Thessaloniki has become a lovely city in Greece that I love very much. Thanks to its historical streets, delicious Greece food, fun Thessaloniki nightlife, enjoyable Greece beaches, I had a wonderful Thessaloniki Tour. In order for you to experience these beauties, when my tongue returns, I will give both Thessaloniki trip suggestions, and I will tell you everything I know about Thessaloniki one by one.

1- Thessaloniki Getting Started

It was a cold March of 2011 and I was already on my way for a 7-day Thessaloniki Trip.. I was finally in Thessaloniki after a 10-hour bus journey, first from Izmir to Istanbul and then from Istanbul to Thessaloniki, passing through many cute Greek cities on the way.

Thessaloniki Travel Guide : White Tower Thessaloniki

Although he was in Thessaloniki on the occasion of a European Union program even though i am, greece in general always had a special place for me. Isn’t every new journey a new beginning? And yet it was so… How nice to be on the road!

2- About Thessaloniki

Where is Thessaloniki? What country is Thessaloniki in? I guess you can ask the question : If we give information about Thessaloniki; Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city after the capital Athens. Thessaloniki, also known as the capital of the Eastern Macedonia region, has an important position on the historical scene.. If you would like to say why, let’s take a brief look at the history of the cultural capital of this blue and white country together.

By the way, Santorini, Chios >, Mykonos, Athens and Greece travel guide, you can find all the information you are looking for Greece.

Actually, the known history of Thessaloniki covers more than 2,000 years.. Thessaloniki was an important metropolis during the Roman period, and the second richest and most important city of the empire during the Byzantine period.. However, we can easily say that it was also of great importance in the Ottoman period.

Information About Thessaloniki: Map of Thessaloniki

While visiting Thessaloniki, you can come across a lot of Roman, Ottoman and Jewish works of art.. Thanks to its festivals, vibrant lifestyle and artistic activities, Thessaloniki is designated as the cultural capital of Greece.

So where does the name Thessaloniki come from?

The name Thessaloniki, It derives from the Greek word “Thessaloniki”, which is a combination of the words Thessalos and Niki.. It is also said to mean Thessalian Victory.. It is known that it was named after the Macedonian princess and also the sister of Alexander the Great, “Thessalonike”, whose name we all heard frequently.

Where is Thessaloniki you can read the details in my post.

The King of the Day, Philip, ordered that her name be named Thessalonike after her daughter was born on the day of the great victory in Thessaly.. In modern Greek, the city is called Θεσσαλονίκη (Thessaloniki), but you will often hear the word “Salonica” in your ear while you are wandering around Thessaloniki.. Because Greeks pronounce it as “Salonika” in daily life.

3- Thessaloniki-Greece Travel Guide

“There is not much to see there, spend a few hours. just take it apart.” You may have heard this sentence a lot for Thessaloniki.. Here is one of the cities that gossip with this sentence in Thessaloniki.. But put aside what you’ve heard so far and sit back! Because I will prepare a very, very comprehensive Thessaloniki tour guide.. Let’s see if there is anything to see, have fun and taste in Thessaloniki or not!

This article, which you will read a little later, provides all the details of an unforgettable Thessaloniki trip; will inform you about eating, drinking, walking, dusting and shopping opportunities. Now please fasten your seat belts, put your seats in the upright position and have a cup of coffee or tea and start reading with pleasure.. Thessaloniki travel begins!

Places to Visit in Thessaloniki / Thessaloniki / Beach

Yes. Thessaloniki is a small city. Yes, it kind of reminds me of Izmir in places.. It has a beach, especially … (The people of Izmir who have been to Izmir before or know it very well.. What Kordon is in İzmir Alsancak is the same as in Thessaloniki along the coast.

The number of people who speak English is quite high in the country whose official language is Greek.

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By the way, let’s talk about the Greece Currency: With the inclusion of Greece in the European Union in 1981, the currency used in the country became the Euro.. Although the Euro is quite valuable compared to our country, the prices in Greece are not so expensive.. At least, compared to Scandinavian countries.

Places to Visit in Thessaloniki / Aristotle Square

Also, the most asked questions I guess one of the questions is undoubtedly; “And are these Greeks really friendly towards the Turks, as they say?”

Yes, they are, at least in Thessaloniki and Athens, where I have traveled frequently, every time I said that I was Turkish, I did not encounter any negative reactions.. On the contrary, I always met smiling Greeks.. Also, don’t worry, these Greeks are really sincere people.

Do you need a visa for Thessaloniki ?

Yes. When you want to travel to Greece, you must have a valid Schengen visa or green passport (Special Stamped Passport) as Greece is a European Union member state

Continent of EuropeYou can find the answers to all the other questions you are looking for in our article.

Green passport holders Strong>, they are exempt from visa during their trip to Greece and can stay in Greece for up to 90 days. For detailed information on Schengen visa, you can refer to the Schengen visa article, and you can find the answers to all your questions.

4- How to Get to Thessaloniki?

Weekend While you can travel to Thessaloniki with Greece tours, you can also reach Thessaloniki from Turkey by road or airline alternatives.. Do not worry. Now I will transfer you all the roads leading to Thessaloniki one by one, up to their hours.

Transportation to Thessaloniki by Road; When you want to travel by Istanbul Thessaloniki bus, you have two alternative bus companies. These; Metro and Alpar Turizm.

• They usually depart at 21:00 -22:00 in the evening and the transportation between Istanbul and Thessaloniki takes about 10 hours.
• Thessaloniki bus ticket to list the prices for you;

Metro Turizm: One Way Between Istanbul and Thessaloniki: 125 Lira
Alpar Turizm: Istanbul – Thessaloniki One Way: 35 € – Round Trip: 60 €

Thessaloniki Travel Guide / Kipi Greece – Turkey Border

With your own personal vehicle, If you want to travel to Greece by road; know that you can go to Thessaloniki with your own private vehicle.. You use the Edirne İpsala Border Gate for both bus and personal transportation.

When you choose to go to Thessaloniki by road, other beautiful Greek cities greet you along the way.. These are Alexandroupoli, Xanthi and Komotini. (For now, I only write the names of these cities, who knows, maybe there will be a detailed article about them later.. )

Thessaloniki / Thessaloniki Airport Transportation

Air Transportation to Thessaloniki; Turkish Airlines has direct flights to Thessaloniki from Istanbul twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, every day of the week.. The flight from Istanbul to Thessaloniki takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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• Byzantine Culture Museum: This museum, which was awarded the European Council museum award in 2005, contains artifacts from the Byzantine Empire period.. Since the birth of Christianity, traditional products, paintings and tomb artifacts belonging to the first years of the religion are exhibited. You can visit between 08:00 – 20:00 every day.. You can buy your ticket at the museum entrance by paying 4 € during the winter period (1 November – 31 March) to enter the museum.

  In addition; Admission is free for all visitors to archaeological sites, museums and monuments on the following days:

  • From November 1 to March 31 first Sunday of every month.
  • October 28 On the national holiday.
  • On April 18 (International Day of Monuments).
  • May 18 (International Day of Museums).
  • During the weekend of the European Days of Cultural Heritage (the last weekend of September each year).
  • On March 6 (Melina Mercouri Memory).

  Roman Forum: Located very close to Aristotle Square, Roman Forum, Ancient It is also known as Agora.

  Roman Forum is a protected ancient Greek city located in Thessaloniki.. In ancient times, it served as the political and life center of Thessaloniki.. Many artifacts and ruins from the Roman Empire are still on display here.

  Places to Visit in Thessaloniki : Roman Forum

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  • Panagia Chalkeon (Kazancılar Church): The building, known as Kazancılar Mosque in Ottoman times, was originally built as a church. As in Hagia Sophia, the church, which was built as a tomb church in 1028, was converted into a mosque with the Ottoman occupation.

  It is also known as the Red Church among the people.. Later, after the Greeks recaptured the city, they dedicated the church to the Virgin Mary and opened it to visitors.. There is no entrance fee to the church, you can visit it for free.

  Places to Visit in Thessaloniki / Kazancılar Church

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  • Thessaloniki Archeology Museum: The following collections are exhibited in the museum, which was established in 1962 to display the artifacts found after the archaeological excavations in Thessaloniki.

  Prehistoric Macedonia,
  Towards the Birth of Cities,
  Macedonia, from the post-Christian era to antiquity,
  the true center of Macedonia: Thessaloniki,
  Macedonian Gold,
  It consists of 6 parts: Garden, House, Settlement and Area.

  Thessaloniki Byzantine Culture Museum, ThessalonikiWhite Tower, To visit these important places to visit in Thessaloniki such as Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum and Roman Forum, instead of buying a single ticket, you can buy a combined ticket at This ticket is valid for 3 days and you can visit many of the ruins above.

  You can get this ticket from the staff at the entrance when you go to any of the important areas above.. I have also written the current prices for you below.

  Adult: 15 €
  Discounted: 8 € (Student Students of Non-EU Universities, Technological Educational Institutions or equivalent School Schools when presenting their ID. Greek and EU senior citizens (over 65) upon presentation of a valid identity document or passport. Parents accompanying children during educational visits to primary schools can benefit from this discounted ticket.)

  Thessaloniki : Greece

  Thessaloniki While visiting these and similar historical, touristic and cultural sights in , I had very different and indescribable feelings.. Inevitably, your national feelings are rising.” Wow!” You say, such a special city that has hosted the stage of history.. What do I think?

  There are many beautiful works in Thessaloniki that will satisfy you culturally.. Every time I go, I always learn new things, encounter things I haven’t seen.. Thessaloniki is beautiful! You should explore every corner of it and breathe the air of this city one day!

  9- How many days should we stay in Thessaloniki?

  How many days is enough for us in Thessaloniki? I know you will ask; I’ll get right to the point before you ask.

  I stayed in Thessaloniki for exactly 6 days.. But if you spend 2 or 3 full days in Thessaloniki, it will be enough.. The city is already small, you can easily reach many historical and touristic places on foot without using public transport.

  Greece Travel / Information About Thessaloniki City

  Let’s say you’re tired all week and you want to escape somewhere, even if it’s for 2 days.. You can use your preference for this calm and beautiful city of the neighbor.. You can plan a short trip to Thessaloniki, leaving on Friday afternoon or evening and returning on Sunday evening.

  10 – What should not be done in Thessaloniki?

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  • Without a tour in Thessaloniki Kordon,
  • Without watching the city at the White Tower,
  • Without seeing the house where Atatürk was born,
  • Greek style without eating tzatziki (Tzatziki),
  • Without visiting the Historical Byzantine Churches,

  Thessaloniki Travel Notes / Thessaloniki Travel Guide

  • Without seeing the nightlife in Ladadika,
  • Making sirtaki and drinking ouzo,
  • No frappe,
  • One should not return from Thessaloniki without photographing the sunset at the Seven Towers,
  • Eating Kalamari and Gyros (Greek Doner)

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  11- What kind of route should be followed in Thessaloniki?

  I can say that there are many historical and touristic places in Thessaloniki that should be visited and seen.. However, you don’t need to be stuck in the center of Thessaloniki alone.

  If you’ve been there, especially during the summer months, you should definitely see Halkidiki, known as the Maldives of Greece.. It has become a favorite of the Greeks with its uniquely beautiful sea and bays.

  Greece Halkidiki

  Halkidiki If you want to do the tour, you can go to Halkidiki by taking the buses from Thessaloniki Central Bus Station.. Moreover, this journey takes only 1-1.5 hours.

  The must have of Thessaloniki Tours, the apple of the eye of Thessaloniki Beaches, Greece Halkidiki You can easily get to 45 from Thessaloniki Central Bus Terminal (KTEL Macedonia) by taking the line bus.

  You can book your tickets for this line from any of the agencies in KTEL Macedonia > You can get it for 8-10 €. Apart from the bus, you can also reach Halkidiki by renting a car.

  You can crown your trip to Greece with the Halkidiki Tour option. Likewise, when you land at Thessaloniki International Airport, you can transfer to Halkidiki with a private vehicle for a fee of 90-140 €.. Of course, this will be a very expensive choice.

  12- Why go to Thessaloniki?

  • CHEAP. Really reasonable prices.
  • Nightlife. Especially the taverns are very beautiful.
  • Blue and white as much as possible.. Most importantly, every street in the city leads to the sea…
  • Close. It takes 1-1.5 hours by plane.

  Thessaloniki Guide / Thessaloniki White Tower

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  • The fact that it’s fun makes this city attractive, maybe. Beautiful day and night.
  • Delicious. Greek food and especially the appetizers are incredible!
  • As in other EU countries, visa-free for green passport holders. Get your ticket and go!
  • History and us. Even the streets you step on taste like historical artifacts!

  13- How Much Does a Thessaloniki Travel Cost?

  Greece and especially Thessaloniki is as cheap as they say. I can clearly say that. First of all, you need to have a valid Schengen visa or green passport in order to go to Thessaloniki.

  If you have a green passport, you start the race 1-0 ahead.. Because only air tickets, accommodation, eating and drinking issues keep you busy.

  Thessaloniki Nights / Thessaloniki Entertainment Venues / Sirtaki

  But if you don’t have green and you need a visa, then you have to knock on the door of the Greek Consulate after preparing the necessary documents.

  Including visa and processing fee 280 TL In exchange for you get a valid Greece Schengen visa. If you reside in Istanbul, you can complete your visa procedures through Kosmos, or if you live in one of the provinces other than Istanbul, through VFS Global.

  Let’s get to the answers to the main questions.. I will quickly list Flight Ticket, Accommodation, Food, Entertainment and Shopping expenses for you;

  • Transportation – Flight Ticket to Thessaloniki: Directly from Istanbul to Thessaloniki only THY flies and prices vary between 300-400 TL. (Round Trip) You can also use Aegean Airlines, the official airline of Greece, but via Athens. If I were you, I would prefer transportation by road.. Above, “How to get ?” I have stated in detail under the heading. You can check it out.

  If you want to find a cheap flight ticket to Thessaloniki, see my Best flight and train ticket sites article.

  • Food and Beverage: In general, eating and drinking is cheap in Thessaloniki. However, with the effect of the last crisis, VAT rates have skyrocketed to 24%.. Therefore, we can say that there is a small-scale Milanization in Thessaloniki.

    Thessaloniki Restaurants / Thessaloniki Food & Drink / Thessaloniki Best Tavern / Elliniko

  Assuming you are sitting at an alcoholic table consisting of appetizers for 2, the total amount you pay does not exceed 30 euro. The amount of water you will buy from markets or small buffet-style places on the street is 0.50 cent. Coffee, on the other hand, ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 €. (Latte, Frappe etc.)

  • Accommodation: I stayed at a place called Hotel Pella, which costs between 70-75 TL per day. It was very clean, comfortable and safe.. Also, open buffet breakfast was included in the price when I was there.. Click to review.

  But if you want, you can stay in a hostel for a suitable price of 15€ per day, by considering one of my hostel suggestions above under the heading where to stay.. Or you can take a look at more luxurious alternatives to suit your budget.

  About Accommodation Booking.com, Hotelscombined.com Use the links.

  • Entertainment: Thessaloniki’s nightlife is quite colorful. Most of this is students, young people and foreign students who come to the city with Erasmus.

  Greece Travel Notes / Thessaloniki Night Clubs

  So you can see people from all walks of life in Thessaloniki nights. You can start the night in the taverns in the Ladadika region and continue the night in the clubs in the same region.

  The entrance fee to most of the nightclubs is 8 euros, and in addition to this price, you can get your first drink free of charge.. Beer prices range from 3-3.5€ but for some reason alcohol is cheap here. Cocktails are around 7 to 9 €.

  • Shopping: For Shopping in Thessaloniki, Tsimiski , Egnatia and Mitropoleus streets are almost a unique opportunity for you.. You can find whatever you want. Many world brands have stores, but don’t say that they are cheap because the prices are the same as ours.

    Thessaloniki Shopping Centers / Tsimiski Caddesi

  As a result; If you sacrifice an amount of 50-60 € per day, you will have traveled to Thessaloniki appropriately.. Set a budget for yourself, it’s up to you to go above or below this budget.. But you know :

  Considering the purchasing power, according to them, a fee of 60 TL. almost 4 times more. That’s why, for a nice holiday, 50-60 Euros seems quite appropriate to me.

  14- When to go to Thessaloniki?

  Actually, whenever you want, then You can buy your ticket and go.. Because there is never an apocalyptic cold in Thessaloniki.. The climate is mostly temperate.

  Considering that the Greeks do not suffer as much as we do, it is possible to see the Greeks who have thrown themselves into the streets all the time.

  What to do in Thessaloniki? / Thessaloniki

  No, I like to travel in hot weather, even if you say that the sun hits me like this, let’s take you to Thessaloniki in the summer months.. If you are coming to Thessaloniki in the summer and you intend to swim, definitely include Halkidiki in your plans.. But an advice from me to you: The best times of Thessaloniki are the winter months.. Still, the choice is yours.

  15- What are the things that I did not do in Thessaloniki, but can I suggest you?

  • OTE Tower I couldn’t go up to (Telecommunication Tower) and watch the city from there. You guys can go and watch it, my friends who went talk about it having a beautiful view.
  • I could not go to Kalamaria and Menemeni regions.. I heard that there is a lively nightlife there, too, I will go there next time.

  Where is Thessaloniki City? / Where to go in Thessaloniki? / OTE Tower

  • If you have time, you can hop on a bus or rent a car and go to Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, which is only a few hours away and visit it.. I couldn’t go because I didn’t have time.. You can read the details in our Visa-Free Balkan Countries article.

  16- My Warnings About Thessaloniki Travel

  • Balkans
    • strong> as in the whole, it can be seen in Thessaloniki from time to time when there is cold and rainy weather.. Do not forget to prepare your suitcase considering this situation before your trip.
    • As in many parts of Greece and Europe, Greeks go into siesta mode at a certain time on weekdays, and many shops and shops in the bazaar are closed during this time. is happening. (Including pharmacies.) It is completely closed on Sundays.

    Flag of Greece

    • If you are going to use public transport, make sure you have a ticket in hand.. During any possible check, do not contradict the attendant. You may have to pay a serious amount of fines.
    • If you are going to have fun in the nightlife, consider the possibility that there may be a dress code before going to the venue, otherwise you may be turned away from the door.
    • Your passport, return ticket and a printout of your hotel reservations should be in your bag, just in case.. Because generally there are not many people living in that area.. I was surprised too when I saw it for the first time.
    • And lastly, if you are going to take a taxi, make sure that the taximeter is on when you get in the car.. Otherwise, vigilant drivers say it costs too much.

    If you are going to make a trip to Greece and take a route, check out my articles.

    • Santorini Travel Guide
    • Greece Travel Guide
    • Mykonos Travel Guide
      
    • Athens Travel Guide
    • Chios Travel Guide

    Thessaloniki is something else. There is neither the chaos of Athens nor the madness of Mykonos. Quiet, calm, peaceful. It’s a little bit of a head-rest.. But you still dream first. Then sit back and watch the moment your dream come true. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow. But one day you will find yourself living it. Imagine. Think about it…