Thessaloniki is even more beautiful as summer begins, with its gastronomy markets, taverns lined up side by side, cobbled streets, museums converted from the old port, Kordon, cocktail bars, fish restaurants, and jazz music coming out of its bookstores.
Thessaloniki, or locally known as “Salonika” or “Thesseloniki”, is the second capital of Greece. Thessaloniki, named after Alexander the Great’s half-sister Thessalonica and also described as the “Bride of the Thermaikos Gulf”, was the second most important city after Istanbul during the Byzantine period.
Thessaloniki was one of the important trade ports for the Ottoman Empire for almost 500 years. The city, which was under Ottoman control from 1430 to 1912, gained its independence after the Balkan Wars and passed to Greece. When the great fire that broke out in 1917 damaged almost the entire part of the city, it was rebuilt in accordance with its original form with a total restoration in approximately 20 years. As a result of the exchange between Türkiye and Greece in 1923; The majority of people living in Thessaloniki today are of Western Anatolian origin.
350 thousand people, mostly young people, live in the city where two century-old universities are located. That’s why it’s always fresh, always lively! Moreover, “komşi” is winking at a new season with stylized cafes, fusion restaurants, stylish shops and design hotels, as well as “retro” markets, which have reopened one after another in the post-pandemic period.
It is possible to reach Thessaloniki, which is only 600 km away from Istanbul, with your own vehicle by obtaining a green visa for your car. Moreover, completely different beauties await you in Alexandropoli and Kavala, which you will stop along the way. As the Greeks say, “kales diakopes”, meaning “have a nice holiday!”
Friday
Aristotle Square
As soon as you arrive in the city, this should be the first place you take to get acquainted with Thessaloniki. Elegant apartment buildings from the 70s surrounding a large square, running children, cyclists and the faint smell of iodine coming from the deep blue sea a short distance away… The terrace of the Electra Palace Hotel, located on your left when you turn your back to the sea, is lively at all hours with its exquisite view. Say “kalimera” to the city by drinking your first frappe of the day here.
Port of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is a small but nourishing city. Art galleries, gastronomy, 29 museums and friendly people wink at you from the first day you arrive in the city. Thessaloniki Port, which remained empty until 2015 when the commercial port was moved out of the city in 2012, was transformed into a museum island with a year-long restoration. The Contemporary Art Center inside hosts 2 large collections. The photography and cinema museum within the same complex organizes workshops for both students and cinema & photography enthusiasts. The museums in the Port are open every day between 11.00 and 19.00, except Mondays, and the ticket price is 3 Euros.
Kitchen Bar for lunch
The venue, hosted by an old stone warehouse, is located by the sea and within the Port of Thessaloniki. It is famous for its stylish ambiance, gentle breeze, seafood risotto, gourmet Mexican burgers and unique cocktail mixes. www.kitchen-bar.gr
Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
This large museum, which includes archaeological artifacts unearthed from excavations in Northern Greece, covers different themes such as “Prehistoric Period” and “Towards the Birth of Cities”. The video installation in the entrance section covers 1000 years of the Western Aegean in 6 minutes, and watching this video and visiting the museum becomes much more meaningful. Open every day between 08.00-20.00. Full ticket is 8 Euros, student ticket is 4 Euros.
Modiano Market
One of my favorite places in the city is the Modiano Market, which has been in service uninterruptedly since 1922. It did not close even during the pandemic because it was semi-open and met the food needs of the city. Local products you can find in the shops here are stalls lined up side by side, tiny taverns, pastry shops, olive shops, dairies, dried meat, local spices, homemade mustard and almond flour cookies.
Sunset in Kordon
Everyone knows the similarities between Thessaloniki and Izmir. The coast of Thessaloniki is just like Izmir’s Kordon. It is not as wide as Izmir because it is not just a sea embankment. It will be a great pleasure to sit at the bars on the beach and watch the sun set.
Next Page: A very enjoyable weekend on the streets of Thessaloniki.
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