Planning a trip to Thessaloniki, Greece? Our detailed travel guide has everything you need to know to make the most of your visit.
Last summer we went on a trip to Greece where we visited Thessaloniki over the weekend. We thought that we would share some tips and recommendations of; where to stay, to eat and what to do when you are there.
Thessaloniki is a Greek port known for its rich history where the ruins of the Roman emperor are still a part of its architecture. It is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in Greece with well-known tourist attractions, a seaside where you can swim as well as an old town filled with old stone houses kept intact. Alexander the Great lived a moderate distance from Thessaloniki and therefore, you can see monuments and attractions related to him. Thessaloniki is located around 30 minutes from the closest airport and has car rental available at the spot.
Disclaimer: I have not taken all of these pictures myself.
Best Booking.com Apartment!
You can stay in many hotels, up to 5-stars, with a high quality of service, located all around the city. There is also a lot of Airbnb options available.
We stayed at an apartment listed on booking.com named Hippodrome Flatlet which had a double bed and one bed sofa. The apartment was located in the city center approximately 15 minutes from the harbor and 5 minutes to the bigger grocery stores. The apartment was fresh and clean. You have free coffee on the first day, then you had to buy the capsules yourself.
There were two balconies; one pointed out towards the street, and one small pointed towards the inner yard. It was very beautiful and the perfect size for two people even 4 people it would be an optimal size. You have cooking availability in-house and many restaurants in the area; hamburgers, traditional greek food, gelato shops and bakeries.
Link to the hotel on booking.com is here
Thessaloniki Food Guide
There are many restaurants for all times of the day opening from the early morning to midnight depending on the place. The cuisines are very mixed with a lot coming from the Balkans. However, their Greek traditional food is what they are known for.
The first recommendation is a brunch spot called Ergon agora. It is not commonly known for tourists but is a must-go. It is located in a small grocery store with a very welcoming environment. Their wide menu has a variety of food and drinks such as coffee with their unique bean blends, tea, smoothies, and juices. We ordered a madame croquetta, a form of sandwich that has, bacon, ham, cheese, egg, and sauce hollandaise on top. It might feel as if it is very heavy and makes you extremely full, but it is not that heavy. You can still roam around the city, go to be beach, or do any other activity.
We took a special coffee they made with was served in very interesting glasses – chemistry-looking ones. It is a traditional greek coffee with a balanced taste and a hint of sweetness.
The second recommendation is a hamburger restaurant called Brothers in Law which was open until midnight. We took the tender chicken stripes and a double burger with caramelized pineapples. The burger was very juicy and not dry at all. The combination of all the flavors was a mixture of sweet and sour which fitted perfectly. The chicken tenders were very good – the homemade crust on the outside, was crispy and brown.
When we went out, we walked past a full-people bakery called Terkenlis and a gelato store called Bombolo. They are both in the city center, so it was very easy to access. Terkenlis is well-known in Greece for its fine pastries and baked goods, especially for its Tsoureki which is a sweet fluffy bread covered in different sauces such as chocolate, pistachio and white chocolate. You might think it will get too sweet, but it doesn’t at all, they fit perfectly together.
In the bakery, there was everything from fresh bread to filled pastries to meat-filled dough, it was truly very tempting to take a bit out of everything, but we settled for a tsoureki and a vanilla pastry cream-filled filo dough. It was crispy and flaky on the outside, then buttery and soft on the inside filled with vanilla cream which gave another texture in the mixture. The second was a gelato store, and you know the gelato will be good when you see the metal bowls. Their ice cream and ice cream cones are homemade which you can taste by their texture and flavor.
The link to the Brunch Spot website is here
The link to the hamburger restaurant is here
The link to the gelato shop is here
The link to the bakery is here
Best things to do in Thessaloniki
The first thing we went to see was the white towers which were built in the fifteenth century after the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans. Just as you hear the phrase “All roads lead to Rome” they have their own here which says, “All roads lead to the white towers”. It is a perfect place for tourists to go as it has a 360-degree view over Thessaloniki and the coast side.
The White Tower were used for many purposes and under many names – The Lion Tower, Tower of Kalamaria – throughout its lifetime. Furthermore, it was used as a prison before, where the prisoners were tortured and punished by the ones owning it at that time. However, now it is a famous romantic spot, where proposals are very common.
The second place we went to was the old town (Ano Poli) which is north of the city center, about a 30-minute walk from the White Towers. The old town is very well preserved and has a very historic design to it with small stone-paved streets, old squares, and traditional Greek and Ottoman house architecture. It has a rich atmosphere filled with history and a lot of interaction between different cultures such as the Balkan countries and Turkey. There is a church called Saint Catherine which many visit due to its beautiful architecture and brick art.
By the coastline, right in front of the white towers, many boats are docking, which serves as restaurants and bars. Some of them like the pirate-themed one, actually take off for a round tour in the sea and then come back. This is a fun way to experience a restaurant on the coast of Thessaloniki.
I hope this guide helped you on your trip to Greece and that you find good places to see and enjoy to make sure you have the best trip you can have. If you choose to check some of the recommended places out, please leave a comment telling us how it was – We enjoy hearing about your experiences.
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