Thessaloniki is another part of the country worth visiting on your Greece vacation. This area is located in the Greece district of Central Macedonia. It is a fairly large city, home to about a million inhabitants. Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece after Athens, the capital. This city prides itself for its 3000 years of continuous history. And because of this, the city contains quite a number of ancient relics preserved, showing its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past.
Getting into Thessalonki can be quite convenient. There are a number of means of getting into this interesting part of Greece. For tourists from other countries who arrive by air, they usually land at the Makedonia International Airport which serves both international and domestic flights.
Thessaloniki can also be reached by train. There are night train trips available from Athens. There are also day trains that can take tourists into the city. The trip usually lasts from four to six hours. Travel on the train are available on different class choices. The city can also be reached by bus which starts from the Skopje central bus terminal. Some travel agencies also can arrange minibus transports for tourists going to Thessalonki.
Going to Thessaloniki by bus can be a more favorable option that going to the city by taxi. Some difficulties might be experienced especially when tourists plan to go back to Athens by taxi from Thessaloniki. The problems include visa issues. Taxi drivers from Thessalonki may agree to bring tourists to Skopje while the same might not always be true the other way around. Greek citizens may enter into the Republic of Macedonia without the need for visas whereas Macedonian citizens may require one to enter into Greece.
There are many places of interests that tourists can visit at Thessaloniki. They can head on to the White Tower of Thessaloniki, considered as the symbol of the city. The upper Town, or Ano Poli is also worth visiting since it is a place that showcases what remains of the Ottoman Thessaloniki. The area contains many beautiful wooden houses, winding streets as well as the city’s oldest and most important churches.
The waterfront is one of Thessaloniki’s most popular locations. It contains the giant palace that has been reconstructed as the city’s ferry terminal. The waterfront contains a lot of cafes, restaurants and shops that is worth exploring. There are also several museums and archaeological sites worth visiting at Thessalonki.
Thessalonki is considered as a gourmet city. The city offers a wide variety of different cuisine ranging from the excellent local fare to the more affluent haute cuisine from other countries. Aside from the local taverns, the city also is home to quite a number of foreign restaurants serving a wide selection of different culinary tastes.
Thessaloniki is also known for its vary active nightlife. So whether tourist prefer exploring the city during the night or the day, there are always something interesting and exciting in store for them. A Thessaloniki Greece vacation should be a priority in every tourist’s vacation plans.