Solo Travel in Thessaloniki

The only Byzantine old city in Greece — the upper walled district of Thessaloniki where Ottoman wooden houses lean over cobblestone alleys, Byzantine churches contain mosaics that predate Ravenna, and the city walls walk offers the finest view of the gulf and Mount Olympos across the water on clear days.

📍Ano Poli, Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki's landmark hotel — a 1960s building opposite Aristotelous Square on the waterfront with a rooftop pool overlooking the White Tower and the Thermaic Gulf, excellent service, and the most prestigious address in the city. Walking distance to the Byzantine churches, the ANO POLI, and the finest tavernas.

📍Plateia Aristotelous 9, Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki's covered food market — a 1922 covered market (named after its Jewish architect) in the center of the city with fish vendors, olive oil merchants, spice sellers, and the finest loukoumades (honey donuts) stall in Greece. The surrounding streets are Thessaloniki's best food district.

📍Komninon, Thessaloniki

The food capital of Greece — Thessaloniki's bougatsa (custard pastry), trigona Panoramatos (triangle cream cakes), bougatsa with feta, halva, and the spiced sausage (loukanika) are entirely distinct from Athenian Greek food, with Ottoman, Jewish, and Anatolian influences. The city takes its food more seriously than anywhere else in Greece.

📍Ladadika, Thessaloniki

Greece's best bar street — a semi-derelict warehouse district that transformed into Thessaloniki's most vibrant bar scene, with natural wine bars, rembetiko (Greek blues) tavernas, rooftop cocktail lounges, and live music venues. Thessaloniki is widely considered to have better nightlife than Athens; Valaoritou is the proof.

📍Valaoritou, Thessaloniki

The symbol of Thessaloniki — a 15th-century Ottoman defensive tower on the waterfront promenade that served as a prison, a fortress, and now a museum of the city's history. The circular galleries trace Thessaloniki from Byzantine capital to Ottoman city to modern Greek metropolis. The view from the top is the best in the city.

📍Nikiforou Foka, Thessaloniki