Someplace I read in Rick Steve's literature was that Thessaloniki was not a great stop. I should pass the word that It is really a nice city to explore and is located very well for day trips to nearby sites and beaches. Last summer we spent a month in northern Greece. I was playing basketball in the FIMBA Masters World Championship Games and we stayed 10 days in Thessaloniki, Greece. Our hotel, Anatolia, was a block from the "action" of the city. We enjoyed the many sites of the city as well as the cafes, tavernas, and restaurants. The waterfront and many plazas were amazing to encounter in the evenings... full of people young and old.
The best beaches are an hour or so out of the city. Mt. Olympus is less than two hours away for great vistas and good hiking. Litochoro is the little town near the mountain. Other day trips were Meteora, Vikos Gorge, old city of Pella, ruins of Aigai, and a real jewel, the Lake Kerkini National Park.
If anyone is interested in reading my travel guide, I can email it to you. dennis@willapabay.org
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
I also enjoyed Thessaloniki for its excellent museums, but wouldn't stay there for Meteora or other side trips; I did and would again stay at those specific towns.
Posted by
Greensboro, NC, USA
41 posts
I agree with the comment about Thess not being a great place to stop, IF by "stop", we mean a one-day/few hours, type stop. I was assigned to the American Consulate in Thessaloniki for three-plus years and admittedly the pleasures here are very subtle compared to, for example, Athens. You will look in vain for magnificent classic ruins...about the oldest you will see is the Roman Forum. Thess is more a Byzantine/Turkish city than a purely Greek one, and a brief look at Ottoman and Byzantine history will be far more beneficial for the visitor. I would recommend day trips outside the city for the more "Greek" ancient sites. For a day trip try Dion (exceptionally well preserved ruined city) and Pella, Alexander's birthplace and capital of ancient Macedonia. To the east the ruins of Amphipolis are evocative and accessible. The Halkidiki Peninsula is littered with ancient sites, almost all unfenced and accessible, and if "ancient" is still too recent, check out the Caves at Petralona, where some of the earliest human remains in Europe have been found. Thessaloniki is a unique city and we grew to like it very much...far more than Athens. It is admittedly not beautiful, but it is comfortable and there are many excellent eating places. I'd go back in a heartbeat!