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Major city · Greece

ThessalonikiΘεσσαλονίκη

Give Thessaloniki 2 nights: one for the waterfront and Ano Poli, one for Byzantine churches and food. Add a third only for a Halkidiki or Vergina day trip.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), and the August 15 holiday week when some family-run places close
Airport
SKG
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovin…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Balkans ↗Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in pockets of Croatia's former front line: outside towns keep to tarmac and waymarked paths, and treat red triangle signs and taped-off fields as absolute.
  • Balkans ↗Serbia refuses onward entry to travellers who reached Kosovo from a third country and then try to cross straight into Serbia; route Kosovo–Serbia legs through North Macedonia or Montenegro, or start the loop in Serbia.
  • Balkans ↗Hire cars need written permission from the rental company and valid insurance for every country on the line; Kosovo sells its own border insurance and some contracts exclude Albania, Kosovo or Bosnia outright.
  • Greece ↗Greece is in the EU and the Schengen area: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
  • Greece ↗Taking stones, pottery or other objects from archaeological sites is illegal; so is exporting antiquities without a permit.
  • Greece ↗Do not photograph military sites or border zones; signs mark them.
  • Greece ↗Acropolis tickets are sold for one-hour entry slots on the official Hellenic Heritage site (hhticket.gr); in peak season slots sell out days ahead, and you cannot enter outside your hour.
  • Greece ↗Businesses must give a receipt (apodeixi) for every sale; ask for one, and do not accept a handwritten note in place of it.

Thessaloniki is Greece's second city and the capital of Macedonia, a working port of about a million people with a 2,300-year run of Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Jewish history stacked along one seafront. It is a food city first and a monument city second: the Byzantine churches are UNESCO-listed, the Upper City survived the 1917 fire, and the tavernas and bougatsa shops are the reason many Greeks rate it above Athens for eating. Two nights covers the centre and Ano Poli on foot; the metro and a cheap bus network make the airport and the rail station easy.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Thessaloniki, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee (freddo espresso or cappuccino)€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can at a kiosk€4–6 (≈ US$5–7)€1–2 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km taxiMetered; night rate applies after 22:00.€6–9 (≈ US$7–11)
  • Metro or bus rideMetro or bus single ride€0.60 (≈ under US$1)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€8–15 (≈ US$10–18)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person€20 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per room€90 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per room€180 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €45 (≈ US$55) · Mid €80 (≈ US$95) · High €150 (≈ US$180)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

White Tower and the waterfrontUNESCO Byzantine churchesAno Poli (Upper City)Bougatsa and meze tavernasRoman Arch of Galerius and Rotunda
Airports
SKG Thessaloniki International Airport "Macedonia" (15 km south of the centre; bus 01X runs 24/7 to the centre and rail station, about 40 min; taxi about €15–20)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Thessaloniki: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

12°C

5°C

9 rd

Feb

14°C

6°C

8 rd

Mar

16°C

8°C

9 rd

Apr

20°C

11°C

8 rd

May

25°C

16°C

7 rd

Jun

30°C

22°C

5 rd

Jul

33°C

25°C

4 rd

Aug

33°C

25°C

4 rd

Sep

28°C

20°C

5 rd

Oct

23°C

15°C

6 rd

Nov

18°C

11°C

8 rd

Dec

13°C

7°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The single metro line links the New Railway Station, the centre and Nea Elvetia (05:30–00:30, later on Fri–Sat); the standard fare is €0.60, paid in cash at the station. Buses (OASTH) cover the rest, roughly 05:00 to just after midnight, with a 70-minute urban ticket at €0.60 and a 24-hour ticket at €2.50. The centre and waterfront are walkable; Ano Poli is uphill. Taxis are metered and cheap by Western European standards.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Vergina (Aigai) royal tombs

go

Door to door: About 2 h

KTEL Imathia bus from the Macedonia Intercity Bus Station, about 1 h, then a short taxi

The tomb of Philip II and the museum; a half-day, best with an early start.

Pella and the Macedonian capital

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

KTEL bus toward Giannitsa, then a local connection

Mosaics and site museum; awkward without a car, so check bus times first.

Halkidiki beaches (Kassandra or Sithonia)

go

Door to door: 1.5–2.5 h

KTEL Halkidiki bus from the Pylaia station

A full beach day; the first leg is a taxi or bus 36 from the centre.

Kavala

overnight

Door to door: 2.5–3.5 h

Intercity bus or train east along the coast

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep one night.

Philippi

overnight

Door to door: 3–4 h

Bus to Kavala, then a local bus or taxi to the site

Roman and early Christian ruins; pair with Kavala.

Amphipolis

caution

Door to door: 2.5–3.5 h

Bus east toward Serres, then a local connection

The lion monument and museum; check onward transport before committing.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

City centre (Aristotelous Square and Tsimiski)

Waterfront, cafés and the Roman Forum on foot; best for a first visit and for two nights.

Ladadika and the port

Restored warehouse district, nightlife and the Modiano Market; 10–15 min walk from Aristotelous.

Ano Poli (Upper City)

Quiet stone lanes and city views; steep walk down to the centre, so pick it only if you like hills.

Around the rail station

Practical for an early train or bus out; not the prettiest area at night.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€45–70 (≈ US$55–85) excl. bed
Mid
€70–120 (≈ US$85–140) excl. bed
High
€120 (≈ US$140)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid-range hotel1 × 2 nights × €90€180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × €80€320
Airport bus 01X, both ways2 × €4€8
24-hour bus and metro ticket, one day2 × €3€5
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €10€20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€53
Trip total≈ €147 per person per day, bed included€586≈ US$700

2026 estimate in euro; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee (freddo espresso or cappuccino)€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
Bougatsa (custard or cheese pastry)€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
Souvlaki or gyros wrap€3–5 (≈ US$4–6)
Meze plate in a taverna€5–10 (≈ US$6–12)
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a kiosk€4–6 (≈ US$5–7) / €1–2 (≈ US$2–3)
Metro or bus single ride€0.60 (≈ under US$1)
5 km taxiMetered; night rate applies after 22:00.€6–9 (≈ US$7–11)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€8–15 (≈ US$10–18)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Thessaloniki is a safe city by day and mostly by night; the real risks are pickpockets on the packed airport bus and in market crowds, traffic on the seafront road, and tavernas that sell fish by weight without a posted price — ask before you order.
  • Pickpockets work the packed 01X airport bus and the market crowds; keep bags zipped in front.
  • The 01N night bus is the only public transport after midnight and is often full — do not rely on it for a tight flight.
  • Bus and metro strikes happen; check the operator site the day before a timed departure.
  • Parking in the centre is scarce and fines are enforced even where locals park illegally.
  • Some tavernas near the waterfront have no printed prices for fish sold by weight: ask the price per kilo before ordering.

Emergency numbers

European emergency number
112
Police
100
Ambulance
166
Fire
199
Tourist police
1571
Coast guard
108

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ThessalonikiΘεσσαλονίκη

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Σε αυτή τη διεύθυνση, παρακαλώTo this address, please

Emergency

  • European emergency number112
  • Police100
  • Ambulance166
  • Fire199
  • Tourist police1571

Embassy

The US has a consulate-general in Thessaloniki; most other countries keep embassies in Athens (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • SKG airport → city centre, bus 01X: €2 (≈ US$3), about 40 min
  • Metro or urban bus single: €0.60 (≈ under US$1)
  • Taxi SKG airport → centre: about €15–20 (≈ US$18–25)

Say or show

  • Γεια σας — Hello (YAH sas)
  • Ευχαριστώ — Thank you (ef-kha-ree-STOH)
  • Πόσο κάνει; — How much is it? (POH-so KAH-nee)
  • Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ — The bill, please (ton lo-gha-rya-ZMO, pa-ra-ka-LOH)
  • Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα; — Can I pay by card? (bo-ROH na plee-ROH-so me KAR-ta)
  • Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; — Where is the toilet? (poo EE-ne ee too-a-LE-ta)

Tipping is not required; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Thessaloniki. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), and the August 15 holiday week when some family-run places close · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SKG: last 01X/01N departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Aristotelous and the waterfront, Ladadika and the market, the Rotunda and Arch of Galerius, Ano Poli.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (White Tower, Rotunda, Archaeological Museum, Byzantine churches) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Halkidiki and Vergina day-trip fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Greece

Sources