 Greece’s second largest city is standing proudly at the crossroad between East and West. Its prominent position and its enlightening impact throughout the ages have rendered Thessaloniki a point of reference and an economic center for all the Balkan nations and peoples.
The city stands as a crowning jewel at the top of Thermaikos Gulf, stretching over twelve kilometers in a bowl formed by low hills facing the Aegean. To the west, the city reaches the banks of Gallikos river, where the industrial zone with its dense infrastructure is situated, and to the east spreads as far as the luxurious suburb of “Panorama”. The main city is divided into the Upper town (Ano Poli) with its narrow alleys and Ottoman styled houses huddling around the remnants of the Mediaeval fortifications and the Modern town, which was fully redesigned and reconstructed on a grid system after being devastated by fire in 1917. |
 Thessaloniki is by far Greece’s most open city to the world. Its cosmopolitanism is the courtesy of its function as Greece’s main rail and road gateway to Central and Eastern Europe. As befits a major city, bus and train links are good all year, servicing also Southeastern Europe, Turkey and the Black sea region. A token of Thessaloniki’s openness is the city’s thriving port, which has a special free zone, providing facilities and access to the Mediterranean and the neighboring countries. It is here that visitors allured by the sea will easily find ferry or hydrofoil transportation to the Greek island of their dreams. The city’s accessibility is reinforced by the renovated international airport “Macedonia” which offers regular and charter connections to several European and Asian states as well as to other destinations in the Greek mainland and the islands. Soon, with the completion of the new East-West ‘Egnatia’ motorway, the city is aspiring to enhance its role as a regional transportation and commercial junction. |
 When king Kassander of Macedonia founded Thessaloniki in 315 B.Cl on the site of the ancient Greek town of Therme, he named it after his wife, the half-sister of Alexander the Great. The city subsequently gained the reputation of being “Mother of Macedonia”, a commercial center possessing connections with all the ports in the East, its own coinage and a cultural development equal to that of the other ancient Greek cities. The Romans endowed Thessaloniki with access to Via Egnatia, through which it became a prominent commercial and military center on the way to the East. It was here that Paul the Apostle preached the new religion (50AD) and Cyril and Methodius, two missionary brothers, devised from Greek the Cyrillic alphabet in order to bring literacy and Christianity to the Slavs. The history of the city is one of repeated changes in ruler, as the warring powers through the centuries have fought to secure its strategic position; leaving a legacy of impressive monuments and even more spectacular fortifications. After changing hands between various raiders, Latin lords and Byzantine sovereigns, the city fell to the Turks in 1430. Looting and repression forced many of its inhabitants to flee, but the city was soon revived due to the arrival of 20,000 Spanish Jews. The Jews entrepreneurs ensured the economic welfare of the city well up to 1940, when the dominating German forces deported the Jewish population to the death camps. Decisive piece on the city’s historical and cultural puzzle was the year 1923, when thousands of industrious Greeks emigrating from Turkey settled in Thessaloniki, boosting its economy and cultural diversity. |
 Landmarks
Among the numerous monuments of particular interest in the city are those from the Roman period, the Triumphal Arch of Galerius and the excellently preserved Rotonda. Thessaloniki is, however, above all famous for its Byzantine period, being second only to Constantinople itself. Its many churches, whose fine mosaics and wall paintings are representative of various periods of Byzantine art, have survived to enhance the image of the city. They include St. Dimitrios, the Holy Apostles, St. Sophia, St. Catherine, St. Nicholas the Orphan, the Prophet Elijah, and the Monastery of Vlatadon. Large sections of the city walls are also still standing, together with one of their main bastions and the city’s best-known landmark, the White Tower.
Museums
Being in Thessaloniki one should not miss the treasures from the Macedonian Royal Tombs of Vergina, displayed among other amazing artifacts in the Archeological Museum. If Byzantium is what you are after, in Thessaloniki there is a Byzantine Museum containing the finest collection of Byzantine art in Greece. Another Byzantine exhibition is hosted inside the White Tower, albeit the visitor will be seduced by the city views available from the top of the tower. Among the many smaller museums worthy of a visit, there is the city’s Municipal Art Museum. Situated in an eclectic 1905 mansion, this gallery displays over 800 works, mainly of Greek modern art and sculpture. |
 Thessaloniki is a thriving city and one of the most important trade and communication centers in the Mediterranean. This is evident from its financial and commercial activities, its port with its special Free Zone, its international airport, its important industrial complex and the annual International Trade Fair “HELEXPO” held in September, which attracts thousands of visitors from abroad. Nevertheless, this city’s downtown atmosphere is not just that of a cosmopolitan commercialism, but also that of tolerance and coexistence. At Aristotle’s Square is where the real heart of this city beats, with its diverse crowds of tourists, immigrants and locals; its traditional coffee shops coexisting with modern cafes, student hangouts with confectioneries full of sweet temptations from East and West; they all blend in this crossroad of history and culture. |
| The gastronomic legacy of the Ottoman palaces and the traditions of Asia Minor exchange populations blend with the eating habits of the Balkan hinterland in this city, which has a food culture of its own. One has to gain the experience of the flavors and the scents of this city, in order to master some of the knowledge that the 2,300 years of its life span enclose. Thessaloniki is famous for the traditional dishes, especially fishes and seafood, cooked in ways that reveal its various influences. Ladadika, the seashore at Krini and the Modiano market are packed with ouzeries and picturesque taverns with unique atmosphere and unforgettable appetizers. In the central streets of Thessaloniki like Tsimiski Str. there is a great variety of boutiques, where one can buy fashionable clothes at high or low prices. Thessaloniki is also famous for its food markets. Modiano is the biggest food market in the city and next to it there are many flower shops that give a special color to the area. Other traditional marketplaces are those of Agora Solomou and Vardaris. In “Stoa Karasso” (Karasso Arcade) and Bezesteni, women can purchase real or faux jewels and innumerable little fashionable objects. A few blocks away, there is a great number of small coppersmith shops where the eastern influences are clearly manifested. |
| Thessaloniki is a youthful city, hosting the country’s largest university community right in its heart. Thus, innumerous sidewalks cafes are always bustling with activity and flocks of night revelers gather in mainstream clubs at Ladadika, a restored former industrial area, or at the bouzouki places near the Airport. Not to miss is the Modiano’s Market nightlife, with trendy bars and youthful joints. Finally, Thessaloniki is renown in Greece for hosting the country’s best underground rock scene, where many independent bands perform on their way to stardom. |
| Part of the Macedonian people idiosyncrasy is being keener at sports than Southern Greeks. Thus, it is only natural that Thessaloniki has a plethora f athletic installations. There are plenty of basketball, football and tennis ourts and three Olympic sized swimming pools, both for the athletes andthe public, and two marine clubs, where the visitors may enjoy the sea ports. In addition there are horse-riding clubs, skiing centres within an hour 's distance from the city and a golf court in the nearby Halkidiki. The city is also proud of the “Alexandrion Palais des Sports” in theground of HELEXPO and the newly built PAOK basketball dome, both hosting frequently international competitions. The visitor may also go for a walk in the promenade, or visit the Zoo in Kedrinos Hill or the forest nearby. |
| Every year in September the International Trade Fair is held in Thessaloniki, exhibiting Greek and foreign products of every description. After the fair is over, the Greek Film Festival takes place, showing short subjects and full-length feature films. Then October is the month for the “Dimitria”, the artistic and cultural events held in honor of the city's patron saint Dimitrios, as well as the Greek Song Festival. In addition to its two Universities (Aristotelian and Macedonia), there are numerous institutions that contribute to the academic and cultural life of the city. Among them are the State Conservatory, marvelous Theatres and Orchestras, the Society of Macedonian Studies, the Institute for Balkan Studies and other cultural and artistic organisations. The city especially takes pride of its newly acquired jewels: The new Concert Hall of Thessaloniki and its fully renovated majestic Royal Theatre. |
| Ecology minded tourism, although relatively young in Greece, has easily found its place in Thessaloniki and its surrounding areas, because of their natural beauty and landscape. Eco-tourism has been developed by the lakes of Saint Vassilios and Volvi and in the delta of the main rivers of Axios, Loudias and Aliakmonas. These places are home for thousands of birds, plants and many flower species. Furthermore, the lakes are also available for fishing and water-sports. |
| The superb hotel infrastructure of Thessaloniki as well as the installations of the HELEXPO offer a variety of conference halls capable of hosting meetings of up to 2,700 participants (Vellidis Hall). These halls are fully equipped with all modern age audio-visual facilities for congresses, seminars and all types of meetings. Auxiliary equipment include photocopy and fax machines, while a number of services are provided such as secretarial, translation and typewriting. |
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