Gathering the gems worth your time…
Destination guide
Thessaloniki
Greece
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη) is the capital of Macedonia, and with one million inhabitants (2025), the second largest city in Greece. It is a city with a continuous 3,000-year history, preserving relics of its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past and of its formerly dominant Jewish population.
Introduction quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Sources gathered & checked 6 days ago
At a glance
- Best time to go
- March–November
- Getting around
- Metro · Bus · Taxi
- Vetted picks
- 25 places to see, do, eat, and stay
- Real coverage
- 7 vetted creator sources
AI insights
Computed from the Wikivoyage listings, transport section and YouTube view counts on this page
Arch of Galerius is named by 2 of the travel videos we checked — the clearest signal we have that they are worth your time.
The most-viewed guide here is "VLOG | ΕΠΙΣΤΡΕΦΟΥΜΕ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ;!" by Pinelopi Anastasiadou (24K views) — a solid first watch.
Pinelopi Anastasiadou is a creator from here, not a visiting channel — worth watching for what the guidebooks skip.
Getting around: by metro, by bus, by taxi and 2 more — the section below has the details straight from Wikivoyage.
11 of the places below list a real price from their own source — worth a scan before you budget the trip.
How these 25 picks are sourced
3 of 25 are named by a second, independent source — Culture Trip, Travel Ranked and Vacation Idea — and each card names its own. The remaining 22 rest on the reference article alone: we list them because Wikivoyage or Wikipedia documents them, not because anyone else vouched for them. We also watched 7 creator videos, 1 of them from local channels rather than visiting ones. 24 of the 25 descriptions are quoted word for word from Wikivoyage under CC BY-SA rather than written by us, as is the introduction above — each of those cards says so. What we add is the checking, the corroboration above, and the choice of which places are worth your time at all.What we can't promise is that it's still true. Venues close, hours and prices change, and we don't re-check them — a place here closed for good and sat on this page for a year before anyone noticed. The insights are AI-written from these sources and can be wrong too. Confirm anything you'd be sorry to be wrong about before you set out. Terms.
Watch first
Ranked by views and how well each landed with the people who watched it, judged against the other coverage of this place — plus a local creator where we found one.
VLOG | ΕΠΙΣΤΡΕΦΟΥΜΕ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ;!
Pinelopi Anastasiadou · 24K viewsLocalel
What to do in THESSALONIKI! (We were surprised!) Greece Travel Vlog
CJ Explores · 107K views
THESSALONIKI, Greece 🇬🇷 Is This Greece’s Most Underrated City? 4K Walking Tour
Walking OZ · 99K views
Thessaloniki Travel Guide - Best Places and Things to do in Thessaloniki Greece in 2023
Travel Ranked · 110K views
![Top 10 Best Things to Do in Thessaloniki, Greece [Thessaloniki Travel Guide 2025]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IfjaFILaxZo/hqdefault.jpg)
Top 10 Best Things to Do in Thessaloniki, Greece [Thessaloniki Travel Guide 2025]
Vacation Idea · 87K views
Is This Europe's Most Underrated Food City? Thessaloniki Travel Guide Vlog
Traveling Expats · 38K views
Thessaloniki Travel Guide 2025 - Best Places to Visit in Thessaloniki Greece in 2025
Travel Ranked · 66K views
Best time to go
Best window: March–November
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
IdealGoodOkayOff-season
Rated from ten years of daily temperature and rainfall recorded at this destination, via Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis. Hover a month for its real numbers.
Getting around
By metro
Thessaloniki has a single metro line with 13 stations that runs from the New Railway Station across the city centre and the southern and eastern suburbs to Nea Elvetia.
By bus
OASTH is the city's bus company and runs a total of 85 different bus lines. Moovit or Rome2Rio mobile apps can be used to plan the journey and check the schedule on the go. Bus services usually operate from 05:00 until just after midnight.
By taxi
Licensed taxis (dark blue with a taxi light) can be hailed in the streets and at taxi ranks. Ride hailing services (Freenow, Uber) are also an option. Most drivers are able to communicate in both Greek and English.
By bicycle
There is a decent bicycle lane that runs along the seafront, but most other roads are narrow and not friendly to novice cyclists. Bicycle lanes often do not exist, even on main roads. Sometimes, there are bicycle lanes on the pavement.
Tickets
Tickets can be bought at TheTA's ticket outlets, at machines on the buses, and in the OSETH App. Certain types of tickets (see below) are also available at various other sales points.
Transport notes from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to see
Places are listed from Wikivoyage and our own sourced research. Worth it means a second, independent source names the place too; “3 sources agree” means three or more do — and each card names them, so you can check. Single source means the opposite, said plainly: the reference article lists it and nothing else we checked does.
Hagia Sophia
Worth itAlso recommended by Vacation Idea
Stopped here on camera: Vacation Idea
· Free
A church from the 7th century, based on the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, with mosaics from the 9th century.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Roman Forum
Worth itAlso recommended by Travel Ranked
· Moderate
Excavations and an interesting museum underneath.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Saint Demetrios
Single source· Free
Constructed in the mid-7th century on the ruins of a Roman bath complex, in honor of Demetrius, a Roman officer who was imprisoned and martyred here in 303 AD.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Church of the Acheiropoietos
Single sourceopposite Makedonomachon Square· Free
A 5th-century church. The surviving original decoration includes fine 5th-century Ionian capitals, the green Thessalian marble columns of the tribelon and fragments of 5th-century decorative mosaics.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Latomou Monastery
Single source· Free
A late 5th-century church, once part of a monastery. Many surviving elements of the Byzantine decoration are of high artistic quality, especially the 5th-century apse mosaic the Icon of Christ of Latomos.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Arch of Galerius
Single sourceStopped here on camera: Vacation Idea
Egnatia and Dimitriou Gounari streets· Free
The triumphal arch was dedicated in 303 AD to celebrate the victory of the tetrarch Galerius over the Sassanids.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
What to do
Thessaloniki Concert Hall
Single sourcenear the Posidonio Athletic Centre of Thessaloniki - Kalamaria
The venue includes a main hall of 1,400 seats, designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and inaugurated on 2 January 2000.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Cultural Route public bus tour
Single sourceOASTH launched a special “Cultural Route” to make the rich historical and cultural heritage of Thessaloniki more accessible.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Nautilia Yachting
Single sourceSkiathou 2
Licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organization, organizes skippered or bareboat yacht charters with a wide range of monohulls and catamarans for sailing.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Waterland
Single sourceA large water park near Tagarades Hill. Free bus service starting at the city centre.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Discovery Yachting
Single sourceThermaikou 21
Bareboat charter or skippered sailing yacht, also night time tours.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
World Naked Bike Ride
Single sourceA celebration of Cycling, Environment, Body Freedom.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
What to eat
Diagonios
Worth itAlso recommended by Culture Trip
A must-visit for traditional Greek cuisine, famed for its soutzoukakia (spiced meatballs).
Vetted sources
Terkenlis
Single sourceIt is famous for its variety of "tsoureki", a sweet bread much like challah or brioche but containing spices too, covered and filled with several combinations of chocolates, creams, and nuts.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Chatzis
Single sourceIt is famous for its collection of Greek Asia Minor sweets (politika glyka) originating from Constantinople.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Elenidis
Single sourceIt is considered the expert in "trigona" (triangles made of thin phyllo dough layers and filled with cream).
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Evi Evan
Single sourceBit-Bazaar
A nice small place near the ancient market of Thessaloniki.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Verges Lagies
Single sourceΒενιζέλου 63
Reminiscent of old taverns from the 80s with very helpful staff and respect for the customer. Really nice charcoal grill food. Small bistro and worthwhile a try. Good quality for little money.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Pizza Chris
Single sourceArmenopoulou 17
One of the nicest pizzas in Thessaloniki. Well made dough and incredible flavors. The pizza slices are only
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Where to stay
Little Big House Hostel
Single source24 Andakidou St· Moderate
This is a new hostel in Thessaloniki run by a brother and sister who are hosts. They have five rooms in a reconstructed house, each room with private bathroom and kitchenette and big lockers.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
RentRooms Thessaloniki
Single sourceKonstantinou Melenikou 9
Travellers and backpackers hostel. Nice & clean rooms and dorms with balconies. Cafeteria garden for drinks and snacks near a green park. It is in city centre's university side, overlooking "Rotonda" UNESCO World Heritage…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Alexandria Hotel
Single sourcethere is a bus stop outside, buses link to train station, bus station and airport· Pricey
Bang in the centre of Egnatia Str., with easy bus connections. Friendly staff. Price includes private bathroom, A/C, WiFi, fridge and TV. Snacks and laundry for extra charge.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Rex Hotel
Single sourceMonastiriou 39· Expensive
Cheap hotel opposite the train station towards the centre. Only a 5-min walk from train station. Not great, but adequate.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Backpackers Refuge
Single source· Moderate
Near the city centre (5-min bus ride) and the water front (7 min on foot) is well connected to the train station, bus station and the airport. 24 hr hot water, free linen, washing…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Hotel Acropoli
Single source· Expensive
Close to the train station. Clean but shabby rooms, most with a balcony.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Build your day
Pick the places you want in Thessaloniki, Greece and we will put them on a map in an order that does not cross the city twice.
Where to next
Nearby cities in Greece we’ve vetted too.
- MeteoraUNESCO-listed Byzantine monasteries perched atop sheer sandstone pillars in central Greece.
- DelphiThe ancient Greeks' sacred 'navel of the world,' with the Temple of Apollo set dramatically on Mount Parnassus.
- CorfuVenetian-Italian old town on the Ionian Sea, greener and lusher than the Cyclades, with a UNESCO-listed fortress skyline.
- AthensThe Acropolis and Parthenon anchor a capital that now also holds Greece's only Michelin two-star restaurant, Delta.
- KefaloniaThe largest Ionian island, known for the turquoise waters of Myrtos Beach and the Melissani cave lake.
- NafplioRomantic Venetian-era port town beneath the Palamidi fortress, widely called one of Greece's prettiest towns.
Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.