Thessaloniki
Greece · Country profile
Thessaloniki is the great second city of Greece, the historic port and food capital of the north that spreads its layered streets, its churches and its Byzantine walls along the sweep of the great bay, beneath the mountain of the Olympus looming on the far side of the water. Founded at the end of the fourth century before our era and raised on a continental crossroads of the empires, it is a listed city of the early churches, the Roman rotunda and the Ottoman baths, a genuinely living metropolis of the galleries, the universities, the boulevards and the waterfront cafes. Its layers of the Jewish, the Byzantine and the Ottoman heritage sit together in a city famous for its mouth-watering markets. The white tower, the walls, the churches and the markets anchor the essential visits, while the royal tombs, the mountain and the beaches of the peninsula spread beyond the city. Cosmopolitan, historic and gloriously hungry, Thessaloniki is the proud northern heart of Greece.
About Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is a city in Greece. The city's documented population is around 820,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and Greek is spoken; the dialling code is +30. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Thessaloniki Airport.
The Tower of the White and the Promenade of the Bay
The city runs along the bay, so the essential days move between the waterfront promenade, the upper town and the historic centre, with the markets and the cafes anchoring the famously relaxed rhythm. The white tower at the water, the ancient rotunda and the early churches and the Ottoman bathhouses anchor the layered visits, while the covered markets with their mountains of the cheese, the meat and the seafood, and the boulevard cafes of the waterfront, carry the daily life. The vineyard hills of the country, the beaches of the peninsula and the trails and the tombs of the mountain regions fill the day trips. It is a city made for walking, eating and long summer evenings by the sea.
The Rotunda of the Galerius and the Walls of the City
The climate of the city is the transitional Mediterranean of the north, with the hot, dry summers, the cold, damp winters with their rare snowfalls, and the brilliant spring and the golden autumn of the bay, each season good for its own reason. The euro is the currency, the Greek the language and the English the common second tongue of the young. The centre, the waterfront and the upper town make the core visits, and the peninsula and the mountain lie an easy drive away. The museums and the churches ask for modest dress, and comfortable walking shoes for the old lanes complete the simple kit.
The Market of the Modiano and the Tombs of the Kings
The white tower of the city, the famous whitewashed cylindrical tower of the waterfront that once stood in the walls by the sea, is the emblem of the city and the home of a museum of the Byzantine story, while the rotunda, the vast brick cylinder of the Roman era that survived as a church and a mosque, and the palace complex opposite, anchor the ancient imperial layer. The churches of the early centuries, the tiny mosaicked and frescoed churches of the post-Byzantine town, the Ottoman bathhouse and the old Jewish quarter hill of the town testify to the extraordinary layers of the place, and the great market and the food streets of the centre, from the hall of the Modiano to the sweet stalls of the boulevard, define the appetite of the city. The royal tombs of the great Macedonian kings with their golden treasures, the peaks and the trails of the great mountain, and the pine-backed beaches of the peninsula fill the excursions, while the famous white tower at sunset frames the whole bay. Historic, hungry and endlessly alive, Thessaloniki carries the soul of northern Greece.
Report an error or suggest an update
- Country
- Greece
- Population
- 820,000
- Coordinates
- 40.5197, 22.9709
- Capital
- Athens
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Greek
- Calling code
- +30
- Country code
- GR
Entry requirements for Greece
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Greece for tourism.
Getting to Thessaloniki
Airports we list for Thessaloniki:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Greece
Other cities we cover in Greece:
Frequently asked questions
Is Thessaloniki the capital of Greece?
No — the capital of Greece is Athens.
What currency do I need in Thessaloniki?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in Greece include Greek.
What is the dialling code for Greece?
The international dialling code for Greece is +30.
Which airport should I fly into for Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) is the airport we list for Thessaloniki.
How far is Thessaloniki from the nearest airport?
Thessaloniki is about 299 km from Athens International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Greece?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Greece visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Thessaloniki? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.