Monument of Alexander the Great, photo by me
Hello, guys!
It's me again – NinaB, and I'll share information about my trips to a popular destination – Thessaloniki, Greece. While I'm still on the travel topic, I think this is a great destination with lots of sights to visit.
Where is it?
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη [θesaloˈnici]) is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace.
Thessaloniki is a large city in northern Greece with over a million people population (in the entire area), which is situated at 300 km distance from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The location of the city is at the Greek seaside, and it lays at Thermaikos Gulf, part of the Aegean Sea. I visited the city twice already during different trips – once a few years back and once last summer. It is a place with plenty of tourist attractions and sightseeing opportunities.
video source: www.youtube.com
On my first trip to Thessaloniki, I was alone. So, I just bought a bus ticket and spent an entire day walking and enjoying a short holiday. It was kind of stressful because the Greek language is so different than Bulgarian and most of the signs are in Greek. I had to ask several people to know where I'm going. But, overall, I liked it very much.
My second trip was with a friend of mine, and we were there on a Sunday, so many people were out, spending the weekend by the sea. We had the same issue again, with not knowing the language and it took us some time to find an English speaker to help us. We were worried about not knowing the parking rules and whether we need to pay for parking, but we managed to find a helpful person, who explained there are no fees on a Sunday. Besides that, I don't remember having any other problems.
I'll mention some of the best places one can visit when going there:
The Sidewalk
The sidewalk with a bicycle lane in Thessaloniki, photo by me
Even though there is no beach at the downtown of Thessaloniki, a long alley is passing by the sea and the center. Along this sidewalk, there are many shops, restaurants, cafeterias, etc. for the tourists to enjoy the view. The first time I went to Thessaloniki I had dinner at the second floor of a restaurant on that alley, and it was in the evening. I can assure you the sunset by the seaside is incredible. And the second time we even saw an enormous jellyfish in the sea. So, even though it's a big city, Thessaloniki doesn't lack nature. On the sidewalk you can see people jogging, lots of fountains, different events are hosted. During my last visit, there was something like a parade, people dressed as pirates or sailors, many ships anchored by the alley, and all that celebrating atmosphere. Well, I'm not completely sure what that event was about, but it seemed to me they were having a lot of fun.
View of the sidewalk and the sea in Thessaloniki, photo by me
The White Tower
The White Tower in Thessaloniki, photo by me
One of the attractions in Thessaloniki is the White Tower. It is basically on most postcards and souvenirs for the city. This Greek city has a rich history, the tower itself was a fortress in the past. It is a cylindric building, which is located right next to the sea. In the past, that tower was painted in white from where it got its name. Well, that was a long time ago, and now its color is different. Unfortunately for me, I never visited inside the tower, because my first trip was too short and I had no time, and on my second trip the tower was closed for visitors. Probably because it was late in the afternoon. But it's like one of the most important symbols of that city. It hosts a museum inside, and I'm sure when it is open the view of Thessaloniki from the highest spot in the tower is amazing.
View of the White Tower from the sidewalk, photo by me
The Ruins
Arch of Galerius, Thessaloniki, photo by me
In the center of Thessaloniki, one can find remains of ancient buildings, with archaeological value. They are still being reconstructed. You can see an arch, ruins of old public buildings, etc. There are remains of Roman baths and a Roman Forum right at the central part of the city. The ruins are surrounded by a fence, and the access to them is limited, but since they are in the open air, one can view and take photos of the sites. Those are impressive landmarks, and they will surely be even better when reconstruction work is completed. I think they add tremendous value for the visitors interested in history, architecture or archaeology.
Ruins in the central part of Thessaloniki, photo by me
Downtown
The walking central area of Thessaloniki, photo by me
This city has a large walking area, with squares, multiple monuments, impressive buildings, and architecture. Palm trees are everywhere around, and many green areas with trees and cultivated plants are available close to the sea walk. Nightlife experiences are the heart of Thessaloniki – they have lots of clubs for the tourists. You can attend live music, outdoor parties, numerous events. A bit of everything for everyone – museums, galleries, places for entertainment, varieties of food, local and foreign cuisine, whatever you can imagine.
Statue by the sidewalk in Thessaloniki, photo by me
The Beaches
As I mentioned, the beaches of Thessaloniki are outside of the central part, and you can reach them by bus or car. I never visited any of the near beaches because sightseeing is what interests me more about the major cities. The closest beach is actually around 20 km from the center, which is far, considering Thessaloniki is located at the sea. The problem is that the whole coast is concrete, and although they have plenty of benches, bicycle lanes, and places with sea views, there aren't any sand beaches.
video source: www.youtube.com
The Cuisine
Another thing that impressed me in Thessaloniki was the way they serve their food. I've tried their restaurants two times, and the portions are really huge compared to the ones we get in Bulgaria. Additionally, the staff offers you bread and water, without even ordering them. In my country, no restaurant will provide you anything unless you ordered it. At least most restaurants wouldn't. Greeks have tasty dishes. In Thessaloniki the best meal you can try is seafood. As a place located on the Aegean coast, they have excellent chefs. Probably the only thing I don't like is the way they prepare certain coffee drinks. Sometimes they make them too strong to fit my liking.
image source: www.google.com
In general, it is a superb location, and I will definitely give it another visit in the future, whenever I have a chance.
Thanks for reading!
- NinaB
