GENERALLY FOR GREECE
Greece, officially the HellenicRepublic, is a country in European comunity Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, The country has a population of over 10.414.000 millions with capital Athens 3.059.764 habitants.
THESSALONIKI with 1.000.000 habitants second city Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, for scientific and mathematical principles, theatre, and the Olympic Games
The Greek territory includes 6,000 islands and islets. They are scattered on the Aegean and Ionian seas. Of these, only 117 are inhabited. 79 have a population of over 100 inhabitants and only 53 over 1,000. This is a unique phenomenon on the European continent and among the few worldwide. The vast coastline of Greece
As for the coastline of Greece, it exceeds 17,000 kilometers, thus ranking it in 9th place in the world ranking of the countries with the longest coastlines. Greece ranks third in the world fleet after China and Japan. NOTEWORTHY that Greece and especially ATHENS is the only country and capital in the world that has no skyscrapers
The argument was that they block the view of the Acropolis, which is 150 meters high. The tallest building in Athens is the tower of Athens with a height of 103 meters.
GENERALLY FOR Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki as Thessalonica is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of Macedonia, the
city of the Byzantine Empire alongside Constantinople [10]
Thessaloniki is located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. It is bounded on the west by the delta of the Axios RIVER , the metropolitan area had 1,092,919 inhabitants and the greater region has It is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for Greece and southeastern Europe, notably through the Port of Thessaloniki.
The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general Events such as the Thessaloniki International Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually. Thessaloniki was the 2014 European Youth Capital. The city's main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans
The city was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife Thessaloniki, daughter of Philip II of Macedon and sister of Alexander the Great. It was built 40 km southeast of Pella, the capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia.
Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Ottomans in 1430 and remained an important seaport and multi-ethnic metropolis during the nearly five centuries of Turkish rule. From the 16th to the 20th century it was the only Jewish-majority city in Europe. It passed from the Ottoman Empire to the Kingdom of Greece on 8 November 1912. Thessaloniki exhibits Byzantine architecture, including numerous Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments, a World Heritage Site, and several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures.
In 2013, National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide while in 2014 Financial Times FDI magazine (Foreign Direct Investments) declared Thessaloniki as the best mid-sized European city of the future for human capital and lifestyle.
Thessaloniki, a city known for its rich history, houses an array of UNESCO 17 monuments that exhibit a unique fusion of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman influences
THESSALONICA - sightseeing
Archaeological Museum
Macedonia's major prehistoric and ancient Macedonian and Hellenistic finds are housed in this museum (except for Vergina's gold tomb finds, which are exhibited in Vergina).
Highlights include the Derveni Crater(330–320 BC) a huge, ornate Hellenistic bronzeand-tin vase. Used for mixing wine and water, and later as a funerary urn, it’s marked by intricate relief carvings of Dionysos, along with mythical figures, animals and ivy vines. The DerveniTreasure contains Greece’s oldest surviving papyrus piece (320–250 BC). The lower-floor exhibit, Pre-Historic Thessaloniki, boasts prehistoric implements from the PetralonaCave north of Halkidiki, plus Neolithic and Bronze Age daggers, pottery and tools.
NOESIS - Thessaloniki Science
Center and Technology Museum
is a non-profit cultural and educational foundation that promotes Technology Culture and constitutes the proper environment for informing the public of the latest developments in Science and Technology. In the Center's premises visitors watch digital shows:
a. In the 160 seat digital Planetarium.
b. In the 300 seat Giant Screen Cinema (2D and 3D).
c. In the 18 seat Motion Simulator (2D and 3D).
Magic Park
is today the largest and most modern (amusement park) in Northern Greece, covering an area of 70 HECTARS. It has been designed according to international standards architects with the aim of offering the best possible
experience to its visitors. Magic Park is aimed at everyone: children, teenagers, adults, families and groups... enjoying 35 different games in a green area, with a vast botanical garden.
Nightlife in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is a city with vivacious nightlife, Locals are good-humoured people and they love going out at night. The city’s thousands of students MORE THAN 100.000 form a buzzing community that has blended well with the locals.
You’ll find clubs and bars with a cosmopolitan flair about them; rebetadika (restaurants where live rebetiko music is played); and lively parties hosted by the student community where everyone’s invited: these are some of the choices you have for a great night out in Thessaloniki.
LADADIKA
Is located in the old marketplace area of the harbour, and it’s famous for its eateries, bars, bistros, pubs, and restaurants. Ladadika is one of the very few places, which almost were not touched by Great Fire in 1917, when the fire destroyed the major part of Thessaloniki. The name of the district comes from the Greek word “ladi” which means “oil”. It appeared due to a great number of warehouses and wholesale stores, which were selling olive oil. And in the evening the streets are lit with romantic yellow light, and loud music sounds from everywhere bars, restaurants and clubs turn into a meeting place for young people and old people.
Museum of Byzantine Culture
This fascinating museum has plenty of treasures to please Byzantine buffs, plus simple explanations to introduce the empire to total beginners. More than 3000 Byzantine objects, including mosaics, intriguing tomb paintings, jewellery and glassware, are showcased with characterful asides about daily life. You'll be confidently discerning earlyChristian from late-Byzantine icons in no time.
Church
of Agia - Saint Sofia
Candlelight twinkling from gold chandeliers pierces
the gloom in this functioning 8th-century church, modelled on its İstanbul namesake. The dome has a striking mosaic of the Ascension of Christ. Built over a previous 3rd-century church, it's notable for the crossbasilica style associated with middle-Byzantine architecture. The narthex and south aisle were used as a burial place for dignitaries from the 10th century. Like many Thessaloniki churches, it spent a period as a mosque (1535–1912).
Arch of Galerius
In The Arch of Galerius (AD 303) celebrates a victory over the Persians with carved, lunging soldiers.
It's south of the Rotunda of Galerius on Egnatia. Known locally as Kamara, This landmark is also the city's main meeting spot. The Arch originally had four main and four supporting pillars, with eight gates and arches, and a dome – only two of the central arches and one supporting arch can be seen today.
It was part of the Galerius Complex, linking the Rotunda to the north and the palace to the southwest. The Via Regia (Royal Way) – the Roman Empire's transport artery – passed beneath the arch.
Church of Agios Dimitrios
appearance, echoing the sophisticated urbanity of grand European capitals. Imagined and designed by French architect Ernest Hébrard, the idea was that this central square would served the citizens' need for leisure, commerce and wonderful sea views. Two main buildings Electra Palace Hotel and Olympion cinema, both built in the 1950s, and both utterly grandiose.
Roman FORUM
The 1st-century-AD agora (forum) lies north of Plateia Aristotelous, on Plateia Dikastirion.
In the 3rd century BC, the Macedonians had made it a commercial centre and the Romans maintained this function.
An Englishlanguage placard explains the site, which contains clustered shop walls and mosaic floor remnants.
New Waterfront
This enormous 5th-century structure honours Thessaloniki’s patron saint. A Roman soldier, Dimitrios was killed around AD 306 at this former Roman bath site by order of Emperor Galerius, infamous persecutor of Christians. The martyrdom site is now an underground crypt. Dimitrios’ relics occupy a silver reliquary inside.
The Ottomans made Agios Dimitrios a mosque, and plastered over frescoes that were again revealed after the 1913 Greek reconquest. While the city's devastating fire of 1917 was very damaging.
Aristotelous Square
Built after the great fire of 1917, this is where Thessaloniki looks away from its Ottoman and Byzantine past and aims at a more modern
The renovated seafront of Thessaloniki stretches along the Thermaikos bay, embracing a 3.5 km stretch of coastline from the city port to the Concert Hall. was designed by architects Prodromos Nikiforidis and Bernard Cuomo. Completed in 2013, The promenade is full of interesting sites and beautiful places for fantastic photos. One of the most popular places for making photos is the “Umbrellas” installation by sculptor Zongolopoulos and the work “The moon on the shore” installed on the plank platform at the water’s edge. In case if you would decide to have a snack, just look around there are a lot of cafes, restaurants and taverns along the seafront, order a refreshing drink OR TO DO A CRUISE with old pirate ships
Pasha's garden or Dragon houses
is located at the uper side of
Thessaloniki, near Kastra (castles) of the city...It first built in 1904 and it is been said that had been
infuenced by Gaudi's work in Spain at that time. also known as "Dragon Houses" or "Dervish Den", is a
monumental park in the city about which there is not much information.
One opinion wants the gardens to be named so, as they were the resting place of the Ottoman commander Seifullah Pasha. stories are been said about these structures is said that was a place for human sacrifice .
Panagia Chalkeon
Located south of the ancient agora of Thessaloniki, towards the center of the old city, is the Church of Panagia Chalkeon, an 11th century church. It is one of the 15 Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki that were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.
White Tower
Top landmark, the 34m-high White Tower has a harrowing history as a prison and torture chamber.
In 1826 Ottoman sultan Mahmud II massacred rebellious janissaries (elite troops of forcibly Islamicised Christian boys) here. The story goes that the structure was known as the Tower of Blood until a prisoner painted the tower white in exchange for his liberty in 1890, when it was renamed (White Tower).
UPPER CITY– BYZANTINE WALLS
built ON 4th century BC. BY Emperor Theodosius in places they were FOR 8 KILLOMETRES 10 m HIGH and 5 m THICK. They stood until the 19th century when the Ottomans demolished THEM. Ano Poli is one of the most traditional areas in Thessaloniki.
OTE TOWER IN INTERN. FAIR
The OTE Tower is located at the heart of the International Exhibition & Congress Centre of TIF HELEXPO in the centre of Thessaloniki. It is a television and observation tower designed by the architect Alexandros Anastasia's in 1966 that stands 76 metres tall and features four floors. It is noteworthy that the first black and white broadcasts of the Greek State Television were transmitted from this building a year after the Tower's completion. Nowadays, the OTE Tower has been totally transformed in a modern telecommunications tower. The unique design and features have rightfully earned the OTE Tower its landmark status among the many architectural marvels that punctuate Greece's cultural capital, Thessaloniki.
The area preserves much of the Byzantine and Ottoman era small stone-paved streets, old squares, and houses in traditional Greek and Ottoman architectureWhat remains of the old city walls still surround Ano Poli and many Ottoman and Byzantine structures such as the church of Profitis Elias, the Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos, the Taxiarches church, the Byzantine bath, theChurch of Saint Catherine, the Vlatades Monastery.
WATERLAND Thessaloniki near Airport
Waterland is one of the biggest and most fun waterparks in Europe! It spreads over a luscious green area of 150.000 sq m. full of gardens and high trees.
There is a free Waterland bus that takes us to and from us every day.It starts from the starting point at 9, 11 and 1! from the central points of Thessaloniki. Information: http://tickets.waterland.gr/gr/buses
Hamza Bey Mosque
The Alcazar of Thessaloniki known from the cinema of the same name that operated in the colonial country for several decades is an old Ottoman mosque of the city of the 15th century, known then as Hamza Bey Mosque.Its restoration will end in 2025
Edited by Kritharidis Theodoros 2024 all rights reserved.