tower is Thessaloniki’s best known landmark, while the Archaeological Museum boasts Philip II of Macedonia’s unlooted tomb.
Wander around Ladadika, Thessaloniki’s former commercial district, where bars, tavernas and trendy shops line cobbled streets. The Ano Poli quarter, with its narrow streets and pretty gardens, evokes medieval Thessaloniki. Alternatively, join the locals as they shop in Thessaloniki’s vibrant Central Market.
Away from the crowds, the Chalkidiki peninsula stretches south of Thessaloniki and is popular for its beautiful beaches and is also famed for the holy site of Mount Athos.
Join the locals of Thessaloniki for a glass of ouzo on Nikis Street, the waterfront promenade where the cafés and ouzerias boast sea views. As you sip this potent spirit, snack on mezedes of dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) and lamb’s liver stuffed with rice and herbs.< |