Greece

Thessaloniki

Greece's foodie second city on the Thermaic Gulf

A Byzantine port city that has been Macedonian, Roman, Ottoman, and Greek — now the country's best place to eat and a UNESCO World Heritage centre.

When to go

April–June and September–October.

Getting around

Walk the seafront; bus #50 loops the historic sights.

Thessaloniki highlights

The top places to start with if you only have a day or two — the essentials before you go deeper.

No. 01 · Landmark

White Tower

The Ottoman bastion turned city symbol

A 15th-century waterfront tower once known as the Tower of Blood — now a small museum with a rooftop view of the gulf.

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No. 02 · Landmark

Rotunda of Galerius

4th-century Roman temple turned church and mosque

Built around 306 AD as part of Galerius' palace complex — its mosaics rival those of Ravenna.

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No. 03 · Where to stay

Ano Poli (Upper Town)

Ottoman-era hilltop quarter inside the city walls

The only neighbourhood to survive the 1917 fire — wooden Ottoman houses, churches, and views over the whole gulf.

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Things to do in Thessaloniki

A curated mix of landmarks, neighborhoods, and museums worth your time in Thessaloniki, Greece — grouped by type below.