Thessaloniki the “co-reigning city”
Thessaloniki is long forgotten in Greece’s 2nd largest city, as it was used back in the Byzantine years.
The city has now many other titles awarded to it, worthy of discovering them.
Thessaloniki is a cultural, historic, and beautiful city
Many of the city’s Byzantine monuments were declared by UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the Palaiochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki; Most notable of them is the Hagia Sophia, the Temple of Agios Dimitrios (the city’s patron saint) and the Arch of Galerius & the Rotunda a nowadays very popular meeting point in the center of the city. Thessaloniki is a city suggested for long walks, and has numerous excellent sites for walks. The Navarinou square is a place full of life any time of the day with frequent street performers. Another great place for walking is undoubtedly the harbor of the city, with a magnificent view of the Thermaikos Bay, ending to the White Tower, the city’s trademark. Long walks are suggested in Thessaloniki’s Annual International Trade Fair, the biggest one in the Balkans.
The city also hosts the Thessaloniki film festival, and the Thessaloniki Song Festival, Greece’s most important music festival.
The city was declared by lonely planet as the 5th best World’s ultimate party city, which might have been bizarre for travelers that haven’t travelled to Thessaloniki, as it is not considered a top tourist attraction in Greece like Athens and the Islands, but very natural for people who have tasted the city’s nightlife. Almost everywhere in the city lie bars and pubs which often close with the first encounter of the sun. A great place for someone to enjoy a beverage is the city port, filled alongside with nightclubs and bars, overcrowded with locals and university students from the Aristoteleio University (the biggest one in the Balkans) who tend to party without limits, ignoring the “rule” that weekends are for partying and the similar.
Accommodation in Thessaloniki is relatively cheap, with many hotels located at the centre. However there are also hotels in the city a bit more expensive and luxurious that the most, like the Makedonia Palace hotel, the most famous and prestigious hotel in Greece.
Travelling to Thessaloniki
Travelling to Thessaloniki for the Capital, Athens is very easy and comfortable.
Macedonia International Airport, the city’s airport is a transport hub for many domestic flights, and planned to expand in order to serve international flights too.
Also the KTEL buses are available for travelling too, but are considered very expensive compared to the train network that connects the two cities. Trains arrive at the New Railway Station, which is inside the city and services train lines for all over Greece, Eastern Europe and Istanbul. Prices start from 9 Euro for a trip from Athens to Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki is a city of growing popularity
If someone likes Greece and its people but got bored of the islands and Athens, Thessaloniki alternative and a with a growing reputation as a resort.
