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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Thessaloniki
Θεσσαλονίκη
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.
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.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Θεσσαλονίκη
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), and the August 15 holiday week when some family-run places close
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Fire 199 · Tourist police 1571
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (freddo espresso or cappuccino) | €2–4 |
| Bougatsa (custard or cheese pastry) | €2–4 |
| Souvlaki or gyros wrap | €3–5 |
| Meze plate in a taverna | €5–10 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a kiosk | €4–6 / €1–2 |
| Metro or bus single ride | €0.60 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €6–9 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SKG · Thessaloniki International Airport "Macedonia"
- 15 km (9.3 mi) south of the centre; bus 01X runs 24/7 to the centre and rail station, about 40 min; taxi about €15–209.3 mi (15 km) south of the centre; bus 01X runs 24/7 to the centre and rail station, about 40 min; taxi about €15–20
Typical fares
- SKG airport → city centre, bus 01X
- €2, about 40 min
- Metro or urban bus single
- €0.60
- Taxi SKG airport → centre
- about €15–20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get 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.The single metro line links the New Railway Station, the centre and Nea Elvetia (5:30 AM–12:30 AM, later on Fri–Sat); the standard fare is €0.60, paid in cash at the station. Buses (OASTH) cover the rest, roughly 5:00 AM 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 and do
Known for
- White Tower and the waterfront
- UNESCO Byzantine churches
- Ano Poli (Upper City)
- Bougatsa and meze tavernas
- Roman Arch of Galerius and Rotunda
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Vergina (Aigai) royal tombs | KTEL Imathia bus from the Macedonia Intercity Bus Station, about 1 h, then a short taxi | About 2 h |
| Pella and the Macedonian capital | KTEL bus toward Giannitsa, then a local connection | About 2 h |
| Halkidiki beaches (Kassandra or Sithonia) | KTEL Halkidiki bus from the Pylaia station | 1.5–2.5 h |
| Kavala | Intercity bus or train east along the coast | 2.5–3.5 h |
| Philippi | Bus to Kavala, then a local bus or taxi to the site | 3–4 h |
| Amphipolis | Bus east toward Serres, then a local connection | 2.5–3.5 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γεια σαςYAH sas |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώef-kha-ree-STOH |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει;POH-so KAH-nee |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton lo-gha-rya-ZMO, pa-ra-ka-LOH |
| Can I pay by card? | Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα;bo-ROH na plee-ROH-so me KAR-ta |
| Where is the toilet? | Πού είναι η τουαλέτα;poo EE-ne ee too-a-LE-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Thessaloniki yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- White Tower and the waterfront
- UNESCO Byzantine churches
- Ano Poli (Upper City)
- Bougatsa and meze tavernas
- Roman Arch of Galerius and Rotunda
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Thessaloniki official tourism website: thessaloniki.travel/
- City of Thessaloniki: thessaloniki.gr/
- Hellenic Train: www.hellenictrain.gr/
- Thessaloniki Metro: www.thessaloniki-metro.gr/
- Wikivoyage: Thessaloniki, revision 5323920 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323920
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ThessalonikiΘεσσαλονίκη
Σε αυτή τη διεύθυνση, παρακαλώ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate-general in Thessaloniki; most other countries keep embassies in Athens (check the address).
Tipping is not required; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/thessaloniki). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.