This travel guide for Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece, is perfect if you are staying for three days. Explore Thessaloniki, Halkidiki and eat the best food!
There's a big difference between Athens, the Greek islands and the Northern part of Greece. Thessaloniki and its peninsula Halkidiki are a blend of different cultures–from the Romands and Byzantine eras to the Ottomans, and just a pinch of Balkan vibes!
That's what makes Thessaloniki a really exciting destination and now that I've been once, I can say for sure that I want to go back and explore the area some more.
Yes, Athens or the islands get more credit but... if you're not convinced yet: Thessaloniki is also called the Foodie Capital of Greece–and for a reason, because we had some really delish food while we were there.
So here's your guide for a first-time visit to Thessaloniki. We stayed four nights but you could easily stretch your trip longer. But if three days is all you have, you'll still get a good feel for the city and surroundings–and can make a list of all the things you still want to visit when you come back.
Let's dive into this travel guide for three days in Thessaloniki. Short on time? Here's all you need to know at a glance.
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Thessaloniki at a glance
Thessaloniki is Greece's second largest city and an old port city with lots of history, beautiful beaches and amazing restaurants.
My #1 recommendation | Get to know the city with a city walking tour. Thessaloniki was founded by the old Macedonians 315 BC and there's a lot of history to unpack!
Where to Stay | I recommend staying somewhere central if you want to enjoy the city vibe. Hotel MonAsty is a good option. We stayed a bit closer to the highway to Halkidiki, in a super local neighborhood called Kalamaria. I would anyway recommend you rent a car so you're able to get around the city and to the nearby beaches easily. I always use Discover Cars for my car rental bookings..
Where to eat | I wrote a whole article with the best restaurants in Thessalonikibecause it's literally impossible to decide.
How long to stay | 3 days should be enough to cover the highlights of Thessaloniki and a few beaches but if you want to explore more of Northern Greece or do more activities, book a few additional nights. GetYourGuide offers a wide variety of tours and activities to suit your schedule, budget, and interests.
Day 1: Explore the Historic center & waterfront
Whether you have arrived by ferry, plane or car: Welcome! After dropping your bags at the hotel, it's time to head out and explore!
Check-in at your hotel
If you want to feel the vibe of Thessaloniki, I recommend you stay in a central accommodation and part of town. From there, you can easily walk around and get to all the restaurants and beach bars. If you are like us and prefer a quieter, more local vibe, I can recommend their neighborhood Kalamaria. We stayed in a really cute apartment there, and had dinner at super local spots where people didn't speak a word of English and were incredibly hospitable. You can take the bus or car into the city center, it's about a 20-minute ride.
If you haven't booked your Thessaloniki accommodation, here's what I recommend:
- Budget Stay | Bahar Boutique Hotel has cute and quirky interior and is located super close to several museums in town. From here, you can easily take a stroll along the promenade to the White Tower
- Mid-Tier Stay | MonAsty: With a rooftop pool (with good views of the city) and a gym, this stylish hotel offers everything you need and is located super closely to Aristotle Square and all major sights of Thessaloniki
- Luxury Stay | If you want something truly special, ON Residence , as part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is the place to go.A rooftop bar, a large variety of beautifully furnished rooms, and an excellent restaurant on site are this place finest qualities
- Local Stay | We loved our stay in this apartment in Kalamaria Super close to the sea (and a local beach with free sunbeds) and it had a balcony to enjoy a glass of wine and some meze or our coffee in the morning. Plus: the owners were super nice!
Wander around the city
The best way to explore Thessalonik is by foot. Even though It's a city of almost a Million, it's actually quite walkable–don't let the Balkanic chaos deter you! The Greek city is mostly made up of two parts worth visiting–the Old Town Ano Poli, and the heart of Thessaloniki around the Aristotle Square, waterfront and Ladadika district. I always recommend a city tourto really get the gist of a place but if you want to wander on your own, here are some places and areas of town you shouldn’t miss.
- Ano Poli | In the upper town, you can see Byzantine walls, narrow streets, old Ottoman architecture and you can visit the fortress perched over the city.
- Ladadika | I thought this quarter of the city close to the White Tower was really cute, lots of tree-lined streets, and cool coffee shops and traditional taverns. Definitely the spot you want to check out at night
- City Centre | All around Aristotelous Square and the promenade, is where you find the most important churches like the Hagia Sophia or the Rotonda and Arch of Galerius and also the Modiano and Kapani markets.
Thessaloniki was also one of the city with the biggest Jewish community during the Ottoman Empire. So if you are interested in that, a Jewish Heritage Tour might be a great option to start your time in Thessaloniki.
Too much walking? You can also buy a ticket for the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus that takes you to all the best sights.
Watch the sunset from a beach bar
I’m a sucker for sunsets—there, I said it. And there’s just something magical about sunsets by the sea. So grab a drink—maybe your first Ouzo of the trip—and a bite, and enjoy the sun sink into the water. Kitchen Bar and Thermaikos Bar are two great options, both beloved and recommended by locals.
Day 2: Drive around Halkidiki
Today, it’s time to explore the beaches on the Halkidiki peninsula. Travel time to the beaches isn’t really short with 1.5 to 2 hours, something we weren’t quite aware of, so take that into account, especially if you only have a day or two to explore.
Driving in Greece was… interesting for the average European driver, I would say. The highway didn’t have markings for all lanes and speed limits were a bit confusing at times but all in all it wasn’t too bad.
The best beaches around Thessaloniki
If you only have limited time, it’s always the best to get local advice on where to go and not lose time on research or picking a bad spot. Next to me on the plan sat Dimitris, a Thessaloniki local, who recommended the „second finger“, Sithonia, actually has the most beautiful beaches. According to him, all beaches on that particular finger are great. But here are the top tips:
Spathies Beach | This was a really beautiful spot, we went to the small beach (on Google Maps). It reminded me a bit of Croatia with a rocky coastline and lots of shade below pine trees. With one advantage: Sand instead of pebbles! Don't be put off by the width of the road and the beach club you pass first–it gets calmer when you continue driving.
Sarti | If you don't mind driving a bit longer, you can find some amazing spots all around Sarti, for example Kavourotripes Beach or Platanitsi (but careful, that one is a nude beach!). Locals and visitors alike enjoy time by the water here.
If you want to explore more of Halkidiki, you can book a boat tour taking you around the peninsula or visit an Olive Grove.. Can't or don't want to rent a car? This scenic tour has got you covered and takes you to several spots.
Looking for a dinner recommendation? Make sure to check out the best seafood restaurants in Thessaloniki in my cafes and restaurants guide .
Day 3: Get on the water, discover an old shipwreck or visit Mount Olympus
Today is already your last day in Thessaloniki, so depending on what you enjoy most, you have some different options today.
We decided to explore the other side of the bay for some views on Mount Olympus. If you are not coming at the end of June like us, you can go canyoning on Olympus or trek along the old Agia Kori trail.
It came as a recommendation from Dimitris, but I wouldn't necessarily visit the town Plaka again–although the view of the mountain is pretty cool and the water clear and clean, the sand was dirty and the overall vibe of the town didn't appeal to us so much.
If I could choose again, I would probably explore the Epanomi-Schiffswrack . You can reach it by car, if you are driving carefully and walk the last little bit of the way. But another cool option is actually to book a tour, approach the ship wreck from the water and go snorkeling all around it.
If all of that doesn't sound like your thing, then GetYourGuide offers a great variety of different toursto explore the area.
Thessaloniki Travel Tips
You're almost ready for a really great trip to Thessaloniki. I just have a few more things to share with you.
How to Get to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki International Airport connects to many airports all over Europe. From what we saw, even though it's relatively big, everything was well organized, and we went through security and passport control quickly. You can then take an Uber into town.
Since we rented our car with Auto bei discovercars.com , a transfer from the rental car agency already waited for us upon arrival and took us to their premises around ten minutes away where we could pick up the car. So take that into account when you rent a car–the agency might not be located directly at the airport.
Best Time to Visit
As with all touristic places around the Mediterranean, shoulder season is the magical word. We traveled at the end of June, and the temperatures were in the upper 30s, so it was already too hot to explore much except in the earlier and late hours of the day.
Still, at some places it looked as if the city was getting ready for high season yet, with a few places closed. So I could imagine some bars, restaurants or sights might not be open all year round or at least adjust their opening hours. If you travel off-season, it's always worth checking.
I would avoid July and August because of the heat, but you can still swim up until October, if you are lucky, so autumn can also be a great time to visit.
What to avoid in Thessaloniki?
I wouldn't recommend walking around in the midday heat. Thessaloniki is a Mediterranean city, which means it comes alive after sunset, when it's a bit cooler. Many locals won't even have dinner before 8.30 or 9.00 in the evening, so if you want to soak in a bit of the Greek vibe, take that into account.
What not to miss in Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki is one of the places in Greece that is brimming with multicultural history. Make sure to explore different parts of the city, not only the center of Thessaloniki. That way you get a view of the roman and byzantine eras, the ottoman period and the modern Thessaloniki. And of course, make sure to try the food!
Is Thessaloniki, Greece, worth visiting?
I thought the city was an interesting mix of Greek, Balkan and Mediterranean vibes. Would I visit again? Definitely! A day or two in the city is enough though. For the next trip, I would probably book an accommodation in the city for just a night and then head to the peninsula and explore more of the different places and archeological sites there. But that's just our preference–if you don't mind driving a couple of hours a day, an accommodation in Thessaloniki directly might still be worth it.
You'll love your trip to the second largest city in Greece
Thessaloniki really convinced us with its vibrant big cit life, sea views and food scene that is impossible to resist. I'm sure we'll be coming back to explore more of the area sometime in the future, maybe drive up to Meteora or see more of the "fingers". It has been our first time in Greece and we were honstely stunned by the friendly people and delicious dishes, so I can only say: Go yourself, enjoy a frappé (or two) and fall into the slow rhythm of the Greek lifestyle.
