Thessaloniki
You land in Thessaloniki and your shoes collect dust before you know it. Locals will tell you about the sea breeze, but forget to mention the cats that guard the Rotunda like tiny lions on lunch break. The best hotel in Thessaloniki might not promise silence, since city life hums all hours, but you learn to sleep with the music of scooters in your dreams. Popular things to do or visit include climbing up to the old city walls, where the view can trick even the stubborn into believing they can see Istanbul on a clear day; also, eating a bougatsa at sunrise, because calories don’t count if the sun is not up yet. Some say the coffee here is strong enough to stand a spoon in, but I tried and lost a spoon. Twice.
Local weather in Greece
SPRING
mild & temperate
SUMMER
warm & sunny
AUTUMN
mild & temperate
WINTER
cool
Accommodations in Thessaloniki
Discover the best accommodations for Thessaloniki and start planning your holiday.
Travel destination popular things to do or visit in Thessaloniki
When looking for travel destination popular things to do or visit in Thessaloniki, you might find yourself zig-zagging through markets where the olives outnumber the tourists by a factor of ten. Someone once told me you have not really seen Thessaloniki until you get lost near the White Tower and end up at a tiny ouzeri, where the owner insists you try the sardines, even if you say you’re allergic (don’t worry, he’ll give you bread and a story instead). If you’re after the best hotel in Thessaloniki, the trick is to pick the one with the most confusing light switches—local joke, but honestly, you’ll know it when you find it.
Popular things to do or visit also include wandering the narrow streets of Ano Poli, where every turn looks like the start of a postcard, except on Tuesdays when laundry flaps in the breeze, blocking the view. The city’s archaeological museum has more statues than people in winter, and the ticket office sometimes closes for lunch, or possibly for existential reasons. It’s easy to see why people call Thessaloniki a travel destination—just don’t try to spell it after two glasses of tsipouro.
Other cities around Greece
These popular destinations have a lot to offer for you next holiday or city break.
