GREECE IS_THESS_ENG2020 by GREECE IS

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THESSALONIKI

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ISSN: 2529-041X

ISSUE #49 | 2020-21 EDITION

04 - 20

WELCOME

Our reporter looks at what’s happening across the urban scene while two of the city’s leading authors create inspiring stories that just might be true.

24 - 107

108 - 121

The experiences we long to relive, tips from locals, new spots for food, drink and lodging, and talks with city creatives: a look at why Thessaloniki is so exciting.

Exploring Mt Hortiatis and the lush Axios Delta, and touring the Macedonian vineyards with a new generation of forwardthinking winemakers.

H OSPITAL ITY

DAY T RIPS

122 - 141

DIS COVERY

Find out more about the city and its landmarks as you look into its long and tumultuous history and delve into ancient tales of triumph and tragedy.

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WELCOME

THESSALONIKI ON MY MIND The restrictions will end – but our love affair with this city won't. BY GIORG O S T SI RO S

This is the sixth issue of Greece Is Thessaloniki. Admittedly, it's also the strangest issue in terms of timing. The thought of postponing publication by at least a few weeks, until after the emergency COVID-19 restriction measures have been lifted and life has returned somewhat to normal, did cross our mind, but we soon dismissed that notion, feeling it was important to honor our commitment to the city. Friends in need are friends indeed, and Thessaloniki has embraced this annual edition with enthusiasm ever since it was first launched in 2015 with the aim of introducing an international audience to the city's history, culture, attractions and creative forces. What's more, Greece Is can't be called a magazine with a limited shelf life, nor is it a city guide in the narrow sense of the term. Readers tend to keep their back issues, picking them up again and again and finding something interesting to read. Greece Is Thessaloniki returns every year with updates and new stories, but every new edition also complements the ones that came before, so that, all together, they form a vivid panorama of the city. The third and most important reason why we persevered

with our plans has to do with the belief that although we may be in the grips of a terrible global pandemic that has imposed restrictions on our lives, this does not mean that life has to stop entirely. That we need to stay safe and protect our loved ones until this crisis passes does not mean that we cannot read about a city we love and make plans for future visits. Quite the opposite: we believe that the material in this edition – written by people who live in Thessaloniki or have intimate knowledge of it – can bring comfort to our readers, by making the time until their next visit seem shorter, and by soothing a little the ache of separation that lovers of this city may be feeling. Special thanks are due to our two contributing Thessalonian authors who, under acute time pressure and just as the new measures were announced, came up with poignantly bittersweet yet ultimately optimistic stories "that could even be real." This isn't the first time Greece Is has featured works of fiction, but the words of Sophia Nikolaidou and Kyriakos Gialenios spoke straight to our hearts. So, we wish you happy reading – until we meet again.

The views from the vicinity of the Eptapyrgio Fortress are inspiring in their unchanging nature, particularly in these uncertain times. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

CONTENTS GREECE IS - ISSUE#49 THESSALONIK I 2020 -21

116 04. REALITY CHECK The city: what it’s like now, and what it hopes to be. 12. THE PIGEONS OF SAINT DEMETRIUS A short story set primarily in the city’s skies. 16. WITHIN FOUR WALLS Glimpses into the lockdown lives of parents, teachers and students. 24. ASK THE LOCALS Six city residents share their favorite spots and treats.

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28. ‘TIL THEN An Athenian falls under the spell of the Jewel of the North.

72. LIKE & SHARE The creatives bringing added value to the label “Made in Thessaloniki.”

108. MT HORTIATIS A green haven that’s a world apart but only half an hour away from downtown.

46. CHECK IN TOMORROW Staying in style at the city’s newest hotels.

82. KALAMARIA A tour of the celebrated “City in the East.”

58. A DYNAMIC RETURN A new look for the iconic Electra Palace Thessaloniki.

94. THE TASTE OF MEMORY The gastronomic legacy of the city’s Sephardic Jews.

116. THE AXIOS DELTA Where the realms of water and sky meet in a bird-watchers’ paradise.

64. THE MODIANO MARKET Thessaloniki’s historic food bazaar gets a new lease on life.

100. NEW WINEMAKERS ON OLD VINES The young and restless wine producers shaking up the industry.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alexis Papahelas EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Giorgos Tsiros

editor@greece-is.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Kelly Lorentzou

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122. THE KEYS TO THE CITY A quick and informative look at the city’s landmarks. 134. ONCE UPON A TIME Ten gripping tales from the city’s rich history.

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welcome@greece-is.com ON THE COVER ILLUSTRATION: KATERINA ALIVIZATOU

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REALITY I CHECK The new normal of the pandemic, the impact of small-scale urban improvements, and the hopes attached to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing major regeneration projects: a look at Thessaloniki today. B Y J O H N PA PA D I M I T R I O U

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t was a fall afternoon on Fanarioton Square, behind the White Tower. The spot which a year ago had resembled a makeshift parking lot was now a little urban oasis, with small groups enjoying the sun on the brand new park benches. Cyclists were coming and going in the bike lane, mothers pushed their strollers along the walking path, customers lined up outside newly opened neighborhood shops and the restaurants were bursting with life. The successful regeneration of this area last December injected commercial energy into the local landscape, creating a new hub activity in the center of Thessaloniki. It was a great example of how city life can be improved by small-scale interventions. A few days later, a second lockdown was imposed, and the scene is now entirely different. A few people scurry by, tables are locked up inside, and only delivery bikes break the stillness. Most eateries, among them some big-name restaurants,

TRANSFER

now rely on food delivery companies to stay afloat. A city which has outdoor living embedded in its soul finds itself shut in once again. But this, too, will pass. The real question for the city, and one which has sparked a lively public conversation over the last five years since it became a city-break destination, is how it defines itself today, and where it’s headed. “How can the most be made of 24 centuries of uninterrupted history, 33 museums, most of which are set in their ways, a famous and unconventional gastronomic scene which was the city’s lifeline during the years of recession, a talented and active

research community which has attracted multinational businesses to establish digital hubs, and a privileged geographical position?” wonders Angelos N. Vassos, editorial director of the free biweekly publication Citymag, whose mid-October issue was entitled “What Kind of City Do We Want?”. How can nearby areas of international interest, such as Mt Olympus and Vergina, be incorporated into a total tourism package to increase the length of visitors’ stays? “When will our performances finally have English surtitles, so visitors can enjoy them?” asks Rita Sissou, an organizer of cultural events.

LEFT: Weather permitting, city residents have more reasons than ever these days to take to their bikes to get around.

ABOVE: Aristotelous Square awaits the result of an international competition regarding plans for its redesign, with the smart money being on those layouts that keep its unobstructed view to the sea.

A CITY WHICH HAS OUTDOOR LIVING EMBEDDED IN ITS SOUL FINDS ITSELF SHUT IN ONCE AGAIN. BUT THIS, TOO, WILL PASS.

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THE NECESSARY ADAPTATIONS Up until September, Thessaloniki had recorded 3.5 million fewer visitor arrivals at its airport and a million fewer hotel stays compared to last year, while the cancellation of the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) is estimated to have deprived the city of €50 million in revenue. The “BEYOND 4.0” innovation fair, which still aims to put Thessaloniki on the global tech map, was also postponed for at least a year. Thankfully, the city didn’t become mired in misery. For its part, TIF responded superbly and presented a fresh new product, the “Forum,” a ten-day virtual platform of panel discussions certain to enrich tech events in the future. At the same time, the 61st International Film Festival decided on a fully digital approach, one which has gone viral on social media. For €3, you can select films from the comfort of your sofa. The experience may lack the usual festival atmosphere that holds sway in and around the Olympion Cinema, but you don’t have to feel cut off from cultural life by the pandemic. 06

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01. This year’s annual celebration of film will be an “at-home” affair: the 61st Thessaloniki International Film Festival is taking place online. | 02. In the largely flat city of Thessaloniki, low-impact modes of transport such as scooters and bikes would be fine for everyday travel, provided proper parking facilities for such conveyances existed.

GIANNIS PAPANIKOS/AP PHOTO

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Newly renovated Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport offers its users a much improved travel experience.

These aren’t, of course, the city’s only institutions that have been forced to adapt; even during the first lockdown, many bars offered takeaway cocktails in compostable packaging, while several hotels let rooms at attractive prices for a more relaxed remote working location. New investors adopted a philosophy that took into account the possibility of a second lockdown. One of these is Theodoros Pastourmatzis, who opened “Flavor Cartel,” an eight-table restaurant on the edge of the up-and-coming neighborhood of Ano Ladadika in September,

serving creative Greek cooking at accessible prices. He kept running costs low from the start, maintained minimal stock, and invested in promoting his delivery service. During this time, when he has to stay semi-closed, he’s putting aside a large portion of his takings so the business can survive until the measures are lifted. That is, after all, the main aim: for the city to stay standing until it can pick up where the hopeful but now seemingly so distant 2019 had left tourism, when the city’s airport was being served by 55 airlines flying to 121 destinations.

TRANSFER

The regeneration of Government House Square is the next important planned intervention in the city landscape.

“Thessaloniki always had trouble adding more destinations, because the profitability of any new route had to be guaranteed. What worries us is that the recovery is expected to be slow,” says Andreas Mandrinos, president of the Thessaloniki Hotels Association. According to Mandrinos, the overhaul of the city’s port (including the ferry terminal and the piers) will help increase cruise traffic and, by extension, make the city a better known destination. This would help reverse the losses of 2020, when Thessaloniki received 120,000 fewer Israeli visitors than in 2019. In other words, this emerging tourist destination lost its most firmly established market. More positive signs for the future are investments by an Israeli fund in the city’s hotel industry, and the building of the new Holocaust Museum.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTERVENTIONS It isn’t just the port, of course. For 08

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over 25 years, Thessaloniki has failed to move forward with crucial infrastructure investments which could unlock the city’s growth potential and put it on the same track of development as other European cities. A classic example would be the public transport authority (OASTH) which, having once pioneered smart technologies such as telematics, is now seen as anything but cutting-edge, with outdated buses lumbering down the streets. From the completion of the metro’s construction, which has now been put back to 2023 and which continues to clog key arteries (on Delfon Street, as soon as the roadwork barriers were removed, rental properties were snapped up) to the long-awaited flyover expected to decongest the city center, Thessaloniki has been held hostage by half-finished works, and is paying dearly for poor planning. Another example is the old Government House Square, where an underground parking lot, in the works since 1990, has been held back by archaeolog-

ical discoveries on the site. Mayor Konstantinos Zervas is hoping to deliver the square back to public use after reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Culture and the Administrative Region of Central Macedonia. According to the agreement, the archaeological finds will be preserved and displayed on the Olympou Street end of the existing square, while a new public square, on the scale of the old one, will be laid out on Aghiou Dimitriou Street. This is a significant redesign, which will lead to the regeneration of another part of the city center, as occurred with Fanarioton Square. A series of other urban improvements are planned. This tcoming year will see the launch of an international competition for the redesign of Aristotelous Square. The extension of the old seafront promenade along Nikis Avenue, which will feature decking, has been scheduled for the beginning of 2021. The site of a planned Memory Park on Eleftherias Square – which local shopkeepers like to say has

01. Nikis Avenue is a little narrower now, thanks to a new bike lane. The next goal is an extension of the seafront sidewalk to give more room to pedestrian traffic. | 02. The regeneration of Fanarioton Square last December amounted to a highly successful small-scale urban intervention. | 03. From the earliest days of the pandemic, a number of food and drink businesses adapted by offering take-out and delivery options, including cocktails to go.

been struck with “the metro syndrome” – has been fenced off. Lastly, there is the project that is expected to have the biggest impact on the economic and social life of the city – the redesign of the TIF exhibition grounds, which, despite the pandemic, is moving ahead as scheduled. The winner of the international design contest for that 16-hectare project will be announced in July of 2021, and work is expected to be completed in 2026.

A BETTER DAILY EXPERIENCE The year 2026 may seem far off, but it’s certainly to be hoped that by then the city will have sorted out most of its everyday problems. The eight-year tenure of Yiannis Boutaris, mayor of Thessaloniki until 2019, left behind a bittersweet taste, according to conversations I’ve had with city restaurant and hospitality entrepreneurs. On the one hand, he personally extended Thessaloniki’s outreach, opening up new markets and breaking many 10

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stifling taboos – it was during his tenure that the city’s first Gay Pride parade was held. On the other hand, he also left behind a city without ready solutions for excess rubbish, illegal parking and sprawling café seating. As one journalist – who asked to remain anonymous “because we’re just one big village here” – confided, “It’s like inviting guests to your home but having nothing to offer them.” Having something substantial to offer is the new mayor’s goal. He wants to improve the quality of life in the city’s neighborhoods, and to not disappoint the city’s visitors, who will soon be collecting their luggage in a newly renovated arrivals terminal at Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport. “We’re moving ahead with an extensive neighborhood renewal program,“ Mayor Zervas says, “including road resurfacing, lighting and fencing repairs, and the creation of green spaces, more recycling points, and underground waste storage in some areas. Our main concern is establishing order and improving the quality of daily life. We‘ve applied to the ‘Antonis Tritsis’ local government investment program for funds of €15 million to digitize city services; everything from parking to virtual city guides.” Imagine buying a ticket at Venizelos Metro Station while reading up on your smartphone about the 4th-century paved Byzantine road discovered below Egnatia Street. What sounds like a dream will soon be a reality.

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THE PROJECT EXPECTED TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LIFE OF THE CITY IS THE REDESIGN OF THE TIF EXHIBITION GROUNDS, WHICH, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, IS MOVING AHEAD AS SCHEDULED.

FICTION

THE PIGEONS OF SAINT DEMETRIUS The city’s winged inhabitants don’t do lockdown: a story that could be real. BY K Y R I A KOS GI A L E N IOS

nyone seeing him from a distance, say from a balcony across the way, might be concerned; every afternoon shortly before dusk, a young man would perch at the edge of the cement surface, standing motionless, staring out over the city, over the roofs of the houses and apartment buildings and up at the sky. “He’s just looking out at Thessaloniki,” a calmer person might reason – after all there isn’t any other way to do so these days. And, in fact, that’s just what would do for a spell. He would listen to the metaphysical silence, observing the city, which seemed to be wrapped in an airtight plastic membrane. Before him loomed the Church of Saint Demetrius, while at his back stretched the cement forest of apartment buildings erected during the postwar building boom. To the left, was the domed roof of the Rotunda, while straight down was the White Tower, and then the sea and the stooped cranes at the port. To the rear was Vlatadon Monastery, the northern walls of the city and, in the distance, the yellow streetlights of the ring road, their light further accentuating the absence of vehicles: an entire world on mute, with countless lives on pause. After a while, he would turn around and unlock the mesh door of the coop. He’d never thought that these pigeons would 12

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be his only contact with the outside world for weeks. His late father had saddled him with them. He had called him when it was clear that he didn’t have long left, beseeching him to take care of them. After his father’s death, he had wavered. After all, his father would never know, and he had no desire to return to that neighborhood, to that house, in the city’s wrinkled belly, between Saint Demetrius and Ano Poli. But, in the end, he didn’t have the heart to turn his back on one of his father’s last wishes. And so he would head up to the roof of the building every day, and with whistles would coax them out, using a pole to send them high in the sky above Thessaloniki. Then he’d turn over a crate, sit down, and watch them, sometimes with a coffee, sometimes a beer. It wouldn’t be long before another pigeon, belonging to some other owner, would get mixed up with his. At first, he would lose track of it amid his own flock, but with time his eye became more practiced. He would then stand up, raising his hands toward the horizon and try to summon it. Under ordinary circumstances, he never would have done that. Before quarantine, that is; he would have considered it unethical. Instead, he’d have let the lost birds find their way back to their owners. But now he was always eager for it to happen and disappointed when it didn’t. And this because, one afternoon during the first week of the whole miserable affair, another pigeon keeper had hung on to one of his own pigeons for a bit, and then sent it back with a small note tied to its leg. “Today I became a grandfather,” it said. In the suffocating solitude of those days, those unevenly scrawled little words cut him to the quick, but they gave him strength, too. Life was continuing out there, in spite of the circumstances, and it seemed clear that humankind would always find a way to share its sadnesses and its joys. That’s how it started, or perhaps it had started even earlier, only he hadn’t been taking part, but every evening the pigeon keepers in that part of the city would exchange messages, indiscriminately and continually, in an open conversation of hope and perseverance: “As soon as this is all over, I’m buying everyone a round at De Facto.” “There’s an amazing movie at nine on Channel One tonight.” “Tsirogianni Plaza is the most beautiful square in the whole city.” “I met my wife at Igglis thirty years ago.” “Did anyone else see the colors of the sunset over the Thermaic Gulf today?” “When we get out of this, I’m going to head straight to my favorite bar in Saranta Ekklisies.” “There’s a place on Kassandrou Street that makes the most amazing custard pies.” “With your father, we would watch every single PAOK match, every weekend.” “My granddaughter is a month old and I still haven’t seen her.” “What I miss most is going for walks along the eastern walls of the city, from Aghios Pavlos to the White Tower.” “From what I hear, our hour of freedom is approaching.” “I never came up here, not even once, with my father. 14

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ABOUT THE STORY Keeping pigeons has been a tradition in Thessaloniki since before WWII and the German occupation. In fact, until the city’s skyline became dominated by apartment buildings in the 1960s, dovecotes were common sights in backyard gardens. Today, the city’s pigeon fanciers tend to their flocks almost exclusively on rooftops, using Wuta, Donek and carrier pigeons, while the practice of attempting to lure birds from other flocks into one’s own during flights is common.

I always declined his invitations.” “My son got sick yesterday. I didn’t sleep a wink all night.” “It’s the last few days of this, friends. Keep your heads up.” “Did you go to the 3rd High School, too? The school where Yorgos Ioannou and Antonis Sourounis went?” “On Tuesday everybody meet in front of the Longos Mansion. The time has come.” They all spilled out into the streets, as if returning from a battle that was over, but which they were not sure they had won. Happy, but not carefree. Everything was the same, but also different. The sun was bright but no one wanted to put on their sunglasses. The neighborhood shops finally pulled up their security grills and unlocked their doors, and people who’d walked straight past one another for years started to exchange conspiratorial greetings. The color red made people think of fire rather than blood, whispers of relief were sincere, and the city was suddenly alive again, beating like a sprinter’s heart. None of them missed the meeting they’d arranged; they all crossed the city by foot, heading down from Raktivan Street, from Aghia Sofia, Ioulianou, Antigonidon (which isn’t called Antigonidon anymore except by people of a certain age), and every so often they’d look up at the sky, mostly out of habit, with the thought that they might see some friend of theirs wheeling through the clouds, one of those silent messengers that, for a time, had been transformed into carriers of dreams and of freedom, the pigeons of Saint Demetrius.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KYRIAKOS GIALENIOS was borh in Thessaloniki in 1978. His debut novel “The Lovers’ Disease” was shortlisted for the Young Writer’s Award from the Michael Cacoyiannis Foundation in 2011 and the State Literary Award For First-Time Authors in 2012. He has also authored “Only Dead Fish Follow the Current,” published in 2015.

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WITHIN FOUR WALLS True stories of parents, students and teachers during lockdown in Thessaloniki BY SOP H I A N I KOL A I D OU, I L LUST R AT IONS: A N NA T ZORT Z I

AGHIOU DIMITRIOU, DOWNTOWN His name is Niko. He was a good student in middle school, but by high school it got boring. He can’t stand his mother’s yelling. He waits for her rant to stop; he’s timed them, and they rarely last for more than 10 minutes. She’s been barging into his room, too, these past two days, unfazed by the closed door. She spends afternoons on the internet, looking for instructions for her son’s online classes and then pestering him. “I told you I’m not doing it,” Niko shouts from his room. “You have to,” she insists. “They’re taking roll call!” And she keeps calling the other mothers. Later, she goes for a walk with Dad. “Want to come?” she asks the boy. “With you? Never!” Niko yells from his bedroom. She spends forty minutes on the cellphone, more or less, as she walks with her husband down the big road. When they get near the hospital, she switches to the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Her husband asks why; she believes that some things do not require explanations. The parents head out again in the evening. This time, Niko puts on his shoes. “I’ll come,” he says, throwing on a hoody. Mom smiles and walks ahead; her son and his father follow, lagging back. The street is dark, deserted. From a distance they’re like three cowboys slouching along in the Wild West. 16

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AETORACHIS, FALIRO Lena is watching a teleconference on the screen. The camera and microphone are off. She’s in her pajamas, lying in bed; the weather is terrible. She’d love to put on some music and dance. The spreadsheets they’re presenting make her yawn. Her daughter is fast asleep in the next room, her cellphone right by her pillow and the teaching platform running as she pretends to be part of the class. Later, in the kitchen, Lena downloads the exercises sent by her daughter’s teachers and browses the web for their solutions; she knows how to find what she’s looking for. She copies the answers to the physics and the Ancient Greek questions first, then the others; all seven classes, copy-paste. They’ve even assigned some written homework for Phys Ed and she plans to do that, too. Dina watches her with eyes still heavy with sleep.“Why do you bother?” she asks. “Don’t humor them.” Lena makes fried eggs and potatoes. The TV stays on and they eat slowly; they’re not fighting today. Outside the window, the street is quiet. As they clear the table, Dina rushes into her arms and kisses her as she did back when she was a little girl and loved her mother more. “The only teacher I’d get up at eight o’clock for is Kralidis,” Dina says. “Don’t even try waking me up for anyone else.”

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KERASOUNTOS, KALAMARIA She was baptized Neratzoula, after her grandmother, but goes by Julia. She teaches literature. Her mother has dementia. She’s hired a Ukrainian lady to look after her. Finding someone was hard, but her mother is all she’s got. That makes her cry sometimes. She loves her job, despite what others say. The prospect of her looming retirement fills her with dread. She has spent days at the computer, trying to figure out how the teaching platform works. She’s read the instructions, made hundreds of mistakes and started over again and again. Now she’s writing out exercises, correcting papers and sending messages to her students, adding the emojis they like. The Ukrainian lady calls; there’s trouble with her mom, who’s yelling, demanding to go out. Julia stops by her mother’s house every day, texting the code 4 (“move to help people in need”) to the civil protection authority number as required and then walking through the park to Sourmenon Street. She’s a wreck by the time she gets back home. She knows that she’s doing what needs to be done and tells herself to stop thinking about it. She pours a glass of wine, eats some rice from the fridge. She talks to her plants on the balcony. Books offer no solace; all she wants is to watch TV. She judges people not by the messages they send, but by whether they actually call.

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KARAOLI & DIMITRIOU, EVOSMOS It hadn’t been this hard when the twins were babies. Even when they cried, demanding either food or a diaper change and always at the same time, she found a way to make it work. They’re 14 years old now and she often feels like a tightrope walker. As soon as one thing is done, another needs her attention. Holed up at home, she always thinks the worst, but is grateful when it doesn’t happen. Tonight, it’s Friday evening and the girls’ cellphones keep pinging with incoming emails. Their teachers are sending homework. The girls complained at first; then they ran out steam, tired of griping, and surrendered. The teachers set deadlines. “Why are you getting involved?” her husband asked. “It’s up to them to get it done.” “I’m their mother; I can’t just leave them to it.” Little did she know. She sits beside them to help with the geography homework, biting her lip when she sees the questions. The teacher asks about the pandemic and the European Union. How did each country react (“See the links”)? How did the situation evolve in each country (“Look at the charts”)? What do the students see as the best approach to the pandemic (“In essay form”)? She sits up writing until 11 at night. Goodness knows what the 14-year-olds would have answered. “Where’s the remote?” she asks her husband when she finally finishes. “Isn’t there anything mindless on? Something stupid, a comedy, anything? Oh, and get me a scotch.”

N A R R AT I V E

PAVLOU MELA, ORAIOKASTRO “Miss, I’ve been thinking about you and really wanted to send an email, but couldn’t think of a good reason, so I kept putting it off. Now that I think about it, though, the best reason to do something is because you want to, isn’t it? I still don’t have anything very good, or very clever, or interesting to say. I just wanted to say that I miss you and I want all this to be over soon. I hope you’re well – health, health, health! And air kisses, as my grandmother says, so we don’t catch anything. I send you a couple of those, too. I guess you’ve figured that the lockdown is making me a bit crazy, so I’ll stop because, if I go on, you’ll definitely end up with a migraine. I wanted to thank you personally for the optimism you inspire, even when I feel desperate. I have learned so much these past few days that will stick with me and, as you like to say, that I will tell my children someday. Miss, I never thought I’d say this, but I miss school. When we go back, I’ll never complain again – yes, me, who complained all the time! Oh, I just remembered: I think I saw you on Aghia Sofia Street the other day. It was Friday or Saturday night, but you were walking very fast, and I couldn’t catch up. I regret not walking a bit faster.

WHEN THE CITY REOPENS… …And we get our lives back, When we can touch each other again, When all this is over, Niko will go to a soccer game at Toumba and shout until his throat is raw, His mom will go to Peraia to walk barefoot in the sand, His dad will enjoy a glass of tsipouro at the small taverna in front of the Rotunda, Lena will go to her favorite movie theater, Dina will meet her friends at their usual spot on Navarino Square, Julia will finally get to the gym, The twins’ mom will go to the Georgian restaurant she likes so much, The twins will hang out on the pedestrianized street nearby, The student will go downtown to sit on the low wall outside the Church of Aghia Sofia, And her favorite teacher will spend a weekend on the slopes of Mt Holomondas, in the little house in the forest. They will embrace their city; they will have stories and memories. And one day Niko will say: “Thessaloniki, man, it’s my city. It’s sitting on the steps of Ano Poli having a beer on a Saturday night. It’s dirty, but it’s alive – and I like it.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SOPHIA NIKOLAIDOU has published stories, essays, scholarly work on literature and creative writing, and translations. Since 2019, she has taught Creative Writing at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her 2015 book “Good Today Too” won a Special State Literary Award. Her latest work is titled “The Golden Bracelet.”

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MAKEDONIA AIRPORT NEARS COMPLETION

(and it’s amazing)

n September of 2018, we were present at the ground-breaking ceremony for Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport, when plans were presented for the expansion and upgrade of the country’s second largest airport. 3D video, photorealistic images and vertiginous numbers prefigured a project of pivotal significance for Central Macedonia, northern Greece and the whole of the Balkans. Two years later, the new Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport is a fact. What was once designs on paper is now an amazing achievement. The new 34,033 square-meter

terminal is connected to the pre-existing one (which is presently undergoing renovation) by an air bridge. New check-in areas, double the number of departure gates, a modern baggage control and management system, new food concessions and shops combine to create an airport environment reminiscent of major European airport hubs. After an investment totalling 222,900 man-days and around €100 million of the €440 million modernization budget for Fraport’s 14 airports, Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport will be ready to welcome passengers in a matter of weeks.

[ ADVERTORIAL ]

Exterior view of the new terminal at Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport.

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€440 million upgrade program one step from completion IN APRIL OF 2017, FRAPORT GREECE UNDERTOOK the expansion and modernization of Greece’s 14 regional airports. At the same time, it committed to improving services without disrupting the airports’ operation. The company had originally estimated the cost of these upgrades at €330 million. As work progressed, however, that figure was revised upward, first to €415 million, and later to today’s final-cost estimate of €440 million. The total direct income over 40 years (the duration of the concession) for the Greek state, according to company modeling, will come to around €10 billion. The indirect benefits could be even greater, as the safer, more comfortable and traveler-friendly a country’s infrastructure is, the

more attractive its various destinations will be, and the fuller its hotels, restaurants, museums and beaches. So, from Corfu to Rhodes, and from Thessaloniki to Chania, the construction crews didn’t waste a day, and work on 11 of the 14 airports is already complete.

TOP, LARGE PHOTO: Panoramic view of the new terminal at Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport. RIGHT, SMALLER PHOTO: The check-in hall in the new terminal at Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport.

11 AIRPORTS READY FOR TAKEOFF At Zakynthos, the upgrade to the terminal has delivered a 35% increase in check-in desks and a 150% increase in security points. At Chania Airport, the facilities have been completely reconfigured; gate numbers increased by 25%,

[ ADVERTORIAL ] September 19, 2018: Ground-breaking.

The baggage claim area in the new terminal at Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport.

and security points have been doubled. The runway was also renovated, as it was at Kavala, where airplanes now park using the “push-back” method, allowing the airport’s capacity to be fully utilised. At Kavala Airport, the terminal was expanded by 2,029 square meters. Another mainland facility which has undergone

a complete transformation is Aktion Airport, which was expanded by 2,381 square meters, reconfigured, and now boasts 14 check-in desks, 8 departure gates and double the number of security points. Samos Airport has also increased the number of check-in desks, departure gates and security points through a 1,550 square-meter extension, as has Skiathos Airport, where 2,185 square meters were added to the existing airport, resulting in a doubling of baggage belts. Mytilini Airport has a brand new, modern and comfortable airport with a total area of 7,185 square meters, while work on the Kefalonia Airport has delivered a new terminal with a total area of 10.700 square meters, including 70%

more check-in desks, double the number of security points, and double the number of departure gates. Mykonos Airport, 3,450 square meters larger and combining traditional Cycladic architecture with modern airport amenities, is a true jewel for the island. Rhodes Airport, the second largest managed by Fraport Greece after Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport, now projects a completely different image. It is truly state of the art, built to international standards, comfortable and passenger-friendly. The same goes for Corfu Airport, where work was completed just a few days ago. The new terminal with a total surface area of 10,350 square meters is an extension of the original building, and boasts 28 check-in desks, 8 security points and 12 departure gates. Work is still ongoing but completion is expected in the next few months at Kos and Santorini airports, and Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport is awaiting the very final touches to the renovation of its old terminal.

INFO

• fraport-greece.com

INSIDERS

ASK THE LOCALS 1

FIRST STOP AFTER LOCKDOWN 2

DELIVERY

GUILTY PLEASURE 4

SHOPPING THERAPY 5

“I HAVE A SECRET” 6

FRESH AIR

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ELLI TSIRLIAGKOU

EVI KARKITI

CHRISTINA KANATAKI

OWNER, ATRION ART GIFTS

JOURNALIST, FOUNDER OF THESSALONIKI WALKING TOURS

BEYOND THE WALLS (2 Fragon), with its lovely courtyard in the shadow of the city walls is the most beautiful setting for a unique brunch or a special evening.

SALA BIANCA BAR (2 Themistokli Sofouli), because it plays amazing music and because the area known as Depot is Thessaloniki’s nicest neighborhood.

ATMOSPHERE SPA (59 Tsimiski) for a date with yourself. Indulge in a therapeutic massage.

I can’t resist the award-winning GLYKANISOS (46 Megalou Alexandrou, Pylea, Tel. (+30) 2310.302.882), an ouzo joint with amazing seafood, delivered to your home for a special meal.

THE WET MATCH (2 Kafkasou, Kalamaria, Tel. (+30) 2310.446.136) makes burgers and freshly prepared fries. You can satisfy your cravings without feeling guilty for eating junk.

BONBONELLA (21 Karamanli, Tel. (+30) 694.780.8848) will deliver your favorite cocktails to your door. Try a Black Margarita and buy one for whoever is sitting next to you.

BLÉ on pedestrianized Aghia Sofia Street, with perfect sweets and chocolate treats for the whole family!

The workshop of ELENA JEWELRY CONCEPTS on Athonos Square. Elena Vezyroglou creates unique jewelry in a charming neighborhood. MIKRI FRIDA (4 Acheiropoietou) is a café like the ones we seek out on our foreign travels. It also happens to be a cooperative venture. The ginger smoothies are a must! At Platanakia, just 25 minutes from the city center, starts a lovely route to Thermi Dam. Among the tall trees by the water, you’ll feel like you’re a million miles from anything urban.

Profiteroles with aromatic orange custard from FARINA CASA (20 Metamorfoseos). A fresh approach to the most classic of desserts.

JOURNALIST/PRESENTER, TV100 AND FM100

Mocha from ELENIDIS, or maybe their vanilla ice cream with layers of instant coffee and almond. Or the amazing profiteroles.

Maria Ioannidou’s JARDIN PLUS (20 Mitropolitou Iosif). It is brand new and blooming. Thessaloniki has never had a flower shop like it.

A bag from CHRISTINA MALLE (17 Voulgari) isn’t the latest word in fashion, it’s what fashion is thinking but hasn’t said out loud yet!

The seafront from the CONCERT HALL to the PALATAKI, and beyond to HAMODRAKAS, offers the most beautiful sunsets.

At RANIA XANTHOPOULOU’S BOUTIQUE (19 Proxenou Koromila), you’ll find jewelry to match your mood.

Day trips to destinations that become even more beautiful in autumn, such as the ancient city of STAGEIRA or PLATAMON CASTLE.

Walking across the pebbles in the garden at CIN CIN (22 Iktinou), you’ll feel like you’re on an island. Ideal for cocktails.

ILLUSTRATION: PHILIPPOS AVRAMIDES

Six city insiders share their tips

INSIDERS

THALIA RIZOU

OWNER, YOUTHNEST

The rooftop of LITTLE BIG HOUSE (24 Andokidou, Ano Poli) for carrot cake, a coffee in the sun, and a peek into the neighboring gardens.

The courtyard of DOMATIO TIS GEITONIAS in Kato Toumba (2 Mykonou), where the local residents gather every afternoon for conversation, games, music, and to share ideas and the latest news!

The TOP FLOOR CAFÉ OF THE OTE TOWER, with Thessaloniki’s landmarks laid out below; the café rotates continually, covering 360° every 45 minutes.

Panko-crusted fried eggs, mashed avocado, cheddar cheese and Cretan apaki on a tasty bun from ACOSTA FLAVORS FACTORY (2 Kyprou, Aghios Pavlos, Tel. (+30) 2310.210.805).

One of the weird and wonderful burgers – such as the Stevie Wonder or the Jimi Hendrix – from the menu at FUNKY BURGER (144 Egnatia, Tel. (+30) 2310.226.926).

Japanese souffle pancakes with crème anglaise and strawberry coulis, from ESTRELLA (48 Pavlou Mela, Tel. (+30) 2310.272.045).

Constantinople-style kusbasi – an open-faced pie with finely chopped beef (slightly spicy and perfectly seasoned), pepper and tomato – from PITES TIS POLIS (50 Dimitriou Gounari).

The latest sweets from THE CARAVAN B&B (1 Rebelou) which I enjoy in between my morning meetings.

www.citymagthess.gr

FIRST STOP AFTER LOCKDOWN 2

DELIVERY

GUILTY PLEASURE 4

SHOPPING THERAPY 5

“I HAVE A SECRET” 6

FRESH AIR

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KOSTAS KAPETANAKIS

EDITOR, CITYMAG THESSALONIKI

Zongolopoulos’ Umbrellas as a table-top ornament from HELLOFROM THESSALONIKI (45 Proxenou Koromila), an ideal souvenir. AITHRIO CAFÉ at Eptapyrgio Gate (7 Dimitriou Tzachila). A village atmosphere, the smell of a wood fire, and a glass of wine at lunchtime under the ivy, with history all around you.

A walk in the wee hours along the pier at NEA MICHANIONA. The occasional fisherman, starlight, gentle waves, and all the peace and quiet you need.

At the open-air markets at KAPANI, on Athonos, I always find flavorful spices, mountain tea and many other herbs, as well as people with stories worth hearing.

FOUNDER/OWNER OF ESTRELLA RESTAURANTS

An authentic gyro in pita bread from TOUBA EXPRESS (7 Malakopis), with tomatoes from their own fields and crispy coal-roasted gyro meat.

On the top floor of Café Father, FATHER HERBIE RECORDS (9 Kallari) sells vinyl records selected by Christos Exarchopoulos – jazz, Afro, world and electronic.

The view of the city and the sound of the sea from the chapel near the THESSALONIKI NAUTICAL CLUB (112 Themistokli Sofouli) around sunset.

In the Pylea shipyards, workers do their welding to loud music, while we enjoy the view of the Thermaic Gulf and have a bite to eat from the food truck at the gate. KARNAGIO (58 Georgikis Scholis).

The hidden gazebos of SHEIKH SU, including KARA TEPE, for an afternoon picnic with friends, with a view of the city.

A jogging tour, led by the team at RUN WITH ME THESSALONIKI. They offer runs for all levels, as well as a magical exploration of MT HORTIATIS.

ILLUSTRATION: PHILIPPOS AVRAMIDES

ANGELOS VASSOS

EXPERIENCE

‘TIL THEN

ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE

When the city reopens, we’ll be ready – and well-informed. BY A L E X A N DR A M A N DR A KOU

ime has the power to heal and bring balance. Under the right conditions, it can close old wounds, soften sharp edges and lend a clearer perspective by giving events their proper dimensions. It was with such thoughts that I boarded the airplane for the flight back to Athens on October 20, just a few days before a sharp spike in coronavirus infections put Thessaloniki on red alert, making a lockdown inevitable. The city’s own relationship with time is what guided my tour and dictated my itinerary. The notion of time lies at the center of this piece, written with the city in “pause” mode. I will, of course, travel to Thessaloniki again – that, too, is just a matter of time. The lockdown will eventually be over, and tables, chairs and heaters will reappear on sidewalks and squares once more, showing that while city life may stop at times, it never goes away. It will be there waiting for us to reacquaint ourselves with it, to pick up where we left off and to create new memories. This is not the first time that events have put Thessaloniki on hold. It has happened several times in the past, for very different reasons, and the city has always bounced back, as it will again. And not only will we be there for the relaunch, we’ll be ready to hit the ground running.

THE THESSALONKI CONCERT HALL

FILIKIS ETERIAS STREET

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EXPERIENCE

GEORGE ZONGOLOPOULOS’ WORK “UMBRELLAS”

STOCK MARKET SQUARE

DUSK ON THE NEA PARALIA, OR “NEW WATERFRONT”

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

ALL ABOUT THE SEA THE ROUTE The city is laid out on a grid that makes navigating its streets a simple task, and so it’s easy to familiarize yourself with its different areas. It has three main thoroughfares: Nikis; Tsimiski, which at Christmas is bedecked in sparkling lights and colors; and Egnatia, which runs parallel to the seafront, with cross streets leading down to the water. On this “reconnaissance” walk, your landmarks are the White Tower – the easternmost point of the old waterfront fortification wall – and Aristotelous Square, with the twin crescents of the Electra Palace Hotel and the Olympion cinema. This is Thessaloniki: the eternal flirtation of the old with the modern, the way in which the present confirms its relationship withthe past. A good introduction to this is provided by Dimitriou Gounari Street. Included in the city plan presented by Ernest Hébrard after the Great Fire of 1917, it connects some of the city’s most important monuments – from the Rotunda at its northernmost end, to the Arch of Galerius, the © OLGA DEIKOU T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

“MOMUS,” A WORK BY OLGA DEIKOU FROM THE EXHIBIT “ANTHROPAUSE”

LET’S MEET IN THESSALONIKI

Galerian Palace Complex archaeological site, the post-Byzantine Nea Panaghia Church and the ruins of the Hippodrome – as it runs down to the water. There is also the waterfront promenade, stretching 3.5 kilometers from the White Tower to the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. Whether you’re on a bike, an electric scooter or on foot, it offers lovely views of the city and artistic highlights like George Zongolopoulos’ “Umbrellas” and Pavlos Vassiliadis’ “Moon on the Shore.” At the other end of the bay, the MoMus–Thessaloniki Museum of Photography also looks out onto the water. On October 20, it inaugurated “Anthropause,” a group show of images by Greek photographers taken during the spring lockdown, which can 30

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ELXATE

be viewed online at res.momus.gr/en/ anthropause-en.

cloths and tended by polite, well-presented waiters. •

THE STOPS •

ORIZONTES ROOF GARDEN

9 Aristotelous, Tel. (+30) 2310.294.000 Signature cocktails, Mediterranean flavors and a fabulous view of Aristotelous Square, the sea and even Mt Olympus in the distance, from the seventh floor of the recently revamped Electra Palace. •

DIAGONIOS

13 Stratigou Kallari, Tel. (+30) 2310.260.958 A proper welcome to the city, with homemade soutzoukakia (meatballs) and tables draped with white table-

THE GLASS BOX PROJECT

Nea Paralia Four glass kiosks provide refreshment stops in some of the gardens along the waterfront promenade: swing by Sweetheart in the Garden of the Afternoon Sun for waffles and ice-cream; Openheart in the Garden of the Seasons for wine and cocktails; Warmheart in the Garden of the Mediterranean for hot dogs, sandwiches and salads; and Heartbeat in the Garden of the Roses for coffee and snacks. •

BIKE IT

In front of the Macedonia Palace Hotel, bikeitrentals.com

YPSILON

EXPERIENCE

THE GLASS BOX PROJECT

ORIZONTES ROOF GARDEN

ARMENONVILLE

Rent a bike (all models for all ages, including four-seater pedal cars and tandem bikes) to make your way along the waterfront. •

ELXATE

10 Isavron, Tel. (+30) 2313.028.622 Just off Dimitriou Gounari Street, this bar is a quiet local hangout on a pedestrianized road, perfect for cocktails and conversation. •

YPSILON

5 Edessis, Tel. (+30) 2310.530.480 A five-minute walk from the MoMus– Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, this elegant multipurpose venue became an instant hit, thanks to its funky cocktails, yummy snacks, chilled vibe and cool clientele. They also serve

brunch. •

ARMENONVILLE

102 Mitropoleos, Tel. (+30) 2310.525.112 Velvety cream, a chewy base and toasted almonds go into a local dessert known as armenonville, which is a local version of semifreddo. At this specialty sweet shop, you can find this dessert in its classic form, in modern variations and with different toppings and combinations of your own choosing.

THE ELEGANT MULTIPURPOSE VENUE KNOWN AS YPSILON BECAME AN INSTANT HIT, THANKS TO ITS FUNKY COCKTAILS, CHILLED VIBE AND COOL CLIENTELE.

T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

EXPERIENCE

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE CITY

SATURDAY

FEELING THE PULSE THE ROUTE You can’t really get the most out of a city without getting it to know it first, and you can’t accomplish this without delving into its past. Happily, this isn’t hard to do in Thessaloniki. Nearly everywhere you turn, you’ll find sights and monuments linked to the main actors and significant events that have shaped the development of this metropolis.The audio tour of the permanent exhibition on the third floor of the White Tower is one place to start exploring local history; while the texts accompanying the display items are only in Greek, the audio commentary will allow you to understand much of what you’re seeing. Another way for visitors to gain a feel for the city is by taking part in one of the activities offered byThessaloniki Walking Tours, an initiative that often even attracts locals as participants – and that’s saying something. The rich menu of cultural routes that have been planned for the 2020-21 winter season (including “The Thessalonians,” “Touring the West Wall,” “On Public Sculpture and THE OUZERI TSINARI IN ANO POLI

AGHIOS NIKOLAOS ORFANOS

NEARLY EVERYWHERE YOU TURN, YOU’LL FIND SIGHTS AND MONUMENTS LINKED TO THE MAIN ACTORS AND SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT HAVE SHAPED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS METROPOLIS. © OLGA DEIKOU

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ANO POLI

TRIGONION TOWER

EXPERIENCE

ANO POLI

KAPANI MARKET

THE WHITE TOWER

SAIXPIRIKON BOOKSTORE

Other Demons,” “East of the Center,” and “Thessaloniki in Song,” ) provides an insightful glimpse into lesser-known aspects of the city’s identity. Tours are conducted in English by prior arrangement. Take tips from a local or do some research before heading up to Ano Poli (“Upper Town”), the only part of the central city area not destroyed in the Great Fire of 1917. Enjoy the surprises that await you in its labyrinth of narrow streets flanked by traditional Macedonian houses with flower-filled and vine-shad34

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ed courtyards. Keep an eye out for the old historic fountains and small squares, and try to stick to a basic route you’ve mapped beforehand so you don’t get lost and miss out on highlights like the Church of Aghios Nikolaos Orfanos, with its beautiful late Byzantine decorations and its charming and tranquil garden; or, just outside the eastern wall, the Pasha’s Gardens, with its weird and mysterious structures that have become the subject of many urban legends. After taking in the stunning view from Trigoniou Tower, head to the Eastern Gate (“Portara”) and

through the small park on Stergiou Polydorou Street that runs beside the walls to Vlatadon Monastery and Tsitsanis Square. If you head downhill via Dimitriou Poliokritou Street and turn off onto Lysia, you’ll come to Latomos Monastery and the Church of Hosios David, one of Thessaloniki’s most important early Christian monuments. This area is home to another architectural gem, one of the best-preserved Byzantine bathhouses in Greece and one of just a handful of surviving secular buildings from this period. Located on the block between Chrysostomou,

EXPERIENCE

Filoktitou, Theotokopoulou and Krispou streets, and ringed by towering apartment buildings whose balconies nearly touch it, the structure is yet another tangible example of how past and present come together in this city. End the tour by heading back to the center and the bookshop-publishing house Saixpirikon (8 Patriarchou Ioakeim, Tel. 2310.220.545), owned by Kavala-born poet Yorgos Alisanoglou. He’s there most of the time and is always eager to talk about Thessaloniki as he sees it, and to recommend reading material that offers a very different take on the city.

THE STOPS •

HELLOFROM

TOM DIXON THESSALONIKI

MY EFTERPI

DIA XEIROS RESINIOTOU

12 Kastritsiou, Tel. (+30) 2310.264.107 Its well-made and delicious traditional Macedonian pies are the perfect way to start your day. •

TOM DIXON THESSALONIKI

6 Chrysostomou Smyrnis, Tel. (+30) 2310.229.090 Coffees and cocktails served with style, in a space that reflects the aesthetic of the elegant brand. Everything, from the furniture to the lights and the cups and glasses, is for sale. •

VALENIO COFFEE

6 Iktinou, Tel. (+30) 2311.291.518 Freshly roasted specialty coffee is served to go or on-site at one of its handful of tables. You can also get a fresh batch of your favorite variety to take back home. •

NAMA

1 Olympou, Tel. (+30) 2313.088.241 Modern, well-priced and well-executed dishes made with seasonal ingredients are served in a casual and friendly atmosphere, at a great location on Dodeka Apostolon Square. •

NEA FOLIA

4 Aristomenous, Tel. (+30) 2310.960.383 Hearty Greek cuisine in a traditional kafeneio setting. Order the baby leek pies with olive-oil cheese from Ierissos and fennel greens, or the eggs fried in sheep’s milk butter with beef kavourmas (confit). There’s a long list of great 36

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NEA FOLIA

CURIOUS CREATIVE CARING

THINKERS

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EXPERIENCE

cheeses that you can buy to go, too. •

DRYOVOUNO DAIRY PRODUCTS

31 Apostolou Pavlou, Tel. (+30) 2310.217.321 This small outlet in Ano Poli sells topnotch dairy products from the village of Dryovouno in Kozani. •

LITTLE BIG HOUSE

24 Andokidou, Tel. (+30) 2313.014.323 Take a break with a selection of fresh homemade cakes and sweets in Ano Poli. The pretty rooftop terrace is always popular on sunny days. •

MY EFTERPI

51 Filippou, Tel. (+30) 2316.016.741 Jewelry and handmade decorative items, including signature lighting fixtures made of papier mache in the shape of jellyfish and hot-air balloons. •

MOBY DICK OR THE WHALE

5 Morgenthau, Tel. (+30) 2310.253.781 An offshoot of Athens’ Mr. Vertigo, selling natural wines from small-scale wineries in Greece and abroad. •

HELLOFROM THESSALONIKI

45 Proxenou Koromila, Tel. (+30) 2310.248.742 The souvenir has been taken to whole new heights thanks to synergies, popup initiatives and limited-edition series by Greek and international brands committed to top quality and good taste. •

THE FLYING FIG

12 Askitou, Tel. (+30) 2310.285.733 In the Kapani area, check out the ornaments, souvenirs and plexiglass jewelry for sale at the former premises of an printing house, which is also home to the design brand Kapani Graphix. Don’t leave it late, though: the shop closes at 15:00. After shopping, stop in for some meze at always-busy Mitsos (11 Vlali, Tel. (+30) 2315.515.504).

THE FLYING FIG

NAMA

VALENIO COFFEE © PERIKLES MERAKOS

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EXPERIENCE

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

SUNDAY

THE OLD AND THE NEW 40

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THE ROMAN AGORA

THE MUSEUM OF BYZANTINE CULTURE

THE ROUTE With its great wealth of monuments, Thessaloniki is part city and part openair museum that lends itself to endless exploration. Ruins of fortifications dating from many different eras serve as solid reminders of its past - it was a fortified city from the late 4th to the late 19th centuries. In a sense, these remains are comforting; they have withstood the ravages of time, bearing witness to

the lives of those who passed through here and acting as an unchanging presence around which the city continues to evolve to this day. When the sun dips and Olympou Street fills up, you can meet up with friends at the Roman Agora for a drink with a view of the illuminated ruins. Or head across Athonos Square to the Church of Aghia Sofia, an impressive late 7th-century edifice built in the style of the Haghia Sophia in Istanbul. As you

EXPERIENCE

THE CHURCH OF AGHIA SOFIA

THE ROTUNDA

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM PROVIDES A FASCINATING NARRATIVE OF THE HISTORY OF MACEDONIA FROM PREHISTORIC TIMES TO LATE ANTIQUITY THROUGH A PLETHORA OF PRICELESS ARTIFACTS. CHURCH OF THE ACHEIROPOIETOS

admire its splendid mosaics, a patchwork of three different phases that reflects the city’s intellectual and aesthetic achievements through the ages, you might hear music coming from the street, as a band sets up on the pedestrianized road outside, enlivening the neighborhood with its rhythm and pulling you back to the present. At the Church of the Acheiropoietos, a three-vaulted wooden-roofed basilica from the early Byzantine period, part of which was built over a Roman public bathhouse, you’ll likely make a conscious effort to try to block out the sounds of the city so as to imagine what life was like here in the 5th century, when 42

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the church was built. No matter how long you walk or where you are, every road eventually leads to the Rotunda, a fascinating monument that truly reveals Thessaloniki’s historical depth: dating to the transitional period between ancient faiths and Christianity, it may have been built as a sacred ancient temple or as a mausoleum of Constantine the Great, before it served as the see of the Thessaloniki diocese and then as a mosque until the fall of Ottoman rule. Imposing in structure, as if to declare Thessaloniki’s importance to the Roman Empire, it also boasts absolutely marvelous mosaics that served its successive

sacred functions as well as the only surviving minaret in the city, a reminder of its long Muslim chapter. It’s usually around this time that you realize that you can’t leave Thessaloniki without visiting its two key attractions. The Archaeological Museum provides a fascinating narrative of the history of Macedonia from prehistoric times to late antiquity through a plethora of priceless artifacts – including the famous Derveni krater and papyrus; the mosaic floor from a 3rd-century residence on Sokratous Street depicting scenes from mythology; and the early Bronze Age treasures of Petralona Cave. There are also two

LOUX

ESTRELLA

EXPERIENCE

“B”

I MIKRI FRIDA COFFEE/ART COOPERATIVE

TO PIKAP

excellent outdoor exhibitions that can be viewed free of charge. The second major institution here is the Museum of Byzantine Culture, which offers insights into the daily life and social and religious customs during the Byzantine era, as well as insights into the city’s architecture, its urban evolution and its artistic output over the different phases of that empire.

THE STOPS •

ESTRELLA

48 Pavlou Mela, Tel. (+30) 2310.272.045 Located right beside the Church of Aghia Sofia, this is the place that made brunch trendy in Thessaloniki – and it serves it all day long. Choose between bagels and eggs done all sorts of ways, burgers and hearty hot sandwiches, Instagrammable desserts and, of course, the amazing Japanese soufflé pancakes made with vanilla crème anglaise and a strawberry and raspberry coulis.

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“B” 2 Tritis Septemvriou, Tel. (+30) 2310.869.695 Following your visit to the Museum of Byzantine Culture, drop by its restaurant for a meal of homemade shrimp ravioli with a light garlic and curry sauce, a refreshing salad and a glass of wine from its extensive list. •

•

ROOTS

4-6 Balanou, Tel. (+30) 2310.268.063 This inviting eatery stands out as one of the best exclusively vegan and vegetarian eateries in Thessaloniki that is. If it’s available, don’t miss the grilled cauliflower with a purée of purple Peruvian potatoes, confit onions and a porcini mushroom sauce. I MIKRI FRIDA COFFEE/ART COOPERATIVE •

4 Achiropiitou, Tel. (+30) 2313.088.397 Located behind the Church of the Acheiropoietos, this warm and colorful space is always a great mood lifter. Among other menu items are lovely smoothies with vegan options, herbal

teas, homemade fruit sodas and fresh SMALL CAPTION HERE XXX XXX XXX sandwiches. •

TO PIKAP

57 Olympou, Tel. (+30) 2310.271.499 Amazingly, this snug space contains a café-bar, a record company, a music store, a gallery and a web radio station, making it a key hub for the city’s creative community. •

LOUX

83 Olympou, Tel. (+30) 2314.012.381 The cool place to be after a walk around the Roman Agora, for coffee or drinks in a funky retro space. •

THE NECTAR DISTILLERY

13 Kleisouras & Halkeon, Tel. (+30) 2311.118.713 Coffee, house cocktails and a superb view of Dikastirion Square and the Church of Panaghia Halkeon are all on offer at the rooftop terrace of the brand-new Zeus is Loose hostel.

Αν θέλουμε ν’ αλλάξει ο κόσμος, ξεκινάμε από τα παιδιά

If we are to change the world, we should start with children

Αν περπατήσεις στο κέντρο της Θεσσαλονίκης μαζί με τα παιδιά, υπάρχει μία βιτρίνα που θα τα μαγέψει. Στη βιτρίνα του Cozykids βλέπουν παιχνίδια, παιδικά έπιπλα και διακοσμητικά που ζωντανεύουν τη φαντασία τους με τρόπο μοναδικό.

If you happen to wander in Thessaloniki city centre with your children, there’s a store window that will have them enchanted. Cozykids’ window is full of toys, children’s furniture and decorations that trigger their imagination in unique ways.

Οι ιδιοκτήτες του Cozykids είδαν, αρχικά στα δικά τους παιδιά, ότι είναι πραγματικά ευτυχισμένα όταν έχουν χώρο για να εκφραστούν στην καθημερινότητά τους. Όταν έχουν ελευθερία στο παιχνίδι και όταν νιώθουν την ασφάλεια να παίρνουν πρωτοβουλίες.

Cozykids’ owners initially observed their own children’s need for space in which to express themselves in their everyday life. They realised that what makes them truly happy is freedom in play and feeling safe to take initiative.

Συνειδητοποίησαν ότι τα παιδιά χρειάζονται ένα παιδικό δωμάτιο το οποίο να εξάπτει τη φαντασία τους. Αντίστοιχα, τα παιχνίδια που απολαμβάνουν περισσότερο είναι εκείνα που τα ενθαρρύνουν να πειραματιστούν και να σκεφτούν δημιουργικά, που διευρύνουν τους ορίζοντές τους και τα βοηθούν να γίνουν πιο κοινωνικά. Όταν περάσουν τα παιδιά πίσω από τη βιτρίνα του Cozykids βρίσκονται σε έναν χώρο πολύχρωμο και μαγικό. Στο playground μπορούν να παίξουν με επιλεγμένα, δημιουργικά παιχνίδια από αυτά που είναι διαθέσιμα στο κατάστημα. Σε κάθε γωνιά, όμως, θα βρουν κάτι καινούριο και μοναδικό. Από Ινδιάνικες σκηνές για ατελείωτο παιχνίδι και έπιπλα που εξελίσσονται ακολουθώντας την ανάπτυξη του παιδιού, μέχρι βαμβακερά χαλιά για όλες τις εποχές με μαγικά σχέδια, ιδιαίτερα εκπαιδευτικά παιχνίδια και ευφάνταστα βρεφικά αξεσουάρ. Τα παιδιά είναι πραγματικά ευτυχισμένα όταν τους δείχνουμε αγάπη και όταν περνάμε μαζί τους ουσιαστικό χρόνο, αλλά και όταν τους δίνουμε τη δυνατότητα να αναπτύσσονται σε ένα ασφαλές και υγιές περιβάλλον, περνώντας το χρόνο τους με δημιουργικό παιχνίδι. Μπορείτε να μπείτε στον μαγικό κόσμο του Cozykids είτε στο cozykids.gr, είτε στο υπέροχο concept store στην Μητροπολίτου Ιωσήφ 3, στο κέντρο της Θεσσαλονίκης.

Their conclusion was that children need a room that will actively inspire their imagination. Similarly, the toys they enjoy the most are those that encourage them to experiment and think creatively, that broaden their horizons and help them become more open and sociable. When kids go past the store window at Cozykids they enter a world full of colour and magic. At the store’s playground they can put their hands on some of the available creative toys. In every corner they will discover something new and exciting. Indian teepees that are ideal for endless play, furniture that evolves to follow the child’s development, all-season cotton rugs with extraordinary designs, rare educational toys and imaginative baby accessories. Children are truly happy when we treat them with love and spend quality time with them, but also when they are given the chance to grow in a safe and healthy environment, spending time engaged in creative play.

You can enter Cozykids’ enchanted world online at cozykids.gr, or at their unique concept store at 3, Mitropolitou Iosif str, in Thessaloniki city centre.

H O S P I TA L I T Y

CHECK IN TOMORROW Convenient locations, characterful design, intelligent luxury: the city has a selection of innovative new hotels with plenty to appeal to the traveler looking for something special. B Y J O H N PA PA D I M I T R I OU

esidents of Thessaloniki no longer need to read with envy about the boutique design hotels of other European city-break destinations in magazines such as Wallpaper*. Thessaloniki’s long-term rise in the urban getaway travel market has brought new and more demanding customers, new ideas and new investments in hospitality. And the coming of COVID and susequent restrictive measures have merely inserted a parenthetical pause, not a full stop. The parenthesis will close, sooner or later. The city that’s been praised in recent years as a surprising new destination by top international travel publications will shine 46

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again. And its new accommodations will be there to welcome back the crowds with interesting architecture, elegant aesthetics, individual character, personalized service, and occupying niches that didn’t exist here before (from hip bed & breakfasts to poshtels). Their strong relationships with local patrons will be there, too, with popular restaurants and bars in the lobby or on the rooftop, with all kinds of events taking place, and with an overall lively presence in their respective communities, whether it’s the city center or a particular neighborhood. What do you say we take a walk together and get to know these havens of hospitality a little better?

THE MODERNIST Kostis Karatzas’ vision for the property he owns was to create an unpretentious space that would be a model of modern hospitality, and he succeeded. At The Modernist, certain conventional elements we usually find in hotels have been almost entirely eliminated, in particular those associated with the reception area. The Modernist, which opened in June 2018, is located just a few steps from Aristotelous Square in a 1920s building, renovated with great respect for the structure’s original design so as to highlight the retro charm of the building’s interior. A feeling of intimacy dominates, as if you’ve just stepped into an old mansion. Here, design does not cover up imperfect reality; instead, it allows that reality to add to the authenticity of the experience. The aesthetic approach you’ll find at the hotel, an interesting mix of art deco elements and Scandinavian influences, runs throughout the building, harmoniously connecting the forty different rooms that come in four size options - small, medium, large and extra large. All the rooms are equipped with everything that guests require, without any unnecessary clutter. WiFi connectivity is speedy and stable; the comfortable mattresses offer a sound night’s sleep; and the toiletries, specially designed for customers by the local company Physis Laboratory, offer pampering care. Many of the objects in the rooms, such as the espresso cups by the ceramicist Giorgos Vavatsis, are handmade by local creators. These collaborations with Thessaloniki artisans help travelers explore what’s happening on the city’s crafts scene. The charming breakfast area on the rooftop overlooking Ermou is an added bonus.

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• 32 Ermou • Tel. (+30) 2316.009.990 • themodernisthotels.com Average price for a double room is €120 with breakfast. Rooms are also available under a special offer for professionals who wish to work out of the hotel while enjoying all the comforts of the establishment.

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THE TRILOGY HOUSE The original intention of Tolis Koubaros, the owner of Trilogy House, was to create a showroom for the furniture and design items sold by his company, 2nd Floor. However, the financial environment in Greece in 2015 forced him to change plans. So he decided to offer a different experience to visitors of the city and, in 2017, he completed this ten-room hospitality venue, spread across two floors of a restored 1920s building. He chose modern, aesthetically pleasing items from influential international brands such as Tom Dixon, Fritz Hansen, Moloso and Vitra to furnish the rooms of his unconventional hotel, but that wasn’t all. As someone who believes that even

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the smallest detail has an impact on functionality and aesthetics, Koubaros sourced quality mattresses, Marshall speakers, and organic bathroom products. Respecting the historic look of the building, Koubaros and his team chose a look for the plumbing and electrical fixtures that is reminiscent of ‘40s America. In the lounge areas, Stalin’s portrait on the first floor seems to be in dialogue with a picture of Jesus Christ on the second. The front balconies feature two archaic columns and a neoclassical arch, creating an atmosphere that takes you back to the days when this elegant building was new.

• 97 Tsimiski • Tel. (+30)2310.232.305 • thetrilogyhouse.gr Average price for a double room is €80; breakfast is not served, but coffee is available in the room. Residents are entitled to a discount at Tom Dixon Thessaloniki (6 Chrysostomou Smyrnis), partners with 2nd Floor. There’s no elevator.

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H O S P I TA L I T Y

ANTIGON BOUTIQUE HOTEL The Antigon, a five-star “urban chic” hotel which is also a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, offers something unique: in the breakfast room, visitors can view part of the ancient road known as Antigonides Street and the ruins of a house from the Roman period. The glass floor, similar to the one in front of the Acropolis Museum in Athens, extends across a space delineated by vine-covered walls and dotted with stylish chairs and tables; diners can enjoy the feeling of “hovering” over history. Antigon, which opened in August of 2018, is a far cry from an ordinary city hotel. It is housed in a listed 1931 building with balconies front and back. Simply furnished, it is decorated in earthy colors and outfitted with modern comforts that include premium amenities (from Hermès and Whites of London) and comfortable mattresses made exclusively for the hotel. Its 38 rooms feel like urban oases where you can escape the noise and bustle of the city, even though you’re still right in the center of town. On the top floor, there’s a large outdoor space (complete with a comfortable and discreetly placed hot tub) that overlooks the city. There, hotel residents and others can relax in the evenings with cocktails or a selection from the outstanding wine list.

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• 15 Antigonides • Tel. (+30) 2310.523.573 • antigonhotel.com The average price of a double room is €180 with breakfast, and the hotel offers free parking. There’s an espresso machine in each room.

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COLORS To meet the needs of price-conscious travelers, Fotis Drakopoulos created a real value-for-money hotel offering affordable luxury in the center of Thessaloniki. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, a stay in the four-star COLORS Urban Hotel on Tsimiski Street, which opened in 2016 and belongs to the chain of the same name founded in 2011, is like a hiatus in a fantasy realm. The bright colors of the communal spaces and avant garde murals in the rooms tie in perfectly with the funky décor and the pop phrases that appear on the walls. Here, the aesthetics evoke a feeling of euphoria. At COLORS, in addition to a pleasant stay made even better by wonderfully

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comfortable mattresses, quality linens and amenities that turn each room into a private wellness center, you’ll also find a specialized concierge department that provides information and recommendations on all aspects of the city. Personalized and friendly service can also be found in the Garden Bar, which operates on the ground floor of the hotel and whose entrance is located on the pedestrianized street of Aghios Minas, opposite the Jewish Museum. It is an allday café with American influences and a layout that facilitates conviviality. You can expect comfortable seating, spacious tables accommodating larger groups, low music at all times of the day, and affordable breakfast, brunch and dinner meals.

• 13 Tsimiski • Tel. (+30) 2310.272.829 • colorshotel.gr The average price of a double room is €90 with breakfast. The hotel offers spa services from Massage.me, featuring a variety of massage techniques as well as facial and body treatments.

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H O S P I TA L I T Y

THE CARAVAN In the neighborhood of Karavan Sarai, the location of the city’s first inns and a spot where commercial carts would congregate as early as the 15th century, The Caravan opened in early 2016. Housed in a 1929 structure purpose-built as an inn and with a view over the Mosque of Hamza Bey (also known as Alcazar), this enterprise rewrote the city’s tourist map when it began offering bed-and-breakfast-style accommodations. Its corner café on the ground floor, with its large sunny windows, acts as a link between travelers and locals, residents and visi-

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tors. In this charming space, decorated mainly with wooden furniture and dominated by an aesthetic reminiscent of an English drawing room, Greek breakfast is served on the antique dinnerware of the grandmother of Giorgos Kurtidis, one of the two founders. Kurtidis and his partner, Haris Papadopoulos, created The Caravan based on an idea they’d discussed with friends in a trailer in Spain six years ago. It was from this start that The Caravan got its name and logo. Their personal dream began with the desire to create a place of hos-

• 1 Rempelou and Vamvaka • Tel. (+30) 2313.062.780 • thecaravan.gr The average price for a double room is €70 with breakfast, and the hotel offers five pillow options free of charge to make your sleep as pleasant as possible

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pitality. Today, The Caravan features thirteen distinctly different rooms. The aesthetic approach serves the original aim of giving guests a warm homey feeling: blue telephones on exquisite bedside tables from the ‘60s, wooden antiques with light green detailing, colorful tiles in the bathrooms and intriguing paintings all come together in harmony to create a unique setting. The most beautiful spot is the rooftop terrace where, on clear evenings, you can lie back in the old-fashioned chaise longues and stare at the stars.

H πιο ολοκληρωμένη πρόταση αξιοποίησης του μοναδικού τοπίου που προσφέρει ο Χορτιάτης, το βουνό της πόλης, ήρθε με τη δημιουργία του πολυχώρου Αέλιος Πέτρα. Ένα πετρόκτιστο κτίσμα με ασύλληπτη θέα στο Θερμαϊκό κόλπο, στην άκρη του δάσους και ενταγμένη αρμονικά στο περιβάλλον του βουνού, ένα all weather και all season σκηνικό για κάθε στιγμή της μέρας και της νύχτας. Από νωρίς το πρωί για εντυπωσιακά brunch και πρωινά πλάι στο δάσος, για να διαβάσεις ένα βιβλίο και να χαλαρώσεις με ωραίες μουσικές, ιδανικό για καφέ και χυμό, να γευματίσεις και να δειπνήσεις ή να απολαύσεις το ποτό σου καθώς πέφτει η νύχτα πάνω από την πόλη και συ είσαι ένα με τα αστέρια, λόγω υψομέτρου. Η κάρτα του εστιατορίου δομήθηκε εξ αρχής για να χρησιμοποιήσει πρώτες ύλες από τοπικούς παραγωγούς, κτήματα και φάρμες αλλά και τον κήπο του εστιατορίου που παράγει ωραία μυρωδικά. Στο χειμωνιάτικο μενού το υπέροχο ζαρκάδι με κρέμα κάστανου καραμελωμένα μήλα και χειροποίητο βελούδινο πουρέ πατάτας, το μελωμένο αγριογούρουνο με δαμάσκηνα κυδώνια και σάλτσα κόκκινου κρασιού, το κλέφτικο αρνάκι σιγοψημένο με μελωμένες πατατούλες πιπεριές γραβιέρα Κρήτης και βουνίσια ρίγανη όπως επίσης και το γεμιστό μπουτακι κοτόπουλο με λιαστές ντομάτες γραβιέρα Κρήτης κρέμα τυριού και κροκέτες ριζότου μανιταριών μαγειρεμένα με αγάπη και ένα συνδυασμό παραδοσιακής και σύγχρονης δημιουργικής μαγειρικής από τον σεφ Danny Halkidis που θα σε κάνουν να γλύφεις τα δάχτυλα σου. Αφήνοντας πίσω την πολύβουη πόλη και ανεβαίνοντας σε μισή ώρα σε αυτό το εντυπωσιακό σαλέ που δεν σταματά τις εκπλήξεις, αφού οργανώνει κάθε εβδομάδα υπέροχα θεματικά μουσικά events με αναφορές στην Κρήτη, το Ιόνιο κ.λπ.

Aelios Petra, B Πάροδος Ανεμόμυλων, Χορτιάτης Τ: 697 023 4123 ■ f Aelios Petra

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Ποτέ ξανά η αίσθηση της απόδρασης και της απόλαυσης στο βουνό δεν ήταν τόσο κοντά μας.

H O S P I TA L I T Y

ZEUS IS LOOSE At the modern reception desk, we’re greeted by a white installation by Theo Franstalis depicting the hand of Xenios Zeus, god of hospitality, symbolically giving the key to guests. In the elevator, there’s a note that those who do not wear a mask will be exiled to Tartarus, and in various parts of the building one encounters smart signs with further references to the Greek gods. One of the main challenges of the graphic design team from Phantom that worked on the project was to bring the divine status of the gods of Olympus down to human scale. This has been done with subtlety and measured humor, so it’s not kitschy

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at all. It acts as a timely and somewhat cutting commentary on the uninspired decor of many accommodations while at the same time introducing the traveler to the fascinating world of Greek mythology. “Zeus is Loose” which opened in the autumn, is Thessaloniki’s first “poshtel” (luxury hostel) and is located opposite the Church of Panaghia Chalkeon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The aim of its four owners, Penelope Miller, Nikos Tsiumas and Loukas and Costas Hatziliberiadis, is to offer quality accommodations to budget-conscious travelers, many of whom – COVID allowing – they expect

to be foreign students on exchange programs. The thirty rooms (double, quadruple and six-bed) have a bathroom each and are decorated in calming pastel colors. The public areas include a large kitchen, where cooking classes will begin in the near future. There is also a deck, and a TV and dining area. The greatest feature might be The Nectar Distillery, the rooftop bar. Here, you can enjoy breakfast while listening to the birds chirping. The “throne” of Zeus allows you to look down over the city without having to contend with its sometimes overwhelming urban energy, from a perch that is both inside and outside at the same time.

• 13 Kleisouras • Tel. (+30) 2311.118.713 • zeusisloose.com The average price per person is €19 without breakfast. Guests are entitled to a discount at The Nectar Distillery.

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BAHAR BOUTIQUE HOTEL In Ano Ladadika, a neighborhood that’s come back to life over the past six years, the Bahar Boutique Hotel has been operating since the summer of 2018. It is housed in a well-preserved neoclassical building of the 1930s, a structure with a long history. The dream of its managers, three brothers who share the last name Christakis, was to build an affordable boutique hotel with personalized services that offers its guests a pleasant and convenient stay within walking distance of the city’s main points of interest. In the hotel’s sixteen rooms, they have retained many of the building’s original features, including exposed sections of the old walls and ceiling detailing, while also embracing the modern trend of “open” bathrooms – the shower, for instance, can be seen from the bed. The toiletries are by the Greek company Zealots and the mattresses are by COCO-MAT. The warm, deep blue frames of the large windows on the ground floor and the tasteful wooden chairs with iron legs at Sebil, the hotel’s all day café-bar, combine with the outdoor light fixtures to give the exterior of the establishment a Notting Hill air. The minimal aesthetic approach dominates the other common areas as well, while the dark yellow comfortable armchairs of the lobby fit perfectly with the burgundy -colored stools and the green desk in the reception area.

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• 10 Edesis & Katouna • Tel. (+30) 2310.553.433 • baharboutiquehotel.com, The average price for a double room is €90 with breakfast.

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H O S P I TA L I T Y

Electra Palace Thessaloniki

A DYNAMIC RETURN 02

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The hotel that is synonymous with Thessaloniki is back, bright and ready, reopening its doors to the life of the city.

01. Simple luxury and quality materials – walnut, white Dionysos marble, and Nero Marquina marble – in the welcoming lobby.

03. The hotel was completed in 1972, shaping the final curve of Aristotelous Square, lined with neo-Byzantine façades.

BY GIOTA M Y RT SIOT I

02. A fashion show held in one of the hotel’s ballrooms in the 1970s.

04. Tables in place for people watching outside the hotel in the 1970s.

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hen the Electra Palace covered its facade for a full renovation, it was as if a piece had been removed from Thessaloniki’s most beautiful tableau. Its absence was conspicuous, as the hotel is an essential part of Aristotelous Square, which itself occupies a historical place in the heart of the city. It was fortunate that the renovation work happened to coincide with the pandemic lockdown. The summer’s return to a degree of normalcy found the hotel ready to receive its first guests, with its elegant spaces radiating messages of optimism for the summer tourist season. The hotel once again lent its notes of grace to the square, opening its windows on countless vistas of the city. An iconic building of historical significance and the centerpiece of the Electra Hotel & Resorts Group, the Electra Palace is celebrating 48 years of operation this year. While it’s certainly not an old hotel, its beautiful facade, which has been designated a protected work of art, gives the impression that it has always been here, or at least since the city was redesigned following the Great Fire of 1917. In fact, it was one of the last buildings to shape the iconic image of the square we know today. It was erected on the site of an older building – very different in style – which once hosted a police officers’ club. In contrast to the many soulless structures that replaced elegant older buildings during the antiparochi building frenzy (where property owners could turn over plots or old buildings to apartment block developers in exchange for units in the new structures), such as the Mediteranée on the seafront, here the new owners and architects respected the existing facades

of the square with their neo-Byzantine elements inspired by the original post-1917 plans for the square by French architect Ernest Hébrard. The construction of the hotel was completed in 1972, following a design by Filippos Vokos, completing the semi-circular layout of the square along with the Olympion Cinema – which dates to the 1960s and serves as the headquarters of the Thessaloniki Film Festival. The hotel’s opening coincided with the beginning of one of the most turbulent decades in modern Greek history, and it had a front row seat to the political and social upheaval of the time as it played out on the square in the form of large anti-dictatorship protests, marches, political rallies following the transition to democracy, open-air concerts, arts events and festivals. “The creation of the hotel in Thessaloniki was an important move. A most iconic building, it gave our group a great boost,” notes Alkis Sviriadis, the Electra Hotel & Resorts Group’s managing director. He explains that before this last renovation, the previous one was completed in 2002. “It isn’t that long ago. It could perhaps have waited another seven years but, influenced by the modern lines of the Electra Metropolis in Athens, we decided to redesign it.” The renovation was rolled out over all seven floors plus the rooftop restaurant, with a total area of 7,500 square

Authentic artworks from contemporary artists find a home in the hotel’s common areas. The hallways feature textiles with designs from masterpieces of the Russian avant garde art movement.

“WE SENSED THE HISTORIC WEIGHT AND THE VIBRANT VITALITY OF THE PUBLIC SPACE, AND WE APPROACHED IT AS A PRIVATE BUILDING WHOSE RENOVATION IS AS IMPORTANT FOR THE OWNERS AS IT IS FOR THE CITY.” - M O R P H O PA PA N I KO L A O U A N D O L I V I A S I S KO U, A R C H I T E C T S 60

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H O S P I TA L I T Y

Orizontes Roof Garden: minimalist lines, furnishings in black and white, elegant aesthetic details and the added bonus of amazing views.

meters, and in all rooms (128 rooms, plus 10 suites) that are located on the 2nd to 6th floors, following the highest health and safety standards recommended in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, all underground and auxiliary spaces were also upgraded. “We sensed the historic weight and the vibrant vitality of the public space, and we approached it as a private building whose renovation is as important for the owners as it is for the city,” says the duo of architect Morpho Pananikolaou (Sparch Architects) and interior designer Olivia Siskou. Picking up the thread from the era when the hotel first opened, and combining that with the “intensity with which the urban space penetrates and converses with the interior spaces,” they sought elements characteristic of the 1970s, when Thessaloniki was growing apace, both economically and culturally (as evidenced by the International Fair, the Film Festival and the achievements in literature, music and design of city artists). This period left a rich imprint on the life of the building and the city. 62

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FROM FLOOR TO FLOOR We enter the hotel for a tour. From the main entrance, the reception and the lobby all the way to the roof garden, it’s clear that the Electra Palace has shed its stuffy formal image. The new look, with references to the ‘70s, marries timeless materials (walnut wood, marble from Dionysos and Tinos, and Nero Marquina marble) with contemporary elements and original design. The art in the hotel offers a foretaste of the masterpieces of the Costakis Collection, which visitors can admire at the city’s MOMus–Museum of Contemporary Art. That idea belongs to Papanikolaou, who collaborated on the project with MOMus. Working with artist Fotini Kariotaki, Papanikolaou put seven elements (one for each floor) from works by three leading proponents of the Russian avant-garde onto fabric, printing drawings by Lyubov Popova, motifs by Ksenia Ender and the color scale of Ivan Kliun, the last of which complements the earthy tones in the foyer and the hallways. “The experience of standing or moving in space becomes an interaction with the beautiful,” says Papanikolaou. Explanatory texts on the artworks and the history of the Costakis Collection will be included in a small catalogue which will be made

available in the hotel for guests to take home with them. The art experience is further enhanced by original artworks from contemporary artists, on display in the hotel’s public spaces. Works by Eleni Zouni, Yiannis Michailidis, Christos Michailidis, Achilleas Papacostas and Elli Koutsoukeli, as well as pieces from the collection of Yiannis Retsos, adorn the common areas. The atmosphere of the city and its people, and in particular the mood of the ‘70s, is conveyed by the unique photographs by Yiannis Kyriakidis hanging on the walls of the mezzanine lobby. From the Orizontes Roof Garden Restaurant, diners enjoy unique panoramic views: Aristotelous Square, the Thermaic Gulf, and mythical Mt Olympus in the distance form the backdrop for an unforgettable stay. That is, after all, the goal of the redesign, “to enrich the art of hospitality and to converse with the city and its people.”

INFO

9 Aristotelous, Tel. (+30) 2310.294.000 • electrahotels.gr

Â© ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDIS

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LEFT: Neoclassical pediments adorn the facade of the Modiano Market where a sign reads “Central Food Arcade”. RIGHT: The overall structure of the building will remain the same. Plans foresee 127 commercial spaces (with the possibility of joining two spaces into one), as well as eight establishments serving food and drinks.

IN PROGRESS

THE MODIANO MARKET

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE

Construction crews are hard at work on a radical overhaul of the city’s historic food bazaar. BY IOTA M Y RT SIOT I

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IN PROGRESS

The common area on the upper level will host events and offer shoppers a place to take a break.

he countdown has started for Modiano Market’s transition to the modern era; downtown Thessaloniki’s main food market is expected to reopen, sparkling and refreshed, in 18 months or so. The city’s beloved arcade will be coming back to life filled with the colors and aromas of fresh Greek produce, artisanal products, traditional delights and gourmet delicacies, while cafés, restaurants, bars and other venues will vie for custom. Following a delay caused by the COVID lockdown this spring, construction crews have been hard at work since September on the radical revamp of what is an important city landmark. With its architecture and identity as a market protected by law (in 1983 by the Ministry of Northern Greece and in 1995 by the Ministry of Culture), Modiano must continue to operate as a food emporium, though functional and aesthetic elements are being improved and historical feaures highlighted. The interventions on the timeworn structure are designed to bring out the “modern” identity envisioned by urban 66

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planner Ernest Hébrard a century ago, when, as he redesigned the city center in the wake of the devastating 1917 fire, he zoned the city block where the Modiano would be built as a luxury shopping district. And Thessaloniki’s first indoor food market, built to European standards, was unique not just for the high quality products that could be found here, but also for its pioneering architecture. Designed by Eli Modiano – son of banker Saul Modiano – it embodied a spirit of innovation. An architect and civil engineer with a degree from Paris’ distinguished École Centrale, Eli Modiano employed a combination of materials (stone, bricks, steel, wood) and methods to create – at a time when concrete was a new import – a mixed-material structure, designed in cooperation with William J. Oliphant. This was among the first buildings in Greece made with reinforced concrete and other imported materials. The steel used to make the impressive roof – which is covered in glass and tiles – came from Belgium. From the time the construction permit was issued, the Modiano Market took

two years to build. At the grand opening on March 23, 1925, French champagne and wine, and locally produced raki and beer accompanied an array of delicacies (including cured fish and meat, pickles and braised eggs) that were on sale at the market, which became an instant hit with the local population. If the first covered market in Thessaloniki signaled the passage from the bazaars of the East to a Western consumer model and from traditional architecture to modern construction, the present renovation will take Modiano firmly into the 21st century. The challenging project is a collective effort involving many parties and organizations, from the Ministry of Culture and the owners to the special

TOP: The original plans for the city’s first covered market. MIDDLE: The market after a century of continuous operation. BOTTOM: A rendering of the new lighting plans, the work of Eleftheria Deko.

Â© JEWISH MUSEUM ARCIVE T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

IN PROGRESS

DAY AND NIGHT

The central arcade of the market, past and future – on the left, a photorealistic rendering.

advisors and surveyors who joined forces to design a modern food hall that nonetheless upholds the principles protecting the country’s historical monuments and cultural legacy. The wear and tear on the building from the lack of maintenance, illegal constructions, use of water and salt at the fish market and its constant operation over about a century was considerable. The architects had to meet many challenges associated with preserving a heritage building, chief among them being ensuring the building’s stability. Athanasios Kontizas, a civil engineer and specialist in this field, took on the task. The objective, according to project director Dimitris Triantos, was to ensure the longevity of the works, “at least for the next 100 years”. Every step of the project had to be planned and carried out meticulously. “The chief priority is to maintain as much of the original building as possible, as well as its appearance, which – aside from its architectural structure, form and minimal adornment – is characterized by a system that is impressive for its time.” 68

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say the authors of the architectural study Rena Sakellaridou and Morpho Papanikolaou of the firm Sparch, who were advised by architectural restoration specialist Cleopatra Theologidou. The new market must implement the appropriate technologies to meet current safety and hygiene standards (a study was carried out by the firm of Samaras & Associates), while reflecting “the demands of modern business and the city’s cultural dynamic and its ambitions for the market’s use,” says Papanikolaou.

CHALLENGES The basilica-style building is perfectly symmetrical and has a total surface area of 2,712 square meters, comprising basement areas, a ground floor and balconies. Neoclassical pediments adorn the two main entrances that join Ermou and Vasileos Irakleiou streets. Nothing about the inside of the market will resemble the chaos of past decades; gone will be the incredible din and the impromptu parties sparked by roving musicians. The timeworn signs of the fishmongers, delis, butchers and greengrocers have come down, makeshift structures have been cleared and the building is gradually returning to its original graceful form. The new market will have two distinct zones: the shops in dense but uncluttered

The lighting, designed by Eleftheria Deko, is expected to play a crucial role in showcasing the new Modiano market. “It was imperative that our design proposal for illuminating a building from the interwar period respected the general principles of restoration, strengthened the sense of solidity of the exterior walls and embraced the unembellished interior,” she explains. “Our aim is to highlight the arcade’s open and outward-looking character, its strict symmetry, linear repetitions and architectural elements.” In order to accomplish this, Deko designed “special lighting fixtures, many of which I built myself, on a very small scale, which, when properly placed, will not distort the appearance of the building and will not be visible during the day.” Inside the arcade, the lighting is designed to help the market’s allday operation, while also reflecting the building’s style and history. The lighting on the walls, says Deko, “was designed so that, even when the market is closed, it will give the impression of being full of life, while also underscoring how bright and open it is.”

rows, and, above the shops, a free, open, basically empty space dominated by the roof which - thanks to the peripheral skylights - appears to be suspended in midair. Two-story towers at the four corners of the market will house stairs leading to the upper level. Long windows beneath the eaves on the two narrowest ends will provide more natural light. All of the surviving architectural and decorative elements will be restored and showcased. The upper-level balcony, with a large opening in the middle looking down on the ground floor, will be designed to host events and leisure activities, giving yet more life to the building and bolstering its public role.

IN PROGRESS

THE ULTIMATE AIM IS FOR THE MODIANO MARKET TO BECOME ONCE AGAIN THE POPULAR AND ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION IT WAS IN THE PAST.

What one of the commercial spaces in the Modiano Market might look like when the renovation is complete.

The basic idea behind the architectural approach was to highlight “the building’s dual identity as monument/ market through [an acknowledgement of] the history of its construction and use. Balancing contrasts was our guiding principle,” notes Papanikolaou. In its new form, the arcade will symbolize the harmonious coexistence of past with present, oriental exoticism with occidental austerity, tradition with modernity and the building’s autonomy with its intrinsic place in its urban surroundings. The ultimate aim is for the Modiano Market to become once again the popular and attractive destination it was in the past. The building’s basic structure is being kept the same; ministerial decisions governing its operation foresee a maximum 70

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of 127 shop spaces, with the possibility of two being merged into one, as well as the presence of eight restaurants, cafés or bars. According to Hasdai Capon, general manager of the FAIS Group, which has the commercial rights to the property and a 57 percent stake in its ownership, the idea of restoring the Modiano Market first came up around five years ago. “Inspired by the Madrid food market, we chose to risk investing in modernizing and reopening [the Modiano], according to the rules governing the food markets in major cities, and not just in Europe. Swept by decline, our market had lost its dynamism and vibrancy. Our objective was not only to restore it to its former grandeur, but also to make it an attraction for Thessalonian consumers and the

many, many tourists visiting the city. The Modiano will claim a spot on Thessaloniki’s map as a tourist attraction, where visitors can acquaint themselves with and purchase and enjoy traditional products. It will also become a destination for a day out of leisure and relaxation, right in the middle of the historic center. To this end, it will be open seven days a week, so as to fill the vacuum tourists find on Sundays and public holidays when regular retail stores are closed,” says Capon. The aim is to make the Modiano the great city landmark it once was. The careful designs for its restoration, the lighting by Eleftheria Deko, its location near bustling shopping streets (Vlali, Vatikioti), the vibrancy of the historic center, and the changing shopping habits of the public already point to success.

C R E AT I V I T Y

Five stories of people who create products that marry tradition with innovation, and timeless values with contemporary style; for these locals â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Thessalonikiâ&#x20AC;? is much more than a sticker.

BY JOHN PA PA D I M I T R I OU / P HOTOS: KONSTA N T I NOS TSA K A LIDIS

WHAT CONNECTION COULD THERE BE between snail mucin cream and a handmade court shoe? Or between organic beverages and a decorative yellow octopus? What these items all share is that they owe their existence to passionate creators, who strive to offer something special, going against the grain of mass production and guided by new trends that focus on expertise, quality, originality and the use of sustainable materials. Thessaloniki is home to a plenitude of talented people who make beautiful things, and we toured the shops and workshops of the city to meet some of them.

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RHOECO

Organic beverages, sustainable design Katerina Chatziangelaki from Orestiada and Vagia Mitsiou and Harry Kazas from Thessaloniki met while studying agronomy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. They bonded over their shared love of nature, and the idea that the products we consume should be produced following eco-friendly criteria, too. After their postgraduate studies in Britain, they decided to return to Thessaloniki and set up a business that meets these criteria, creating organic herbal teas made exclusively from Greek herbs. It took an entire year and lots of research to decide on the blends that they would introduce to the public under the name Rhoeco, a portmanteau that combines Greek and English terms (“rhoe” means “flow”, and there’s “eco” and part of “cooperation” in there as well.) They launched their first range of six different herbal blends in May of 2016, one of which is available only at Christmas. Each one is named after an ecosystem (for example, Sea, Field, Forest) and has different properties. For instance, Sea

contains lemon balm, linden flower, lavender and chamomile, has a sweet taste and soft woody aftertaste, and is best consumed as a pre-bedtime beverage. All Rhoeco products, including the newest range of single-variety herbal teas, contain no sweeteners or flavor enhancers. They are made with certified organic herbs from Greece, collected by hand. Serving the principle of sustainability, with the motto “drink it – plant it,” the packaging has a novel recycling feature. The lid contains a packet of organic seeds that can be planted in the container once empty. When the first seeds start sprouting, the fully biodegradable container and its contents can be transplanted to the garden or a larger pot, and the original packaging will break down and disappear completely.

INFO

• rhoeco.com • Tel. (+30) 2310.673.087 Available via e-shop or at collaborating retail stores T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

C R E AT I V I T Y

YIANNIS GOUNARIDIS The inspiring sea

On a white wall, a series of red, yellow, blue and green octopuses seem to be ascending, as if they want to reach the surface of the sea. In front of them, two small blue sailboats and a tanker prepare to sail away. A bit further down, a multicolored school of sardines comes together on a wide counter. Clean lines, colors, bronze and silver, and marine themes – these are the basic ingredients that make up the world of 36-year-old Yiannis Gounaridis, a third-generation jeweler who in 2011 founded Bord de l’Eau, a workshop that creates jewelry and useful everyday items. Having learned the secrets of art and 74

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commerce from his grandfather and father, and having traveled to see how other cultures perceive jewelry, Gounaridis decided to create his own line with an aesthetic that balances the natural with the industrial. Quick to realize that the traditional jewelry industry would struggle as the cost of gold continued to increase unchecked, he turned to more affordable materials from which to produce his items, many of which have practical everyday uses – from keychains and wall decorations to platters and lighters. Everything created in his workshop is unique, as the use of handcrafted techniques means no two designs are

identical. The miniscule “imperfections” in his work are the only ones in the highly ordered universe he has created, a world dominated by multicolored items and silver jewelry whose reputation has traveled far beyond Thessaloniki, with his creations exported as far afield as the Middle East and the US.

INFO

• bdl.gr • Tel. (+30) 2310.520.911 • Workshop: 45 Egnatias, Thessaloniki Available via e-shop, at collaborating retail stores and at the workshop exhibition space.

C R E AT I V I T Y

FABRICA FABRICA Handmade footwear

As soon as she finished her studies in accountancy, 30-year-old Georgia Vlachaki started working in her chosen field of expertise. However, she soon realized that numbers and spreadsheets did not interest her, so she returned to the family business. Her father, Dimitris, one of the last in his trade in Thessaloniki, had been in the shoemaking business since 1982, and Georgia had practically grown up in his shop on Antigonidon Street. There, she’d learned to discern good materials from bad and to eschew imitation leather. She’d learned, too, how to cut leather so as to take full advantage of each piece, and she’d realized the importance of 76

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details, noting, for example, that a hard sole might be durable, but wouldn’t be comfortable. Five years ago, she took all that knowledge with her as she and her father moved into a new space to launch the Fabrica Fabrica range of women’s shoes. Vlachaki’s handmade shoes, made exclusively of leather (usually cow or goat), are inspired by an older, more romantic era and characterized by bold colors and retro lines. The elegant designs, though rather youthful, are suitable for all ages because they cover the needs of all modern women – from daily activities to special evening outings. Pumps, mon-

ochrome ballerinas, boots and sandals adorn the displays of this renewed family business, and are delivered to collaborating retail stores every day. Fabrica Fabrica recently opened its own e-shop as well, to help cope with a considerable increase in demand.

INFO

• fabricafabrica.gr • Tel. (+30) 2310.548.655 Available via e-shop or at collaborating retail stores.

C R E AT I V I T Y

PHYSIS LABORATORY Unique therapies

Spyros Nikolaidis grew up in his father’s pharmacy, where he watched his dad use a pestle, mortar and precision scales to create his pharmaceutical products. His own favorite was tincture of iodine because, in the process of making it, father and son would end up splashed with color and, to Spyros’ imaginative eyes, come to resemble artists. Back then, in the 1980s, pharmacists would prepare their own galenical creations (named after Galen, an ancient physician, and denoting medicine made using natural ingredients) to fill medical prescriptions. At his father’s side, Nikolaidis saw the benefits of using natural ingredients and, most importantly, realized that every client-patient is special. With this in mind, 78

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he imagined a workshop where he could take advantage of nature’s bounty to benefit everyone’s physical and mental health. Spyros’ father passed away while the younger Nikolaidis was at university earning his pharmacy degree, but Spyros did not abandon his dream. With his wife, Olga Akrivou, who changed career paths to become a medical technician, he created Physis Laboratory. Today, their company produces medicines and operates a state-of-the-art laboratory unit where they develop new types of formulas and create homeopathic products. Together, they create quality products that focus on wellness: from natural dietary supplements, such as their Amino Amino

organic proteins, to La Coquille de la Vie, their more recent premium skincare range. This range, whose name means “the shell of life,” is based on the unique regenerative qualities of snail mucin. In a similar act of regeneration, Olga and Spyros have been working for the past 22 years to fulfill a boy’s childhood desire to meet the most important responsibility of pharmacists: to treat each person as an individual.

INFO

• physislaboratory.com • Tel. (+30) 2310.311.528 • 66 25is Martiou, Thessaloniki

Î¤: 2310 380.000 Panorama, Thessaloniki

klinikiagiosloukas.gr info@klinikiagiosloukas.gr

C R E AT I V I T Y

GIORGOS VAVATSIS Innovation in clay

When, in the late 1990s, Thessaloniki native Giorgos Vavatsis traveled to England to study visual arts, he intended to follow in the footsteps of his painter father, Kostas Vavatsis. From a young age, Giorgos had enjoyed oil painting. During his second year in college, however, he decided to specialize in ceramics. He learned how to mold clay, became familiar with many different types of soil and rock and, most importantly, was introduced to a starker aesthetic. When Vavatsis returned to Thessaloniki in 2000 to set up his own workshop, ceramics in Greece were synonymous with either terracotta or souvenirs. There weren’t many household objects or even larger items that were made of clay. His aim was to create a new type of Greek 80

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pottery art, one that conveyed a sense of lightness with works that defied solidity and weight. Today, at the age of 46, he has achieved this goal, and more. Vavatsis’ range of everyday items, from mugs and plates to pitchers and decorations, are known internationally under the brand name Hakah Ceramics. What’s more, he teaches pottery with his partner, Ifigenia Tsirou and has often participated in exhibitions in Greece and abroad. He shares his creativity with the public at 6exi Ceramics, a space he opened in 2017 that hosts exhibitions, seminars and other events. Motivated by his curiosity to understand how materials work, he tours the country in search of special minerals that he combines with clay. The black sphere flecked with

“gold” spots that he proudly showed me in his industrial-style workshop in Oreokastro is but one characteristic example of this technique. Made in part from bauxite he found in Delphi and in part using minerals from Mt Pindos, this is an excellent example of the ceramic art of Giorgos Vavatsis, a master of his kind, whose nickname as a young child, funnily enough, used to be “Clay Pot.”

INFO

• Tel. (+30) 693.699.0052 • 6 Danaidon, Thessaloniki

FOCUS

Kalamaria

THE CITY IN THE EAST 82

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The marina of the Nautical Club of Kalamaria and, behind it, the former army camp Kodra and the neighborhood of Katirli.

How a refugee settlement built on mud has evolved into one of the most charming areas of Thessaloniki.

B Y G I A N N I S PA PA D I M I T R I OU / P HOTOS: KONSTA N T I NOS T SA K A L I DI S

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t’s a weekday morning in late October at Aretsou Marina. It’s a veritable island setting, with seagulls whirling above the fishing boats of the Nea Krini Fishermen’s Association, while crews stack crates with their fresh catches, which include European barracuda and red mullet. Most of the men, much like the association’s president Dimitris Tsipouras, are third- and fourth-generation fishermen who can trace their roots back to Smyrna and Çeşme. After the Greek-Turkish War (1919-1922), their ancestors arrived here in wooden boats and continued fishing to make ends meet. The descendants of those refugees at work here are among the few living pieces of the history of Kalamaria. For the most part, the district on the eastern coastal “horseshoe” of Thessaloniki seems to have drawn a clear dividing line with its painful past. Essentially uninhabited until 1920, when the first refugees arrived from Kars, it soon became the new home for tens of thousands of people expelled from Pontus, Asia Minor and Eastern 84

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Thrace. The memory of their plight is buried deep beneath the urban fabric, and only a few names of streets or bus stops betray this past. For instance, when the bus turns from Hilis Street onto the coastal road, the next stop is Apolymantiria (“Disinfecting Station”). Here, at the intersection of Ioanni Pasalidi and Nikolaou Plastira streets, stood the fenced-in facilities where newly arrived refugees would wash and their clothes would be cleaned and sterilized in boilers, from which they would would often emerge shrunken or ruined. Even though dozens of accounts describe this hygiene “ritual,” it’s still unclear how many people were subjected to it, nor even how many refugees died due to the hardships they faced – it’s estimated that more than 22,000 people perished. The remains of the little-known “Ellis Island of Macedonia” were torn down in 1965, and it has taken more than half a century to begin the process of declaring this spot a remembrance site.

THE SOURCE OF KALAMARIA’S CHARM IS ITS ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION BY THE SEA. IT IS THE ONLY THESSALONIAN MUNICIPALITY THAT BOASTS SANDY BEACHES, AND ITS COAST EXTENDS OVER SIX KILOMETERS.

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THE SEA BREEZE The source of Kalamaria’s charm is its advantageous position by the sea. It is the only Thessalonian municipality that boasts sandy beaches, and its coast extends over six kilometers. Along this coastline, which begins at Cape Karabournaki (where the ruins of houses dating from 500 BC have been found) and ends at the National School of Judges in Aghios Georgios, locals and visitors take walks with their family or pets, go fishing, relax on benches while admiring amazing sunsets, go swimming or set out in sailboats. “The difference between Kalamaria and the Nea Paralia [New Waterfront] is that here visitors can engage directly with the sea; they have direct access,” Giannis Lambriniadis, vice-president of the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki, tells me. The club, composed of 150 rowers and 120 young sailors, is housed in a historic building designed by the great interwar-period architect Konstantinos Kapsabelis, close to the border with the municipality of Thessaloniki. Every Sun-

day, at the eatery Sorokos on the club’s ground floor, regulars gather to enjoy meze that include fresh local shrimp, angler fish sautéed in tomato and feta sauce and other dishes. Across the way, in the corner of the marina with its views that stretch to Halastra across the Thermaic Gulf, is the Chapel of Aghios Nikolaos, one of the most beautiful spots to capture the sunset on camera. A bit further down is an equally beautiful park, nestled between the Sea Scouts base and the Palataki. In the spring, this park is dotted with poppies and is an oasis of calm and relaxation, even though it’s rather small and right on the bend of a road. Overall, this particular spot is indicative of Kalamaria’s undeveloped potential. For one, this is the site of the Palataki, or Kyvernio, an impressive protected neoclassical building built in the 1950; it served as a royal residence, and over the decades hosted numerous politicians. Abandoned since 2006, it has been used as a venue for various concerts during the Para Thin’ Alos festival, the municipality’s

01. The Association of Coastal Fishermen of Nea Krini boasts 60 fishing boats. Here, Spyros cleans his nets aboard the vessel “Eftichia.” | 02. Sunset at the park next to the Palataki, a favorite spot of journalist Evi Karkiti.

most important cultural event that takes place in September every year. And just next door is the former military base of Kodra, established by the Allies during World War I and named after the great fighter of the Macedonian Struggle, Michalis Moraitis (Captain Kodras). In military use until the 1990s, it covers an expanse of 45 hectares featuring 15 historic buildings. With the exception of the NATO offices in operation here, the only thing that breaks the silence is the organic farmers’ market every Saturday, definitely worth a visit! Farmers from near and far sell their produce here from quaint stalls, strictly adhering to all latest health and safety measures. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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01. The Palataki remains one of Kalamaria’s most notable landmarks. | 02. The workers’ housing projects in Finikas date from the 1950s | 03. A game is underway at the Winter Swimmers’ and Beach Racket Club. | 04. At the Park of Lost Homelands, a mural honors local artist Pyroh, who passed away recently. Kalamaria is well-known in Greece for its pioneering street art, thanks mostly to the work of the art crew known as the Skra Ghetto Boys.

BEWITCHING ARETSOU All of these things can be found on Kalamaria’s coastal stretch, a place of strange beauty that blends neglect, historical memory, melancholy and a particular kind of modern Greek cosmopolitanism. This is what you feel as you walk along sandy Aretsou Beach, losing yourself as you look at the yachts and fishing boats. Here, consistent signs of life come from Avra Cinema during the summer, and all year round from the Winter Swimmers’ and Beach Racket Association, where the the sound of balls being struck energetically can be heard near its characteristic blue wooden changing rooms. Today, it’s hard to imagine that 40 years ago, this public beach was the most famous resort in Thessaloniki, where many beloved Greek movies, including“O Atsidas” (“The Wise Guy”) with Dinos Iliopoulos and Zoe Laskari, were filmed. “The kiosks along the beach were where we saw suntan lotion for the first time,” remembers journalist Evi Karkiti, who was born and raised in Kalamaria and also witnessed the decline of the beach, which began in the late ‘70s. It may no longer be the Saint-Tropez of Thessaloniki, and the crowds that gathered at the Hawaii Club – where the 1960s band The Olympians made their first public appearance – may be a 86

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thing of the past, as are the limousines with tinted windows that once lined up outside Hamodrakas, the oldest taverna in the area, but Aretsou still holds an irresistible attraction for visitors. From coffee with views of the marina, to the sight of the remaining old summer houses (such as the Haralambakis residence that houses the Aperito café-bar) standing in contrast to the new apartment blocks, to the benches lining the sidewalk where people can sit and observe passersby, there’s always something here that appeals.

Nea Krini Beach, further along, is just as bewitching, with fish tavernas each with its own story. “This taverna was named by an American general who came here after the war to supervise the work at Mikra Airport, which had been used by the Germans. Looking at the map and noticing the beach area opposite was called Florida, he jokingly said: ‘Well, if that’s Florida, then this is Miami,’” recounts Dina Tertsi, third-generation owner of the fish taverna called Miami. Tertsi’s family hailed from Vourla in Smyr-

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01. The Nautical Club of Thessaloniki is one of the most active organizations along the coast of Kalamaria.

02. A sailing lesson includes instructions on how to find your position at sea.

03. The Chapel of Aghios Nikolaos at the marina of the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki is the most popular spot in town for wedding photos.

na, present-day Izmir. The taverna, which she runs with her sisters, serves delicacies such as her famous seafood lachanodolmades (stuffed cabbage leaves).

little harbor behind the abandoned shell of Panaghia Hospital. The refugees from the Black Sea region lived in tents in the mud before land was distributed to them and they could begin building houses, at first mainly on or around Kerasountos and Pontus streets (the latter is currently part construction site, thanks to the new metro line). It’s certainly no coincidence that in this neighborhood, at the end of Hilis Street, the stadium of the Apollon Pontou Football Club is located. First founded as a musical and fitness club for Asia Minor refugees in 1926, the team’s glory days are long in the past. However, there’s another team that’s left its mark here: the impressive street art, such as the bust of

Spinoza, is part of the great heritage left behind by the Skra Ghetto Boys, one of the first street art crews in Greece. The football grounds adjoin the 1st Middle and High School of Kalamaria, a large complex built in 1965, that includes an indoor gym and theater. The sign it bears (“Trebizond Frontistirio”) reminds passersby that the community first named the school after one of the longest lasting and most important Greek educational institutions in Trebizond. Further down the same street is yet another Black Sea connection: the Metropolitan Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, whose original bell tower came from Kars. This is where the city’s most lively artery, Komninon Street, begins. This thoroughfare, pedestrianized in the early 1990s and renovated in 2014, is full of life from the morning well into the evening. The nyfopazaro (“bride bazaar”) of the ‘70s, when young women took strolls in hopes of catching a worthy suitor’s attention, and would-be grooms littered the street with the shells of the pumpkin seeds they gobbled nervously, has been replaced over time by a more

BLACK SEA REFUGEES “Even though the population of Kalamaria has changed a lot, the general rule is that the refugees from Asia Minor settled along the coast, while the Pontic [Black Sea] Greeks moved inland,” explains Ariadni Antoniadou, an ethnographer, scientific consultant for Voreadon, Kalamaria’s dance association, and the instigator behind the reenactment of the arrival of the Asia Minor refugees in Nea Krini, a cultural event that takes place in late August or early September, at the

THE CITY’S MOST LIVELY ARTERY, KOMNINON STREET, PEDESTRIANIZED IN THE EARLY 1990S AND RENOVATED IN 2014, IS FULL OF LIFE FROM THE MORNING WELL INTO THE EVENING. 88

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[ ADVERTORIAL ]

Green & Grey

REAL ESTATE BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT Giorgos and Fanis Kiossis aren’t just dreaming of a different real estate philosophy. They’re making it a reality. B Y E F T H Y M I O S S AV VA K I S / P H O T O S : A R I S R A M M O S

he most important thing we hear is that we’re nothing like real estate agents. It’s a contradiction, but it’s true.” Fanis Kiossis is one of the founders of “Green & Grey”. Six years ago, together with his brother, Giorgos, he created a real estate agency in Thessaloniki which offers up-market real estate services, with a team of thirty professionals who share the same philosophy: earning the trust of exacting clients and the exclusive management of outstanding real estate. The brothers’ vision pictures a different real estate reality, where their profession is not associated with distrust. “One of the reasons we felt the need to create ‘Green & Grey’ was the low status of professional real estate agents in the

Greek market, which we saw as a challenge to prove that our sector deserves to attract only the best,” Giorgos explains. “We wanted to do something big. We’re obsessed with perfection in a business which is so important and able to offer so much, and yet which has served the customer so poorly served for so long.” One of the more interesting findings of a survey conducted by the firm with the help of Ierax Analytix showed that 82% of those asked had no interest in becoming professionally involved in real estate in the immediate future, with the portion surpassing 90% in respondents under the age of 34. “The sector has acquired a bad reputation because of the influx of people who either were not worthy or were not capable of being in this space, which made it even harder

for us to find people with ambition, capable of satisfying demanding clients,” Giorgos says. “Today we feel proud of our achievement.” The solid foundations were laid at the very first meeting of “Green & Grey”, when the team agreed on a singular principle, that they would try to outdo themselves rather than other agents. “We still remember our first deal, back in 2014”, recalls Fanis. “For us, it was the start of something big, which we knew would follow. My philosophy is that everything is a matter of mentality. In any profession, it‘s important to have passion, dedication and a commitment to self-improvement in the face of the demands of the profession, acheived through hard work, leadership and personal vision. This is easy to say, but it’s difficult to put into practice. But you have to if you want to be in a position to carry people along with you so that they make an effort, without considering the exhaustion or the sacrifices required to succeed.” Their team is what the brothers name as their greatest achievement. “They are the distillation of many years of work, and are carefully selected,” says Fanis. “Traits like ambition, desire for self-improvement and a refusal to compromise with mediocrity are vital for our team - and for survival in the market.” The qualitative and quantitative development of the team are among their immediate plans, as is growing their market share at a steady rate of 20% annually. Expanding beyond Thessaloniki would be an added bonus. “The image we have of our business in twenty years’ time motivates us on a daily basis. We haven’t achieved a fraction of what we envision. Our vision is for the consumer of the future to see the ‘Green & Grey’ brand and unconsciously think ‘innovation, credibility and honesty’.” “We’re always on the lookout, always ready for an opportunity,” Giorgos says. “And with this approach, it’s clear that there is no ceiling.”

* Many thanks to The Excelsior Thessaloniki for their hospitality.

INFO

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FOCUS

01. The square in front of the Town Hall is the busiest spot in town.

02. Organic produce at the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays at the former army camp of Kodra.

03. The Mikra British Cemetery, final resting place for the fallen Tommies of WWI.

diverse crowd that frequents the new cafés and bars. Now, due to COVID-19, they sit on the benches that line the street instead, exchanging stories muffled by masks. Another important street, with more shops, is Ioanni Pasalidi, the location of two gastronomic “musts”. The bakery Gounaris dates from 1934, and makes its famous peinirli (a type of pizza boat) with ground mutton, kaseri cheese and heaps of butter. The ice cream shop Themis, which opened in 1957, used to be a popular hangout for the young crowd, with pool tables and foosball.

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FRAGMENTS OF HISTORY Kalamaria is a neighborhood defined by its history. In the area of Aghios Panteleimon, I noticed a series of graffiti portraits dedicated to Pyroh, a local creative who recently passed away from leukemia, at the Park of the Lost Homelands. Nearby, some two-story buildings with courtyards, part of the ship-workers’ are still standing. A little further north, in the Votsi area at the intersection of Ethnikis Antistaseos and Aristeidou streets, I came across a memorial to the Jews killed during the Campbell Pogrom. About 220 families who had been moved to the Campbell

district following the Great Fire of 1917 were violently expelled by nationalists in 1931. Last February, the state finally fulfilled its duty and erected a memorial. The Mikra British Cemetery, which was used to inter soldiers killed in battle from 1917 to 1920, is also a historic site. But perhaps the most striking place in Kalamaria is Finikas, on the eastern side, featuring workers’ housing blocks built in the 1950s. These dilapidated rectangular boxes, with green areas in front of them, remind visitors of neighborhoods from another era, when children played ball in the streets, and the laundry was hung out to dry on small balconies. It’s as if this neighborhood is resisting contemporary reality, much like Kalamaria was in denial of its multicultural identity for so long. Today, dozens of cultural groups and a few cultural organizations such as the Historical Archive of Refugee Hellenism and the Christos Kalemkeris Photography Museum, whose archives include rich photographic material dating from as far back as 1838, are working to keep the history of this place alive. Now, it’s time for the state to help preserve this intangible cultural heritage and to provide the necessary impetus for growth and development. But until that happens, at least Kalamaria will continue to have its magical sunsets to lure and enchant visitors.

[ ADVERTORIAL ]

University of Macedonia Press

THESSALONIKI IS A CITY THAT SUPPORTS BOOKS Ioanna Dandelia, Director of Publications of the University of Macedonia

Under adverse conditions in the publishing sector, a university publishing house in northern Greece is trying, in the face of a pandemic, to meet the demands for new works and for strong sales and distribution of university textbooks and other volumes.

he publishing house of the University of Macedonia counts more than fifteen years of life, hundreds of book titles, and collaborations and actions that go far beyond the borders of its institution’s campus. “The University of Macedonia Press offers the challenge of working in an extremely extroverted academic institution that is constantly receiving distinctions for its work. Our efforts as a team aim to give our books a special role in society. In conditions of social distancing, this takes on a special dimension. We don’t just want to introduce books to the reading public;

we want to transfer the knowledge they contain and create social contact through these publictions,”says Ioanna Dandelia the director of UMP. The University of Macedonia Press follows an open publishing policy. UMP‘s output isn’t limited to scientific books; it also extends to publications of general interest, including art books, children’s books and poetry. At the same time, the house handles the design and production of printed material and publications in collaboration with organizations and individuals from all over the country. UMP operates according to market rules, selling books in wholesale trade, through

bookstores and for cash on delivery to individuals in any city in Greece. “Book publishing has been suffering for several years now,” Dandelia says. “The policies that have been implemented have ensured neither the stability nor the viability of small publishing houses and do not leave room for bold and diverse proposals. However, those of us who love books cannot stop working with passion in an industry whose products evoke such strong emotional responses. Thessaloniki is a city that has traditionally loved books; it’s a city that appears in books by hundreds of authors. An international book fair held online this year and a book festival held this summer under adverse conditions with the beautiful waterfront of the city as a backdrop, prove that the audience of this city not only embraces publishing but also supports those who make every effort to keep it active and rich in diverse options for the reader,“ she concludes, describing the publishing activity of Thessaloniki.

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FOCUS

NOTEBOOK

Special spots to keep in mind for after the COVID safety measures are lifted GOUNARIS BAKERY

OUZO Dotting the area from the beach to Aghios Stylianos, Kalamaria’s ouzeries pair the famed anise-flavored spirit with mainly good pan-fried dishes and fresh seafood. We recommend Prigipas (10 Hanion, Kalamaria, Tel. (+30) 2130.457.497), for its steamed mussels, and Stavros (19 Argonafton and Vlasi Gavriilidi, Tel. (+30) 2130.410.190) for its renowned fish soup. MAIN COURSE • Aperito: Along the coastal area of Aretsou, this all-day wine bar-restaurant is the ideal spot to enjoy your morning coffee, indulge in the beef fillet cooked in pepper sauce for lunch, or savor a classic margarita in the evening. Lovely atmosphere, with a dreamy garden for idyllic summer nights. 95 Nikolaou Plastira, Tel. (+30) 2130.442.085 • Manitari: For the last decade, this restaurant has been flying the flag for high quality creative Greek cuisine, with chef Dimitris Paboris offering delicious creations, such as a risotto inspired by traditional stuffed cabbage. The menu, based on products sourced from small-scale producers, is playful in its combinations. The handmade Maniot fried pie with wild greens, smoked chicken and mastic cheese from Andros is but one example. You’ll also find a great wine list with many offerings from the region of Macedonia. 57 Themistokli Sofouli, Kalamaria, Tel. 92

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MIAMI

(+30) 2130.415.289, to-manitari.gr • Miami: An idyllic setting with tables right next to the sea, this seafood eatery dating from 1945 is well-known for its fresh fish. Creative dishes, such as orzo pasta with crayfish tails and tuna tagliata with vegetable spaghetti, also feature on the menu. Its wine list is also very well curated. 18 Thetidos, Nea Krini, Tel. (+30) 2130.447.996, maiamirestaurant.gr • Mavri Thalassa: One of the top

gastronomic destinations of the city, this restaurant is renowned throughout northern Greece. The menu features all types of fresh fish, such as John Dory and red scorpion fish, delicious fish soups and exceptional seafood pasta dishes. All dishes feature a splash of creativity in both execution and presentation. The wine list matches the high standard of the menu. 3 Nikolaou Plastira, Tel. (+30) 2130.932.542, mavri-thalassa.gr

• Sorokos: Enjoy views of the yachts in the marina of the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki as you enjoy seasonal food prepared with minimal frills. Steamed mussels, smoked cod and marinated anchovies are the ideal meze to accompany tsipouro and ouzo, at very affordable prices. 122 Themistokli Sofouli, at the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki, Tel. (+30) 2310.413.262 • Halaro: A haven for meat lovers in

THEMIS

seafood-dominated Kalamaria since it opened in 1992. With its trademark chicken recipes, such as chicken meatballs in tomato sauce and open-faced burgers, it also offers a wide range of other meat selections such as stuffed beef patties and classic pork chops. 71-75 Themistokli Sofouli, Tel. (+30) 2130.423.284, xalaro.gr • Cottage: The menu, following an allday eatery approach, includes selections such as handcrafted spinach pie with goat’s cheese, tartines (slices of traditional country bread served with various toppings) and sugar-free cocktails. Miaouli and 2 Michalakopoulou, Tel. (+30) 2130.441.143

BREAD Gounaris Bakery: Apart from its famous Sunday peinirli, this family business makes many other sweet and savory pastries, such as cheese pies, airy croissants and tsoureki (a traditional Greek brioche). 75 Ioanni Pasalidi, Tel. (+30) 2130.454.571 DESSERT Themis: This ice cream parlor, dating from 1957, was the first that brought professional gelato machines from Italy. You’ll find a wide variety of flavors, from profiterole to almond praline and, of course, the traditional dondurma, a thick creamy treat. 69 Ioanni Pasalidi, Tel. (+30) 2130.452.792, open March to November.

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GASTRONOMY

THE TASTE OF MEMORY

Full of elegant and complex dishes that evoke an age preserved only in treasured memory, the cuisine that the Sephardim brought with them in their exile had a lasting influence on the gastronomic culture of the city. BY A MBER CHA R MEI PHOTOS: T H EODOSI S GEORGI A DI S F O O D S T Y L I N G : S T AV R O U L A F O U T S A

became intoxicated with the distinctive aroma coming from the Jewish homes of Thessaloniki – a mixture of rosewater, sautéed onions, and ripe melons – aromas that I recall with nostalgia.” (Ilias Petropoulos, quoted in “Thessaloniki 1850-1918” by Gilles Veinstein) For centuries, the streets of Thessaloniki were filled with the sensuous fragrances of the Iberian peninsula, thanks to the cuisine of the Sephardim, the Jews who’d been expelled from Spain in 1492 and welcomed to the Ottoman Empire by Sultan Bayezid II. It had been an astounding arrival. Both in number and in sheer sophistication, the Sephardim overwhelmed the local Romaniote Jewish population. The culture and the language that the newcomers carried with them brought a slice of Spain to the Ottoman Empire, with a cuisine to match. And what a cuisine it was, the very essence of the Sephardim – vibrant, sophisticated and as sunny as the world they’d left behind. Generations of gracious living in Muslim Spain had shaped an aromatic and complex gastronomic tradition full of delicate delights and elaborate preparations. 94

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Just as the Jews of Spain had lived for generations in convivial harmony with their neighbors on the Iberian Peninsula, so did they continue to do so in Thessaloniki. In his “Cookbook of the Jews of Greece,” Nicholas Stavroulakis conjures scenes of leisurely afternoons in the hammam (the baths) or the haremlik (the women’s private quarters), where Jewish and Muslim women would share stories, songs and recipes. Pilafs, stuffed vegetables, new sweets and tasty milk puddings added another rich layer to the complex culinary legacy of the Sephardim. This glorious cuisine is celebrated in “A Taste of Sephardic Thessaloniki,” a collection of family recipes by Nina Benroubi, one of Thessaloniki’s few Holocaust survivors – the city lost 96 percent of its Jewish population in WWII – and a woman with memories of the genteel life of pre-war Thessaloniki. Her detailed reminiscences – together with those of her co-author, the restaurant critic and food writer Epicurus – vividly evoke a vanished world. In these authentic recipes, one tastes that world still. Food and memory have always been linked for the Jews, and cuisine continues to play an integral role in preserving Jewish cultural identity.

HUÉVOS HAMINÁDOS

These delicious eggs – whose name derives from the Ladino word hamin (oven) – make ingenious use of scant resources; they’re made with the onion skins gathered over a week of cooking, and were traditionally nestled in the leftover ashes and fading embers of wood-burning ovens to bake overnight. Today, as in this recipe, they’re left to simmer slowly on the stovetop. Coffee, tea leaves, and cinnamon sticks contribute both a rich flavor and their characteristic deep bronze shade. The food itself has a meaning, as the egg in its shell symbolizes the cycle of life. What’s more, the eggs can be readied before Friday at sundown, then left to cook untended until Saturday morning, making them suitable for Sabbath preparation, when the lighting of fires or any other work is prohibited.

INGREDIENTS • 10 eggs, at room temperature • 4 large handfuls of onion skins (from around 20 onions) • 1 tbsp cooking oil • 1 tbsp vinegar • 1 tbsp finely ground coffee (Greek coffee) • 1 tbsp tea leaves • 2 cinnamon sticks PROCEDURE Wash the eggs and place them with the remaining ingredients in a deep pot. Add water to cover. Place on medium to high heat, keeping watch. Just before the water comes to a boil, cover the pot, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and let the eggs simmer for 8 hours, topping up the water if necessary. Serve at room temperature. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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When chef Konstantinos Markou came across this book, the dishes and the stories resonated with him, particularly as his restaurant, Akadimia, is located in the heart of a historically Jewish neighborhood. Markou introduced a Sephardic menu, available by pre-arrangement, amid a growing interest in Thessaloniki’s Sephardic culture. The new option was well received, particularly since this cuisine isn’t often commercially available; in the past, Sephardic cooking belonged to a largely private sphere, difficult to find outside of homes. Benroubi, too, came to Akadimia and enjoyed both the food she had and the idea that others would be able to share in the flavors of her youth. Some aspects of Sephardic cuisine live on in what’s traditionally considered “Greek” food. In the almond paste delight known as amygdalota, we taste the martsapades (marzipan) of the Sephardic kitchen. And consider the eggplant; in “A Taste of Sephardic Thessaloniki,” the authors note that the beloved merendjéna of their homeland is “for the Sephardic Jews what the potato represents to the Ashkenazi – the alpha and the omega of their culinary alphabet.” Today, it’s impossible to imagine Greek cuisine without that wondrous vegetable.

IN THESE AUTHENTIC RECIPES, ONE TASTES THAT WORLD STILL. FOOD AND MEMORY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LINKED FOR THE JEWS, AND CUISINE CONTINUES TO PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN PRESERVING JEWISH CULTURAL IDENTITY. 96

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GASTRONOMY

BORREKITAS DE MERENDJÉNA (SMALL EGGPLANT PIES)

Saturday, the Sabbath, was particularly festive – a day of feasting and socializing. Joyous preparation went into enjoying the day of rest, including making a selection of delights to offer guests. Benroubi brings that gracious lost world of old Thessaloniki to life, describing the huevos haminados and the delicate borrekitas that visiting grandfathers and uncles would enjoy as they sipped ouzo on Saturdays. As the eggplant reigns supreme in the Sephardic cuisine of Thessaloniki, borrekitas de merendjéna would have been among the most popular of the many small pies. In addition to the traditional eggplant and feta in the filling, these have the colorful additions of roasted red peppers and minced parsley. The tender dough of this particular recipe comes together in an unusual way.

INGREDIENTS For the dough • 1 cup of corn oil • 1 cup of water • 4 cups of flour • 100 grams of yogurt (about ½ cup) • 1 egg, for glazing the pies

PROCEDURE For the dough Put the oil and the water into a pot and bring to a brisk boil. Remove from the heat, add the flour and the yogurt, and stir until well blended. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and set the dough aside to rest as you prepare the filling.

For the filling • 2 whole eggplants • 400 grams feta, crumbled • 1 red pepper, grilled, peeled and diced • 2 tbsp chopped parsley • 2 eggs • 2 tbsp cooking oil • Salt and pepper to taste

For the filling Heat the oven to 180oC. Wash the eggplants, leaving them whole, and prick them a couple of times with a fork. Place in the oven and roast until softened, about 35-45 minutes. Let them cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash it with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients, mix and set aside. Form the dough into balls about the size of a walnut, and shape each into a disk about half a centimeter thick. Place a spoonful of filling slightly off center on each disk, and fold the dough over it to form a half-moon. Trim the excess dough, using an inverted drinking glass, and pinch the edges to seal. Place the pies on a well-oiled baking sheet. Beat the egg with a spoonful of water, and brush each pie with the egg wash. Bake in the middle of the oven at 180oC until golden.

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GASTRONOMY

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GASTRONOMY

KEFTIKÉS DE NOGÁDA CON MUÉSI PRISHIL (MEATBALLS WITH WALNUTS AND PARSLEY)

Kefitkes – croquettes or meatballs – figure prominently in Thessalonian Sephardic cuisine. There’s a wonderful variety of recipes, from vegetarian options to inventive mixes of vegetables and ground beef. Walnuts, too, are a characteristic ingredient of Sephardic cuisine, in savory dishes as well as desserts. Here, they’re used in an inventive manner to enrich and thicken the sauce for this unusual and sophisticated dish. Keftikes were a usual feature of the elaborate pre-war lunches that Benroubi describes. There would be a first course, such as pasta or fish, followed by a ladera course (vegetables simmered until meltingly tender in tomato and oil) and keftikes or perhaps a kokkinisto – a meat dish boasting a rich tomato sauce. There were generally two salads, one with raw ingredients and one of boiled vegetables.

INGREDIENTS • 750 grams ground beef • 3 slices of bread, crusts removed • 1 small onion • 1 egg • 1 tbsp cooking oil • 200 grams walnuts, shelled • Some parsley, finely chopped • 2 tbsp fine dry breadcrumbs • Salt, pepper • Oil for frying

PROCEDURE Put the ground meat in a bowl, then dampen the bread slices, wring them out, and add them to the meat. Finely grate the onion and add it as well, along with the egg, a small amount of oil, and some salt and pepper. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Heat a generous amount of oil over medium to high heat in a large frying pan. Shape the meat mixture into balls and fry them in the oil, turning as they cook so they brown evenly all over. Meanwhile, pass the walnuts and the parsley through a food processor; alternatively, crush them together using a pestle and mortar. When the meatballs have been thoroughly browned, pour off some of the excess frying oil, if any remains, leaving a half centimeter in the pan. If the pan is dry, add oil until you reach the half centimeter mark. Then add a half cup of water, the walnut mixture, and the dry breadcrumbs. Simmer gently until you have a thick sauce, adding more water if necessary, and then serve.

THE CHEF Konstantinos Markou, chef and owner of the restaurant Akadimia, (3 Aghiou Mina, Tel. (+30) 2310.521.803) prepared the dishes photographed here according to the recipes of Nina Benroubi and Epicurus. His restaurant serves a number of Jewish specialties, and full Jewish meals can be made to order by prearrangement.

Nina Benroubi and Epicurus, “A Taste of Sephardic Thessaloniki,” (Fytrakis Editions, 2002, out of print)

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S E C T I O N V I N I E TA

LEGAC Y

NEW WINE MAKERS ON OLD VINES A look at some of the second- and third-generation wine producers bringing a wind of change to the vineyards of Macedonia as they renew the appeal of its traditional varieties and set their sights on international markets. BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

Clockwise from far left: Eleni Kechri, Apostolos Thymiopoulos, Kostas Dalamaras, Jason Ligas, Argyris Gerovassiliou and Chloe Chatzivariti.

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LEGAC Y

CHLOE CHATZIVARITI

A bridge between the old and the new “My parents, Olga and Vangelis, started to make wine in 1984 without having studied oenology. A short while later, they had their own plantings. In 2005, they began building the winery and, in 2007, they had their first harvest,” says Chloe Chatzivariti, summarizing the history of the family business. She admits that she stubbornly refused to commit to becoming a winemaker herself – something that caused tensions in the family – until she completed her degree in agricultural science at the University of Thessaloniki specialiazing in viticulture, and discovered an exciting incentive: the chance to travel, beginning with postgraduate studies in France. After completing her postgraduate degree, she lived first in Montpellier, then Bordeaux, and then Lisbon, before returning to France to complete her work experience at the legendary Château Margaux. New Zealand, Argentina and Chile were the next pins on her global wine map, where she worked at big name wineries. She returned to Filyria, in the wine region of Goumenissa where the family estate is located, in 2017. Chloe admits that she wasn’t impressed by the winemaking techniques she saw in the New World, but she did learn to manage large-scale 102

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production and, with the confidence which came with that, she began to work the family vineyards. Chatzivariti favors low-intervention approaches. Four years ago, she started experimenting with natural yeasts and created the MiNiMus series, which includes Assyrtiko, Malagouzia and Roditis grapes fermented in clay pots, as well as a Xinomavro fermented in stainless steel tanks. She also produces two sparkling wines, and a Negoska (a local variety) using carbonic maceration, a technique for extracting more flavors from the grapes. Her parents continue to produce seven labels, and their shared goal is to bring their two worlds closer, eventually making all their wines with natural yeasts, and to merge the natural and the commercial approaches. While her parents found their daughter’s opinions rather heretical in the beginning, the family now works together productively, and the bridge between the old and the new stands on sound foundations.  chatzivaritis.gr

LEGAC Y

ELENI KECHRI

Retsina from the past to the future In 1993, Eleni Kechri, a chemical engineering student at the University of Thessaloniki and the oldest daughter of Stelios Kechris, began working in sales for the family business, a winery founded in 1939 which was not going through its best phase commercially. Eleni eventually decided to head to Bordeaux for postgraduate studies in winery management, and then continued her education with studies in oenology. She returned with an urge to change what she could. She modified the style of winemaking based on what she’d been taught, changed the protocols for producing red wines, refreshed the company’s brand, and much more. At the heart of these changes was retsina, their signature product, which became the spearhead of the winery’s evolution.

Without entirely dismantling the family tradition, Eleni Kechri wove a legend around a variety which, until then, had not been approached with ambition or respect. She helped design a new bottle for Kechribari (their best-known label) and worked on promoting both the company and the retsina it produced, entering this wine for the first time in international competitions. In 2006, she created “Tear of the Pine,” an elegant retsina made from Assyrtiko grapes; the production process combined tradition and technology to produce a selection with great ageing potential. “We created a vertical tasting for key people in the industry,” Kechri says. “A total of 100 tasters got to try older bottles of ‘Tear of the Pine,’ and they were impressed by a wine that they

did not know could be aged, let alone be so charming.” She also took charge of planting the Goumenissa vineyard, the company’s first in-house vineyard, all while succeeding in increasing the winery’s revenues many times over during the course of the past almost three decades. At present, Kechri is involved in two research programs on retsina in collaboration with the University of Thessaloniki. The company, meanwhile, currently produces a total of seven labels, four of which are different types of retsina. This year, the Kechribari label was awarded 93/100 by Decanter magazine, an exceptionally high score for such an accessible wine.  kechris.gr T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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JASON LIGAS

A veto on chemicals It was back in 2009 when Jason Ligas officially produced his first wine, although he’d helped out in his father Thomas’ vineyards on Mt Païko since he was a teenager. Before that first bottle was filled, Ligas had studied oenology in Campagna and viticulture in Montpellier, then found himself in Paris where he became a wine merchant and sommelier. It was in that city that he was first introduced to haute cuisine, and became aware of the kind of wines he wanted to make. He returned to Greece and became actively involved in vine cultivation, promoting permaculture and a biodynamic approach at the wineries with which he worked. He prefers the old cultivation methods over planting in rows, and prunes in the old style, forming a cup shape to better protect the vine.

“We use no chemicals in the vineyards where I work; it is strictly forbidden,” he says. Today, Ligas’ sister Melissanthi has taken over the running of the Ligas Estate in Pella while he focuses on promoting local grape varieties in Macedonia and beyond, working with a number of estates. His best-known wines come from vineyards on Samos where, for three years, he ran a pop-up winery. At present, he’s working with the Giali Estate in Rapsani, where they use Xinomavro and two less well-known but important local varieties, Stavroto and Krasato. His wines can be found in many locations in France, and those who appreciate them talk about offerings that stir their emotions.  instagram: jason.ligas © ANGELOS GIOTOPOULOS

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APOSTOLOS THYMIOPOULOS

The Xinomavro man

Apostolos Thymiopoulos went off to study oenology at university intending to work for one of the big wineries in his hometown of Naoussa rather than run his own business. At the time, his father had 4 hectares of vineyards, but sold all his grapes to local wineries, refusing to make his own wine. After graduating in 2002, Thymiopoulos changed his mind and decided to make wine from some of the family’s own grapes. In the beginning, he experimented by producing small quantities. The first batch of his best-known label, “Earth and Heaven” (a name he came up with while still a student) was made from the 2003 harvest. Less than a year later, he found himself at a tasting in Germany organized by a Greek wine-lover living in Stuttgart to introduce German sommeliers to wines by Greek produc-

ers. As it turns out, it was an Italian, not a German, who bought Thymiopoulos’ entire 2003 vintage, and that Italian repeated the purchase the following year. A little later, the U.S. market opened to Thymiopoulos. One order brought the next. An English buyer tried his wine in the U.S., an Indian wine merchant tried it in England, and so on… This wasn’t, of course, a matter of luck. Thymiopoulos’ wine stood out because he took a different approach to the cultivation of Xinomavro, Macedonia’s pre-eminent grape variety. It also helped that his winery is the only one in the southeastern part of the wine-growing region, and benefits from its own microclimate. He has vineyards at different elevations, too, which he cultivates organically; he uses wild yeasts; and he

knows how to handle the temperamental Xinomavro, in part because it’s the only variety he cultivates. Without the distraction of other varieties, he harvests grapes with with radically different properties, which in turn imbue his wines with different characteristics. In under two decades, he has succeeded in producing 500,000 bottles, incorporating grapes from other certified organic vineyards as well. He exports 92% of his production, shipping to more than 200 locations in France, to the UK, to Norway and Canada, and even to Japan. This year he’ll be releasing a 13-year-old rosé, a personal gamble that’s just one more expression of this magical variety developed by its greatest champion.  thymiopoulosvineyards.gr T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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ARGYRIS GEROVASSILIOU

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree The slopes of Epanomi were a familiar sight to Argyris Gerovassiliou, who spent his childhood at the family winery, although the first time he worked in an official capacity as a certified oenologist was only five harvests ago, counting time the way winemakers do. Gerovassiliou studied agricultural science at the University of Thessaloniki, specializing in viticulture, and, after completing his military service, left for Bordeaux to earn a diploma in oenology (DNO). The same path had been trodden a few decades earlier by his father, Vangelis Gerovassiliou, the man behind a number of large winemaking projects. The vineyards of Vivlia Chora in Macedonia, Dyo Ipsi in the Peloponnese, Mikri Thera in Therasia 106

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and a new one in Goumenissa are shared between father and son, along with their close partner Vassilis Tsachtarlis. Recently, the younger Gerovassiliou completed an MBA in winery management, in order to be able to speak the same language as his sisters, Marianthi and Vassiliki, who are also active in the family business. In matters of management, Argyris feels that he has both the expertise and the latitude from his father to act where needed, although he also says that he is not a believer in drastic changes. Nonetheless, he has been able to eliminate those things he feels have been holding this renowned winery back, not fearing to deviate from the past to keep the wines current. “We make less and less use of

new barrels. We also steam-clean our barrels rather than char them, as I don’t want the barrel to impart a heavy flavor to the wine,” cites as an example of a recent change. “These are all my wines, although in truth there is no ‘mine’ and ‘yours’. Winemaking is teamwork, and we work together to keep things going. If there were one radical thing I would do, it would be to cut down on the number of labels.” Not to worry, however; the most famous Malagouzia in Greece will undoubtedly always be part of their cellar.  gerovassiliou.gr

LEGAC Y

KOSTIS DALAMARAS

Third-generation grape grower “I’ve been saying I wanted to be a grape grower since I was a child, like my father and my grandfather,”says 34-year-old Kostis Dalamaras, who studied viticulture and oenology in Burgundy before returning to take charge of production at the family business. His father had been bottling wine since 1991, and the winery had been certified organic since 1996. During Kostis’ tenure, the varieties used have been cut from nine to just four – Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Perknadi and Merlot – from which he produces six labels within the Naoussa PDO region. Dalamaras, who is principally known for his work in the vineyard, recently completed a replanting. He’s a grower first, focusing on his raw material, and cultivates with minimal interventions. All the changes he has made to the family winery have been small, gradual, and with an emphasis on grape selection. “I base my actions on our observations” he says. “My father had certain norms; he made wine every year in the same way. I doubled our experimentations and became more flexible, though always following in the steps of my predecessors.” The time he spends in the vineyard is, Dalamaras maintains, of utmost importance. He doesn’t mind at all the adjustments to procedures that he has to make

with every new harvest; he finds it exciting. He manages seven hectares in total, producing around 40,000-45,000 bottles, of which he exports around two-thirds. “As a Xinomavro region, we’re obliged to support the variety with the quantities demanded by the markets. The Paliokalias harvest is sold six months before it comes to market,” he says, noting the appeal of his best-known label. Outside Greece, Kostis’ wines were made available at key locations, and were thus discovered by several distributors and exporters. At present, his most significant partnership

is with Master of Wines Mark Andrew, creator of the influential magazine Noble Rot and owner of the restaurant of the same name. Industry insiders say that whatever catches Andrew’s eye gets noticed by others, too, and they aren’t wrong. But for a wine to attract his attention, it must be something special, a wine of character that bears the mark of its winemaker. Thankfully for Dalamara, this is true for all of his labels, as his devotees in Germany, the US, Canada and Australia can attest.  dalamara.gr

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THE GREEN CROWN

Hiking, climbing, yoga in nature and heaps of history: the well-known yet still mysterious mountain of Thessaloniki hides a plethora of pleasant surprises. B Y J O H N PA PA D I M I T R I O U P HO T O S : KO N STA N T I NO S T S A K A L I D I S

A number of spots on Mt. Hortiatis offer unique views. Here, Lake Koroneia and the fishing village of Aghios Vasileios lie in the distance.

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The woods are full of nuts, berries and flowers. Along with the raspberries pictured here, the author came across chestnuts, walnuts and wild rose bushes. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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t was early October, just before sunset. Sitting on a sofa-shaped rock, we admired the view to the north. Beneath us was a green carpet of chestnut trees. Lake Koroneia, with the old fishing village of Aghios Vasileios on its shores, stretched straight ahead, and to the right sections of Lake Volvi were discernible. Between them we could spot the village of Scholari and, in the distance, Bulgaria. The ancient Thracians had enjoyed this same view; they built a fortress on the plateau below the highest peak to control the area. In order to arrive at this unknown spot on Mt Hortiatis, located just 30 minutes from the center of Thessaloniki, we had walked for 15 minutes, turning right along the path from the Livadi area. On the way we heard Eurasian jays cawing, saw blackbirds chasing each other on the branches and scanned the ground for fallen chestnuts. We were early; most of the locals from Thessaloniki come here in early November to gather up the chestnuts.Those in the know roast them according to a special technique, using fern leaves. Our guide, Nikos Kontos, and his business partner, Vasilis Zarzavatsakis, have been running the Hellenic Mountaineering Club refuge for about a year now. It is located at Tzek Baktse, at an elevation of 1000 meters at the heart of the mountain. This refuge has been in operation for more than half a century; the original shelter, built in 1938, was appropriated by the army long ago.

This two-story stone building with red windows and interior wood paneling is surrounded by tall beech and chestnut trees. It functions as a meeting point for hikers, climbers, cyclists and other mountain lovers. The patio area on the sunny Sunday that we visited was full of life. People in masks were walking around, holding cups of steaming hot beverages, small pitchers of tsipouro and dishes laden with a variety of delicacies. It felt a little like a party. A father was teaching his son to balance on a slackline; a family was having a picnic; other children were lying on the hammocks and laughing. Katerina from the Hellenic Mountaineering Club of Thessaloniki was catching her breath before jogging on, and Irini had just finished her hatha flow yoga class. Climbers Konstantinos Koutsionikolas and Dimitris Tosidis invited us to climb with them up to a nearby plateau, under the Air Force radar installation. Kontos and Zarzavatsakis have begun replacing the bolts and anchors on the rock face, making it safer for the climbers.

FOREST TRAILS AND ROUTES “Can we start, or are you still gathering nuts for your son?” the group asked me. The truth is that I was caught up in that activity. With its highest peak reaching 1201 meters, Mt Hortiatis spreads east of Thessaloniki until Mt Holomon in Halkidiki, and features a thick forest with such biodiversity that you could spend an entire day here just collecting nature’s gifts. 01. Our guide, Babis Nanakoudis, born and raised in the village of Hortiatis

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02. The memorial in Hortiatis honoring the 149 victims of the WWII massacre, carried out by German troops.

03. Climbing literally “under the radar” along a route that has been improved under the shelter’s new management. 04. The café Periklides took its name from the constant requests by the establishment’s early patrons for an old hit song by Stratos Pagioumtzis.

Hammocks, yoga mats and a relaxed feeling on the lawn in front of the refuge.

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01.Many athletes choose Mt Hortiatis for mountain running and mountain biking.

02. Irini Sarantopoulou holds hatha flow yoga classes every weekend on the upper floor of the refuge.

The mountain, known in ancient times as Mt Kissos, offers plenty of hiking trails and is ideal for novices, with relatively easy routes lacking steep sections or dangerous crevices. Its rich network of paths – not all marked – traverse two distinct zones. The first, below the forest road leading to the refuge, is blanketed with chestnut, walnut, cherry and oak trees. The second, above 750-800 meters, is covered with oak trees that create such a thick canopy that sunlight doesn’t reach the ground. Here, mossy plants create an endless green carpet, while a variety of flowers, such as pansies and buttercups, abound in the few clearings that dot the se woods. I still remember the taste of the sweet raspberries, the rosehips from wild rose bushes and the walnuts that we collected on the way to the refuge, as well as the sound of acorns falling like heavy drops of rain on the yellow leaves. With such beauty surrounding me, it felt 112

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as if I were in a Claude Monet painting – until the sound of a gunshot brought me back to reality. The anguished cry of a wild boar broke my heart – a distressing note on an otherwise dreamy weekend.

THE ICE MAKERS The most famous path on Mt Hortiatis is that of the “ice makers,” which begins after the last houses on the edge of the village of Hortiatis and ends at the refuge. You’ll find it on your left as you climb the hill, on a wide turn with two green signposts indicating the way. One portion of the path features cobblestones and was constructed by the Allies to transport materials for fortifications during World War I. This, however, is not the most interesting historical fact about this trail. What tops that is the presence of enormous hollows in the ground, scattered across the forest floor and resembling bomb craters. “These were the pagomagaza

UNTIL 1955, WHEN THE LAST ICE MAKER, ANGELOS GOURAMANIS, PASSED AWAY, LOCALS MADE ICE ON THE MOUNTAIN USING NATURAL METHODS. THEY WOULD DIRECT WATER FROM SPRINGS TOWARDS GROOVES, CALLED “BARES,” WHICH WERE CUT INTO THE GROUND.

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Τhe Aelios Petra offers not just creative culinary options but an amazing view οf the Thermaic Gulf, too.

[ice houses]” explains 70-year-old Babis Nanakoudis, who was born and raised in the village and is the publisher of the local newspaper Hortiatis 570. Until 1955, when the last ice maker, Angelos Gouramanis, passed away, locals made ice on the mountain using natural methods. In January and February, they would direct water from springs near these hollows towards grooves, called “bares,” which were cut into the ground. The Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi named these icy troughs “God’s eyes.” When the water froze, the ice makers would chop out irregularly shaped pieces using an axe and place the blocks onto a wooden grate in the pagomagaza (ice houses). These were built in the form of a downward-pointing cone; this way, any melted water would trickle away. For insulation, they would place beech leaves between the ice blocks, as their stems don’t rot. In the early summer, they would load their

mules and head to Thessaloniki and sell their ice, which was highly sought-after in the days before electrical refrigeration.

THE MARTYRED VILLAGE As Nanakoudis spoke to us about the history of the mountain, other hikers gathered around to listen to more of his stories. He spoke of his grandparents, two of the 149 victims that the Germans, and their Greek collaborators, burned alive on September 2, 1944. Inevitably, this horrific crime still haunts the families of Hortiatis who, in 1960, funded the erection of a monument in the victims’ honor in the center of the village. In fact, the Davoudis residence, one of two sites of the massacre (the other was Gouramanis’ bakery) has become an ossuary honoring the memory of the victims. A piece of broken roof tile inspired Nanakoudis to talk to us about the girizia, built cisterns that controlled water flow

and helped flush the ancient water pipes that carried water to the Roman aqueduct, located at the village entrance. The girizia used to be found on these slopes. Listening, I realized that this man is a walking encyclopedia of the wider region, one fighting to keep these historical memories alive. He does this with his newspaper and with impromptu guided tours of the mountain, as well as by hosting a hike along the route of the ice makers on the first Sunday of every November. He also runs Periklides, the café housed in the oldest building in the village. Here, every winter weekend, he serves tsipouro (pomace brandy) and meze with his wife and daughter, surrounded by local memorabilia, traditional local garments, old gramophones and vintage furniture. It turns out that this place, too, is a refuge, offering shelter and protection to the history of this land, and to us!

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USEFUL INFORMATION

Left: The stone-built refuge with the red shutters in the heart of the forest is the perfect place to sip spirits around the fire before a restful night’s sleep. Right: Nikos Kontos plates up a heaping serving of chickpeas prepared with savory herbs.

HORTIATIS REFUGE The refuge operates all year round, weekends only. It offers delicious food at great prices. The traditional sausages and the mushroom soup are two of the highlights on this unexpectedly interesting menu. Overnight stays cost €12 for adults and €5 for children, and advance booking is recommended. There are two spaces that hosted 16 and 12 guests respectively before the COVID-19 pandemic. Yoga classes cost €8 per person, and you need to register in advance. Contact info: Tel. (+30) 697.825.3056, 693.887.5095.

gastronomic hotspot, with a country-style atmosphere and cuisine that follows the 100-kilometer rule – meaning that most produce is sourced from nearby areas; this includes the rib eye steak from Koutsioftis Farm in Imathia and buffalo meat from Kerkini. Try the “flower pot,” a Greek salad served in a clay pot featuring toasted olive paste as “soil,” or the buffalo kavourmas (a confit) served with poached eggs, a cream made of graviera cheese, and truffle carpaccio. The wine list is one of the most extensive in the Thessaloniki area, boasting over 500 labels.

FOOD There are many family tavernas and grill houses in the area, all serving meals at affordable prices. If possible, avoid them on Sundays, as most are packed with crowds coming up to the mountain for the day.

• Aelios Petra (Tel. (+30) 2310.358.880), located near the village of Hortiatis and open all year round from Wednesdays to Sundays, is also an interesting choice. Boasting exceptional views of the Thermaic Gulf, it operates as both a café and a restaurant. The two-story stone building, with its grand veranda (blankets are offered against the cold) and impressive dining room, serves dishes that offer traditional flavors achieved with more contemporary cooking techniques. Most of the fruits and vegetables are grown in their own garden or procured from nearby organic farms.

• If you like fine wine and prefer a more

sophisticated approach to dining, then Tzaki Ho (Tel. (+30) 2130.349.266) is the ideal choice. Angelos Kirimis, a third generation restaurateur, in collaboration with Nikos Nifoudis and Vaios Aggelinoudis, has created a contemporary 114

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EXCURSIONS Due to its proximity to Thessaloniki, Hortiatis is perfect for day trips and offers a number of activities, including hiking and cycling. While many associations and amateur groups organize trekking and biking excursions, excursions, it is best to stick with accredited businesses. One such enterprise is Giorgos Nanos and Tasos Efraimidis’ company Outline Adventures (Tel. (+30) 2130.270.040), founded three years ago, which offers one-day cycling trips (with snacks included) to Hortiatis. They have a large selection of mountain bikes and helmets for those traveling without their own gear. Costs run around €110 per person or €65 should you have your own equipment, which they’ll be happy to transport to the mountain via trailer. • For organized hikes with trekking poles, call Green Oliver (Tel. (+30) 2310.283.534) and Chrysostomos Zervopoulos. For €50 per person, you’ll enjoy a wonderful tour of Mt Hortiatis and get to admire its flora and fauna from up close.

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THE AXIOS DELTA

Experience scenes straight out of a nature documentary with flamingos, wild horses, wading birds and herds of water buffalo, all just a short distance from downtown Thessaloniki. BY A MBER CHA R MEI

ust west of Thessaloniki, right where the industrial zone ends, is a world of astounding natural beauty. This is the Axios Delta National Park, an expanse of protected wetlands covering more than 380 square kilometers and encompassing the deltas of the rivers Axios and Aliakmon (or Haliacmon), the estuaries of the rivers Gallikos and Loudias, and the wetlands of Nea Agathoupoli and Alyki Kitrous. This area forms one of the most significant ecosystems of Greece, home to a vast array of flora and fauna. Nearly 300 bird species make their homes in or migrate through the park, and there is a wonderful array of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians as well. The Axios Delta National Park is a year-round destination, with a landscape that captures the unique beauty of each season. Here are some of the best ways to enjoy the park:

THE LOUDIAS ESTUARY: HORSES, MUSSELS AND SUNSETS A 20-kilometer route, some of it along unpaved roads, begins at the junction of Nea Malgara on the Thessaloniki - Athens National Road, heading down through a pastoral landscape to the sea and running along the shore before doubling back inland. The first highlight along the way will 116

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likely be a sighting of the wildhorses of the Loudias estuary, whose story is a happy one. The descendants of workhorses who were abandoned when farms became mechanized, they breed and thrive here, now part of the delta ecosystem. The meadows near the riverbanks are some of their favorite grazing grounds. Bring binoculars for a better view. The binoculars will also come in handy as you lose yourself in some fantastic birdwatching. As you reach the shoreline, you’ll spot a great reed bed, teeming with activity. Here you’ll find graceful waterbirds and seabirds, including herons, pygmy cormorants, shelducks and spoonbills. Continuing along the coastline, you’ll find the area’s mussel farms, the plump products of which are enjoyed all over Greece. Some of the mussel farmers’ huts have been built right out on the water, hovering directly over the surface of the sea in a setting that’s the picture of tranquility. If you time it right and arrive later in the day, you’ll be there when the placid waters of the estuary capture the golden light of the setting sun. The view of Mt Olympus is lovely from here. Heading inland will bring you in the villages of Kimina and Halastra – both are popular destinations for a meal of fish or freshly harvested mussels.

Flamingos flock to the Alyki Kitrous Lagoon.

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The beguiling hues of the Axios Delta National Park as seen from above. The park’s 388 square kilometers are home to approximately 330 bird species, many of which are on the endangered list. It’s also the native habitat of a number of impressive reptiles, including one of the largest populations of Mediterranean tortoises in the world.

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THE KALOCHORI LAGOON: A WILD REFUGE AT THE EDGE OF THE CITY You don’t need a car to experience the serene beauty of the Axios Delta National Park. The local number 40 city bus to Kalochori leaves regularly throughout the day from the Thessaloniki train station. Its route runs through the city’s main industrial zone, a striking contrast to what lies ahead. Get off at the Miltiadou stop; it’s about a two-kilometer walk to the edge of the lagoon. In wintertime, the Kalochori Lagoon welcomes great flocks of flamingos. In warmer months, you’ll see many other waders, such as sandpipers and Kentish plovers. A trail leads from the village of Kalochori towards the sea, and dirt roads crisscross the landscape as far as your legs will take you. Walk along the shore for views of Thessaloniki to the one side and tranquil wetland ponds, home to plovers, avocets, black-winged stilts and other leggy wading birds to the other. In addition to all this avian splendor, you might see a herd or two of majestic water buffalo grazing in the fields. Binoculars will help you make the most of the excursion, and mosquito repellent is a must, especially near dusk. Back in Kalochori, treat yourself to a meal of fresh fish and other local seafood specialties before you head back to the city. For maps, other routes or any additional information, check out axiosdelta. gr/en, or stop by the Axios Delta Information Center in Halastra, Monday through Friday, 10:00-15:00. For Saturday hours, please call (+30) 2310.794.811).

01. The Balkan green lizard, the largest lizard native to Greece, is one of the park’s swiftest land creatures. 02. Wild horses frequent the Loudias estuary. 03. A European bee-eater, one of the many bird species native to the local ecosystem.

04. A busy day at the Nea Agathoupoli bird-watching tower. 05. The elegant flamingo may appear fragile to human eyes, but it’s not. 06. The delicious bounty of the mussel farms in this area can be sampled at many local restaurants.

THE ALYKI KITROUS LAGOON: A SENSATIONAL BIRD SANCTUARY A visit here offers a tremendous variety of experiences; among the options is to follow a 20-kilometer route that takes in a number of the highlights. If you start at the Nea Agathoupoli birdwatching tower at the southern end of the Axios Delta National Park, about 40 minutes from Thessaloniki, you can enjoy views over the delta of the Aliakmon River and out to the Thermaic Gulf, and you’ll see many different bird species through the telescopes or binoculars you can borrow here. Thousands of ducks of several species, along with pelicans, herons and birds of prey are among the many birds that frequent these wetlands. With luck, you might even spot a white-tailed sea eagle; one of the few pairs in Greece nests here. You can also walk or cycle on paths through the wetlands - bikes are available. The Nea Agathoupoli birdwatching tower is open Wednesdays to Fridays plus two Saturdays per month, from 10:00 - 14:00. Continuing south along the coastal road, flanked here by vineyards and forested ravines on the one side and the sea on the other brings you to one of Greece’s most important wetlands – the Alyki Kitrous Lagoon. The lagoon is home to many wading birds; in winter, these include great numbers of flamingos, who dine on tiny red crustaceans (from which the birds get their lovely color) that live on the lagoon floor and in the salt pans. A sparkling hill of salt stands nearby. A strip of dunes borders the lagoon. You can reach the dunes in a 4x4 vehicle via a dirt road south of the salt works, or hike in from the small Church of Aghia Paraskevi near the village of Korinos. One of Europe’s largest populations of Hermann’s tortoises lives here, along with yet still more marvelous birds; to avoid disturbing the fauna, be careful as you explore the dunes, and avoid visits during the April - June breeding season. Returning north, you’ll find the seaside village of Methoni. This is a perfect place to enjoy some fresh fish and seafood, and you may well spot some pelicans just offshore.

IN WINTERTIME, THE KALOCHORI LAGOON WELCOMES GREAT FLOCKS OF FLAMINGOS. IN WARMER MONTHS, YOU’LL SEE MANY OTHER WADERS, SUCH AS SANDPIPERS AND KENTISH PLOVERS.

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THE KEYS TO THE CITY Thessaloniki’s landmarks form an integral part of the city’s identity – here’s a crash course to help you learn more about them. E DI T E D BY SA K I S IOA N N I DI S

It was in the late 15th century that the Turks, having conquered the city in 1430, decided to build a tower to protect what was a critical part of their empire. The White Tower, 33.9m high and 21.7m in diameter, was one of three towers raised along the city’s sea wall; it replaced an older tower which had been part of the Byzantine fortifications.

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In 1913, the tower was draped in black as the city mourned King George I. A year later, it escaped demolition because the cost of knocking it down was too high. In 1941, images of houses and trees were painted on it to hide it from enemy aircraft.

[ THE WHITE TOWER – 15th C. ]

The tower, a place of execution, was long known as the “Tower of Blood”. It was renamed the “White Tower” (“Beyaz Kule”) when Sultan Abdul Hamid II ordered it to be painted white in an attempt by the Ottoman Empire to show a reformist face towards the Great Powers. The convict Nathan Guidili painted the entire tower in exchange for his freedom.

On October 18, 1912, Lt. Nikolaos Votsis of the Greek Navy, in a daring sea raid, sank the Turkish battleship Feth-i Bulend anchored in the city’s port. The mast of that ship was installed at the top of the Tower and used as a flagpole for the Greek national colors after the city was liberated on October 26, 1912.

The White Tower is made up of two cylindrical structures, one inside the other. It’s seven stories high and there are 92 steps to the top. Natural light enters its small rooms through 40 windows. It is built of bricks, stone and mortar.

During World War I, the tower was used to store antiquities from excavations conducted by the Allied Army of the Orient, which traveled with its own archaeological unit. Later, the tower housed Thessaloniki’s air defences the meteorological station of the city’s university, and hosted Sea Scouts.

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The Electra Palace Hotel recently completed its latest renovation. Its construction began in 1962 and was completed ten years later. It included anti-earthquake features uncommon at the time. Its semicircular façade is dominated by neo-Byzantine features and characteristic arches, while the interior hides neoclassical elements, with luxurious wood paneling, marble floors and ornate furniture.

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The Great Fire of 1917 left its mark on the city, destroying more than half of Thessaloniki and necessitating its regeneration. The talented French architect Ernest Hébrard drew up designs using Aristotelous Street to join Ano Poli (the “Upper City”) to the seafront. He wasn’t able to complete his plans, however, and most of the square was built in the 1950s.

[ ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE – EARLY 20th C. ]

The square is a landmark popular among visitors and locals alike, and the traditional place to celebrate New Year’s Eve – though perhaps not this year. Hidden in a corner of the square is sculptor Georgios Georgiadis’ statue of Aristotle; it depicts the renowned philosopher holding a scroll. He seems to be gazing over the passersby and street vendors.

From the air, Aristotelous Square looks like a bottle, which explains why it was featured in the global “Absolut Cities” advertising campaign for the well-known vodka brand.

Externally, the Olympia Theater closely resembles the Electra Palace, thanks to its arched cloisters and characteristic colonnades. Its interior, however, is entirely different; this two-screen cinema has hosted the Thessaloniki Film Festival since 1960.

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Galerius’ triumphal arch, known today simply as Kamara, (the Greek word for “arch”), is the only surviving element of a larger monument. In its original form, it had eight gateways and as many arches, celebrating Galerius’ return from victory over the Persians.

The Via Egnatia, a key road of the Roman Empire, passed beneath the arch.

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[ KAMARA – EARLY 4th C. ]

The Thessaloniki tram used to pass beneath the arch. In 1954, the tram line was moved to neighboring Egnatia street, and the lowering of the Street level revealed the bases of the columns.

The arches of the Kamara tell each told its own story, depicting Galerius’ military victories against King Narses of Persia.

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During Ottoman rule, a muezzin would climb the 129 steps of the minaret to call the faithful to prayer. The conical roof and part of the top section of the 35.85m minaret, built in the same style as the minarets added to the Hagia Sophia by Selim II, were destroyed by an earthquake in 1978.

The Rotunda stood at the end of the processional route connecting the Arch of Galerius with the emperorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palace, the ruins of which are visible in Navarino Square, a well-known student hangout.

The public was allowed back into the Rotunda in 2015, after 40 years of closure for restoration and conservation work. Today, the Rotunda is one of Thessalonikiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightest monuments and functions both as a museum and as a venue for classical music concerts. It is dedicated to Saint George, and celebrates his feast day on April 23.

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[ THE ROTUNDA – EARLY 4th C. ]

The Rotunda is one of the most multicultural monuments in Thessaloniki. Galerius built a circular structure that resembled the Pantheon of Rome. When it was first built (about AD 306), it functioned as a temple to Zeus; it was subsequently converted into a Christian church, and later into a mosque by Sheikh Suleyman Hortaji Effendi.

The frescoes in the interior of the Rotunda date to the early 5th C., and the saints depicted are those who were martyred during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian. The surviving mosaics depict geometric shapes, animals, birds and plants, and are decorative in nature.

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The church is an architectural masterpiece and a unique remnant of the Paleologos era (12611453), with the mosaics and frescoes that survive in fragments comprising the last extant example of a fresco scheme from before the decline of the Byzantine Empire. According to legend, the church was dedicated to the Holy Apostles because it seemed to have 12 domes; however, it has only five.

Built between 1310 and 1314 by Patriarch Nephon I and his pupil Hegumenos Paul, this church was originally the katholikon (main church) of a wellpopulated monastery.

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[ THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES - EARLY 14th C. ]

The church was converted to a mosque in 1530, and was renamed after Pasha Cerezi Kasim. The church’s large cistern was the reason that it became known informally as Soguk Su, the Mosque of the Cold Water.

The mosaics and frescoes were covered with plaster when the church was converted to a mosque. The renovation of the church, and the restoration of the frescoes, started in 1929; the mosaics were cleaned in 2002.

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The top of the tower, which has four levels, reaches a height of 72.4 meters. For many years, it was associated with “Radio Thessaloniki,” which had its studios on the fourth floor.

The composer Theodoros Antoniou’s electronic composition “Telecommunications 1970”, commissioned by OTE, was first heard here.

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[ THE OTE TOWER - MID 20th C. ]

The OTE Tower opened in the late ‘60s, and its ground floor served as the pavilion for OTE, the Greek telecommunications company, during the Thessaloniki International Fair. It was built to a design by architect Alexandros Anastasiadis and, when completed, transmitted the first programs (black-and-white) on Greek public TV. At the time, the rotating floor was a major engineering achievement.

The tower lay derelict for some time before it was renovated in 2005. Today, there is a café on its rotating fourth floor that offers magical views across the city – each rotation takes about an hour. It remains the only rotating café in Greece.

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HISTORY

ONCE UPON A TIME... Ten strange but true stories from northern Greece’s fascinating and quirky past. BY JOHN LEONA R D

DEATH SCENE

Macedonia’s King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, is remembered for astonishing military and political feats – even becoming master of Athens – but it may be his outrageous personal character, sacrilegious conduct and shocking death that continue to intrigue us the most. As well as a battle-scarred warrior, a polygamist and a famous hedonist, he was also said to be a notorious seducer of both women and young men, and he ultimately fell victim to a disgruntled lover. Diodorus Siculus reports Philip was murdered in 336 BC as he entered the theater at Aigai (Vergina), irreverently parading his own sculpture among sacred images of the Olympian gods. His attacker, Pausanias of Orestis, who had recently been “disrespected” by a gang of drunken muleteers by order of Attalus, Philip’s right-hand general, vengefully stalked and stabbed the king. After this inglorious death, Philip received a glorious burial at Aigai. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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ÂŠ VISUALHELLAS.GR

HISTORY

SUPERNOVA No star shines brighter in the rich constellation of Macedoniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history than Alexander the Great, who conquered the East and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic world. As a brilliant strategist and motivator of men, he pushed the bounds 136

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of empire and convention, leaving a legacy of Greek culture and accomplishment still detectable in distant corners of Asia. Yet, like his father, he lived fast, drank too much wine, enjoyed indiscriminate sex and placed himself on a par with the gods. After conquering Egypt, Alexander became the new pharaoh, a figure

HISTORY

A GRISLY FINALE

The great playwright Euripides was born on the island of Salamina in 480 BC, on the very day that the Greeks destroyed the Persian fleet in the historic battle that took place just off its shores. He had a tumultuous family life, and as for his death, fate dealt him a strange hand. Sometime around 409 BC, Euripides moved from Athens to Macedonia. Archelaus I of Macedon had invited him to Pella, where the king had gathered many notable artists in his court. Tradition has it that, while there, Euripides intervened to save some hunters from severe punishment for having killed a hunting dog from the royal pack. In an ironic twist, it was the king’s hunting dogs, starved before a hunt, that killed Euripides, mauling him to death in a forest not far from Pella in 406 BC. While some of his Athenian contemporaries felt this a fitting end for an impious man, the Macedonians did not and showed their love by burying him as one of their own.

viewed as divine. In 331 BC, he also traveled to the sacred oasis of Siwah, where he was declared the son of Zeus Ammon. His sudden death in 323 BC continues to be debated, attributed variously to disease or overindulgence – but perhaps abetted by a rising resentment among his own men, or even the envious gods. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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HISTORY

WE’VE MOVED

The founding of the city of Thessaloniki, by Cassander sometime around 315 BC, was a reaction to the silting in of the Thermaic Gulf’s former major port city, Pella, which once lay on the coast. As the alluvium from nearby rivers choked Pella’s port facilities and natural inlet connecting it to the sea, the shoreline gradually accreted outward, leaving Pella, once the palatial headquarters of Macedonian kings (including Philip II and Alexander the Great) high and dry; today, it sits in the midst of vast agricultural fields. This developing environmental calamity may have been exploited by Cassander as one justification for building his own capital, named for his wife Thessaloniki, Alexander’s sister, further to the east.

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At Amphipolis, archaeologists continue probing the enormous ancient tomb discovered in 2012 on Kasta Hill. But a great mystery remains. Who was buried there? Could it be Alexander the Great, his Persian wife Roxana, an esteemed Macedonian officer or a Roman VIP? Amphipolis was a major fortified city, where, following Alexander’s death, Roxana and her teenage son, Alexander IV, were imprisoned by Cassander. The Kasta crypt certainly appears to be a Macedonian tomb of the 4th c. BC, and is surrounded by a huge

marble wall 158m in diameter – the largest such funerary monument in Greece. However, King Alexander was buried in Egypt; Prince Alexander at Aigai/Vergina; and Queen Roxana, poisoned at Amphipolis in 309 BC, was “undeserving” of such an imposing memorial. Clearly, an important personage remains to be identified. Or was Kasta monumentalized by later hero-worshiping Hellenistic or Roman authorities, with a similar (mistaken?) notion that some great figure lay in the elegant antique tomb?

HISTORY

The Roman emperor Theodosius I once ordered the massacre of thousands of his own subjects in Thessaloniki. Or did he? In AD 390, after a popular charioteer was arrested, a riot broke out and a local military commander was killed. Legend holds that Theodosius decided to punish the city, ordering the deliberate slaughter of as many as 7,000 spectators who were in the hippodrome watching the races. However, a recent study by historian Stanislav Dolezal (2014) suggests the deaths resulted from panicky troops sent in to make sweeping arrests among the citizenry, regardless of guilt or innocence. After the crowd became unruly, the hippodrome was violently cleared, with great but unintended loss of life.

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

WHEN NATURE CALLS The hygiene-conscious Romans had “flushing” toilets. At Philippi, you’ll find a rare example of a late Roman/early Christian public latrine, commonly called “the Vespasian,” after the emperor who levied a urine tax on the cloth makers and other businessmen who profited from the use or sale of urine (needed for processing fibers). Beneath the

stone bench, equipped with ergonomically designed holes that accommodated the male anatomy, a drainage channel led away to a central sewer. After a visitor “did his business” and cleansed himself with a sponge attached to a stick, the drain could be flushed with water by attendants, keeping everything odor-free and tidy.

Strolling along Dimitriou Gounari Street, we might forget we are passing through the city’s own “Versailles” – a massive palace complex of the Roman emperor Galerius, who ruled AD 305-311. The luxury of this imperial headquarters is apparent in the marble-veneered “Octagon,” an audience hall or throne room just inside a vestibule, peristyle and sea gate – today hundreds of meters inland. The complex had two arches: the “Small Arch of Galerius” near the Octagon (now in the Archaeological

Museum of Thessaloniki) and the main Arch of Galerius at its northern end. Later, Constantine the Great finished the Octagon and may have founded the massive domed Rotunda with its magnificent wall mosaics, which eventually became Thessaloniki’s first Christian church. Lurking behind this opulence is a dark history, however, as Galerius was responsible for the martyrdom of Saint Demetrius, while the palace’s hippodrome is said to have been the site of a notorious slaughter of citizens under Theodosius I.

MASSACRE OR MISHAP?

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CHURCH OF HOSIOS DAVID

CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES

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Nothing says “Thessaloniki!” like the city’s extraordinary Christian churches, some dating from as far back as earliest Byzantine times, when the Romans were still transitioning to Christianity. Today, many of Thessaloniki’s churches remain dynamic centers of an enduring faith, led by the Church of Aghios Dimitrios, dedicated to the city’s early-4th-c. patron saint, now an impressively restored survivor of Thessaloniki’s 1917 conflagration. But it’s the smaller chapels, time-bitten and resilient, frequently hidden in the

twisting narrow streets of the timeless Ano Polis (Upper Town) district, which can best transport you back into the mists and spiritualism of the Byzantine World. Every domed apse and frescoed or tessellated wall seems to have a story of survival, revelation and resurrection formed through centuries of invasions, conversions and fires.The humble Church of Hosios David is missing a corner – indeed, its entire monastery – but its primary mosaic of a beardless Christ, long hidden beneath Ottoman white-

HISTORY

VLATADON MONASTERY

ALWAYS IMPORTANT Thessaloniki, through its ancient and medieval history, has been many things: imperial capital, commercial and cultural crossroads, strategic military base, EastWest gateway, European melting pot and a not-so-peripheral city, frequently on the verge of outshining the major centers of the day, whether Athens, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Istanbul or Athens again. Here, the many threads in life’s rich tapestry were on full display, occasionally rent by tragedy and human suffering, but ever enduring. The extraordinary mix of peoples crowding inside Thessaloniki’s ancient city walls came from all walks of life and occupations – from native Macedonians, Greeks and Italians to

Slavs, Franks and Turks. The streets teemed with Christians, Muslims, Spanish Jews, Crusaders, Janissaries and merchants. The Apostle Paul visited, Constantine the Great made Thessaloniki Byzantium’s second city, and the post-1492 burgeoning Jewish community made it the leading center of Jewish culture outside the Holy Land. Ottoman society and influence also thrived, with Thessaloniki becoming a major Balkan Janissary base and the birthplace of Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey. Today’s Thessaloniki draws on its unique cultural past to fufill its far-reaching role as much more than just a regional capital on the Thermaic Gulf.

wash, dates to the 5th/6th centuries AD. The Vlatadon Monastery’s frescoes (14th c.) are considered the finest preserved examples of the “Macedonian School” of painting. The church was built by two Cretan brothers, cloth merchants, who became monks. The Church of the Holy Apostles’ intricate brickwork is extraordinary, while its paintings and mosaics are masterpieces of the Paleologue era (14th-15th cents.) – also later whitewashed, now beautifully cleaned and conserved. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 0 2 0 - 21

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