GREECE IS/THESSALONIKI/WINTER2019/2020 by GREECE IS

EXPERIENCE CULTURE, GASTRONOMY & MORE

THESSALONIKI

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ISSN: 2529-041X

ISSUE #40 | 2019-20 EDITION

6 - 40

WE L C O ME

All the season’s events and the new arrivals, cool spots and hidden gems, along with what lies ahead for one of Europe’s hottest tourist destinations.

42 - 66

L E ARNING FROM L OCALS

Meet prominent city denizens, including daring designers, famed festival directors and creative curators busy shaping a stylish cultural landscape.

68 - 112

T HEN AND NOW

An amazing past and a thrilling present, with accounts of ancient times, old and new landmarks, urban experiences and irresistible eateries.

114 - 141

MT OLYMPUS

Discover the myths and natural wonders of this legendary mountain, and explore its trails and peaks together with intrepid climbers and other enthusiasts.

CMY

WELCOME

A MATTER OF PERSONALITY Thessaloniki isn’t perfect yet, but 95 percent of its visitors would happily come back. B Y G I O R G O S T S I R O S / E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F, G R E E C E I S

Residents of Thessaloniki are particularly fond of griping about their city, and they’re unlikely to stop that any time soon – at least, not until some significant infrastructure projects are completed, including, most importantly, the city’s metro. On the other hand, visitors to the city simply fall in love with it. Its privileged relationship with the sea, its long and omnipresent history, the vibrancy of its student population and of its numerous creative bodies, its old and new haunts and its thriving cultural scene offer a wealth of experiences that are at once cosmopolitan and authentically local. Easily accessible by both road and air (and it will only become more so once the extension and refurbishment of its airport is completed), convenient to explore in terms of its size and layout, welcoming with its calm pace of life and, in fact, eminently approachable in every sense, Thessaloniki makes for an ideal city break destination. In its last consumer survey on behalf of the Thessaloniki Hotels Association (THA), carried out between July and December 2018, the firm GBR Consulting recorded high levels of customer satisfaction based on a sample of 1,390 questionnaires from 41 hotels across all categories. With 10 as the highest score, the city was given an overall rating of 8.1,

with a special mention regarding its higher performance in leisure and entertainment (8.6), culture (8.5) and the attitude of the local population towards visitors (8.5). There are, of course, several areas with room for improvement, including those involving cleanliness, green spaces, public squares and pedestrian sidewalks, something the city’s new mayor, Konstantinos Zervas, who took office in September, acknowledges; his first priority in his new role is, he has stated, the improvement of everyday life in the city. Nonetheless, more than two out of three foreign visitors said that Thessaloniki surpassed their expectations, and 95 percent of respondents expressed not only the desire to visit again, but also a willingness to recommend the city to others. Why would someone choose to visit Thessaloniki? Answers to this question, which was asked as part of the same consumer survey, revealed the city’s own distinct character as the primary reason, followed by its amazing cuisine and by the wealth of its archaeological and cultural sites. These, and many more, are the features that we have sought to showcase in this current issue, hoping that we may help you discover the very soul of this imperfect but irresistible city. Happy wanderings!

They say that the seafront saved the city’s sanity during the recent crisis, and it’s still working its magic. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

CONTENTS G R E E C E I S - I S S U E # 4 0 T H E S S A L O N I K I , 2 0 19 - 2 0 2 0 E D I T I O N

113 06. THE COOL CHART City influencers and their favorite spots. 10. THE PULSE A look at how Thessaloniki has evolved into an exciting city-break destination. 20. ALWAYS SOMETHING ON Highlights of the city’s vibrant cultural scene.

28. PARTY TOWN There’s always some kind of celebration taking place and you’re invited! 36. NEW ON THE BLOCK Thessaloniki is never out of fresh options for eating, drinking and shopping. 42. LOCAL LOOKS Designers who add verve to the city’s fashion scene. 50. SHARING SECRETS Five renowned residents help us look at their city with new eyes.

60. A TREAT FOR FILM BUFFS All you need to know about the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

78. DON’T MISS A THING We’ve put together some highlights to help you organize your own perfect city visit.

68. THE THREAD OF TIME Twenty-five centuries at a glance.

102. KEYS TO THE CITY A photographic tour of Thessaloniki’s most spectacular landmarks.

70. ONCE UPON A TIME... Ten strange but true stories from northern Greece’s fascinating and quirky past.

113. OLYMPUS Enchanting myths, legendary ascents, iconic trails, exciting flora and fauna and so much more in our 27-page special on the mythical home of the gods.

ON THE COVER: An illustration by the award-winning Thessaloniki-based studio Beetroot Design Group.

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INSIDERS

THE COOL CHART

MY FAVORITE CAFÉ

WHERE TO GO ON A RAINY DAY

MY GUILTY PLEASURE

A GOOD SHOPPING TIP

A HIDDEN GEM

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ARIS RAMMOS PHOTOGRAPHER

ALEXANDRA EFSTATHIADOU

HOTELIER, EKIES RESORT

The very small, very quiet TOBACCO FAN SHOP in the center of Thessaloniki (7 Karolou Ntil) is a perfect place to relax and offers a great variety of cigars.

STAY HOME, OR, FOR THE NEXT BEST THING THAT FEELS LIKE YOU’RE HOME, TRY THE COSY OMIKRON RESTAURANT IN LADADIKA (3 OPLOPIOU) FOR SOUL-SOOTHING FLAVORS! Going on treasure hunts in wine shops like WINELAW (19 Ionos Dragoumi) or CAVA ABATZIS (12 Aristotelous, Evosmos).

ALWAYS WEAR SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL NICE. I BELIEVE YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH THE CLASSIC MEN’S STYLE, SO I HEAD TO INTERVISTA (71 TSIMISKI). I love when people try to introduce new things, big or small, in Thessaloniki. So my new hidden gem is a small, lively spritzeria called “GIULIETTA,” with wonderful drinks and small platters (33 P. P. Germanou).

LOCAL (17 P. P. GERMANOU AND PAVLOU MELA) IS ALWAYS A GOOD OPTION. I GO WITH FRIENDS FOR GREAT COFFEE IN A COMFORTABLE PLACE WITH A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. I’d try the Hammam Baths of MAKEDONIA PALACE. They offer an authentic hammam experience in a space designed for maximum comfort, so I can relax and enjoy the silence.

THREE TIMES A YEAR, I TREAT MYSELF TO A PROFITEROLE FROM ELENIDI. EACH BITE IS A DIVE INTO CHOCOLATE PLEASURE AND SWEET MEMORIES.

IOANNIS PATELIOTIS

DJ AND FOUNDER OF THE “STREET OUTDOORS” MUSIC ORGANIZATION

At the super-small URBAN DELI (7 Vasileos Irakleiou), you can have quality coffee and healthy bites, especially good in the morning.

GRAB AN UMBRELLA AND HEAD TO PIER A OF THE PORT. THE AREA IS REALLY PEACEFUL WHEN IT’S RAINING, AND I FIND WATCHING THE WAVES GROW VERY RELAXING. The pistachio cheesecake at CHEESECAKE & CO (3 Makedonikis Amynis). I walk up to the area of the Ancient Agora and the Church of Aghios Dimitrios and stop there for something sweet before continuing my stroll.

The design shop 2ND FLOOR (50 Proxenou Koromila) has homeware pieces for the well-designed and authentic environment I want to live in with my family.

GO TO DEVICE ONE (19 P. P. GERMANOU) FOR CONTEMPORARY STREET WEAR AND MAYBE SOME OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER DESIGNER SNEAKERS IN EUROPE.

THE THERMAIKOS BAR, WITH ITS SEA VIEWS AND THOSE OLD RED SOFAS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER, IS JUST THE PLACE FOR THINKING DEEP THOUGHTS OR HAVING A FEW LAUGHS.

The BYZANTINE WALLS and TRIGONIO TOWER. Find a nice spot and spend the night there; bring beer or wine. Stay until the first morning light for the amazing view and the serene atmosphere.

ILLUSTRATION: FILIPPOS AVRAMIDES

Six city influencers recommend some of their favorite spots.

Celebrating 10 years of luxury in the heart of Thessaloniki

www.excelsiorhotel.gr

INSIDERS

MY FAVORITE CAFÉ

WHERE TO GO ON A RAINY DAY

MY GUILTY PLEASURE

A GOOD SHOPPING TIP

A HIDDEN GEM

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SITTING DOWN SOMEWHERE FOR COFFEE IS A RARE LUXURY FOR ME NOWADAYS! I GRAB MY MORNING CAFFEINE FROM ERGON AGORA ON MY WAY TO THE OFFICE. A good option when it rains is an outlet store. I go to IANOS BAZAAR on Vogatsikou Street. It’s an underground bookstore where you can lose yourself in discount books.

FOODWISE, THE CHOCOLATE DESSERTS AT KARAISKOS, A PATISSERIE RIGHT BEHIND AGHIOS DIMITRIOS, ARE TO DIE FOR. MY OTHER GUILTY PLEASURE IS A MASSAGE AT HEALING ART (68 MITROPOLEOS).

A walk around the outdoor BIT BAZAAR flea market is always a good idea, even if you aren’t into antiques.

PALERMO CAFÉ OVERLOOKING ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE OLD PLACES IN THE CITY. IT’S PERFECT FOR AN EARLY DRINK, OR A COFFEE WITH A FRIEND.

THOMAS MOSCHOTOGLOU OWNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF “TIEM”

TRIBECA (19 Nikis), because of the great sea views.

NOESIS PLANETARIUM, TO WATCH THE STARS AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLANETS. IT’S A NICE WAY TO TAKE YOUR MIND OFF YOUR TROUBLES AND DREAM AWAY.

TIMI MOUFTOGLOU

FOUNDER OF THE MULTI-BRAND CONCEPT STORE “ELEGANCE+”

ON CHRYSOSTOMOU SMIRNIS STREET, THERE’S A COLORFUL CAFÉ WITH A COZY ATMOSPHERE, GREAT COFFEE AND HOMEMADE DESSERTS.

Where else? Down by the sea! There’s no more beautiful place to be than at the seafront when it rains. Don’t be afraid of the rain. Throw on a raincoat and walk to the waterfront!

The ice cream at PARFAIT (77 Nikis) is really amazing.

ICE CREAM FROM BLE! THIS BAKERY ON PEDESTRIANIZED AGHIA SOPHIA STREET HAS, AMONG MANY OTHER DELICACIES, WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST ICE CREAM IN THE CITY.

BIENTÔT (5 MORGENDAOU) FOR WINES, KAPANI FOR HERBS, HOTEL (10 P. P. GERMANOU) FOR CLOTHES AND ERGON AGORA FOR PREMIUM COFFEE, OLIVE OIL AND GREAT DELI PRODUCTS.

Don’t miss the small shops located downtown along Tsimiski Street and, of course, my own concept store “ELEGANCE+,” at number 86, in which you’ll find limited-collection garments as well as many home accessories.

7 SEAS offers a delicious Mediterranean menu, combined with an atmosphere that creates an unforgettable dining experience. (10 Kalapotharaki)

AWARD-WINNING VOGATSIKOU 3 HAS INTERESTING COCKTAILS, TASTY BITES, GOOD MUSIC, AND HOSTS THE BEST SUNDAY PARTIES.

ILLUSTRATION: FILIPPOS AVRAMIDES

MARIA TSAFTARI

ARCHITECT AND FOUNDER OF THE “URBAN SOUL PROJECT”

WELCOME

THE PULSE

With a new mayor, major projects underway and its international reputation on the rise, Thessaloniki can look ahead with confidence.

Â© PERIKLES MERAKOS

B Y PAG O N A L A P S AT I

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WELCOME

NEA PARALIA

ast summer, the hip magazine Monocle ran a digital feature on Thessaloniki’s revival. “Greece’s second city is defiantly bouncing back from the economic crisis and welcoming an increasingly international crowd,” it said. The Association of British Travel Agents, meanwhile, ranked the city among the 12 destinations “to watch for” in 2019, thanks to its new flight connections, its big public events and its value-for-money rating. The “capital of the Balkans,” as it’s sometimes called, is evolving and claiming a starring role on the southern European

stage. It moans sometimes (with good reason) but it’s optimistic that its chronic ailments will finally be healed, starting with the completion of the much-beleaguered metro – now expected in 2023, according to latest estimates. “The day I scan my first ticket at the Thessaloniki metro will be the happiest day of my life,” says Mayor Konstantinos Zervas, a 55-year-old civil engineer with a postgraduate degree from Brown. He won last May’s local election after running as an independent, promising to modernize the city’s infrastructure and boost its quality of life with steps such

“THE DAY I SCAN MY FIRST TICKET AT THE THESSALONIKI METRO WILL BE THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE,” SAYS MAYOR KONSTANTINOS ZERVAS. 12

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as improving cleanliness and promoting respect for public spaces. He talks of rebranding the city as a hub of tourism, commerce, finance, culture and religion. The truth is that there’s plenty to work with – sites, experiences and services – as first-time visitors are pleasantly surprised to discover. A crew from a France 2 television network travel program was recently in Thessaloniki for a story on its now famous New Waterfront, the biggest urban rejuvenation project to have been carried out in the city in several decades. Over the course of their explorations, the French presenters discovered and were enchanted by the old quarter of Ano Poli, citing it as the best reason for anyone to visit Thessaloniki. Last winter, the London Times spent a long weekend in the city, recommending it to its readers not just for its cultural attractions, but also for its “upsurge in foodie outlets.”

LOVE AT THE WATERFRONT “All roads lead to the sea,” was the title of yet another tribute to Thessaloniki,

SEAFOOD SIGNATURE DISHES

NIKOLAOU PLASTIRA 3 & CHILIS KALAMARIA, THESSALONIKI, GREECE Î¤. +30 2310 932 542 MAVRITHALASSA WWW.MAVRITHALASSA.GR

WELCOME

ANO LADADIKA

CHRIMATISTIRIO SQUARE

published last May by the Irish Times, which described the city as “a melting pot before the word was invented.” It quotes a local tour guide as saying that the waterfront “saved the sanity of the city during the crisis.” According to customer surveys commissioned by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association, the waterfront is the city’s most popular destination right now. Unfortunately, many of its features, such as the water fountains, are not getting the TLC they need and look somewhat neglected as a result. Local businesspeople, however, have stepped in with donations to help; one such person is Sani Resort’s Stavros Andreadis, who is providing funds for the maintenance of

two of its pocket parks: the Sculpture Garden and the Mediterranean Garden. The continuous five-kilometer stretch dedicated to pedestrians is, nevertheless, a sight to behold, especially early in the morning when it’s quiet. Throughout the day, you‘ll see people taking a stroll, having a run, cycling or just hanging out, enjoying the sea views. It also has several artistic features, most popular among which is the “Umbrellas” sculpture by George Zongolopoulos. “I’ve never seen a sculpture have such an effect on people,” says architect Prodromos Nikiforidis from the Nikiforidis/Cuomo firm, which designed the waterfront’s facelift. Indeed, passersby invariably stop at the famous installation to take photographs, striking poses ranging

IT’S AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION, WITH A VIBRANT CULTURAL SCENE THAT ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING NEW TO OFFER, AS WELL AS COOL ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS – AND THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING MORE TO DISCOVER. 14

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from lighthearted – think Mary Poppins taking flight – to serious. It’s a compelling sight, much like a spontaneous outdoor performance. And the “actors” always leave with a smile on their faces. From skaters doing ollies off the pedestal of the statue of Alexander the Great on horseback to families with children enjoying mini-cruises of the Thermaic Gulf, Thessaloniki’s residents and visitors get as much as they can out of the waterfront.

INNUMERABLE REASONS TO VISIT Thessaloniki experienced a remarkable rise in overnight stays at its hotels from 2012 to 2018, going from 1.6 to 2.4 million per year. Data for the first eight months of 2019, however, confirm that tourism can be an erratic market, with no room for complacency: overnight stays dropped marginally, even as international publications are singing the city’s praises as a city break destination. The devaluation of the lira kept many Turks away; they come here in part to visit the Kemal Ataturk Museum, located in the house where the founder of modern Turkey was born. On the other hand, the commencement of flights to and from Qatar have helped

WELCOME

THE STATUE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT AT NEA PARALIA

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out beyond the Balkans to the rest of Europe as well. We need to reboot the city’s historical and cultural connection to Central Europe and attract the interest of northern Europe, too,” says Thanasis Dougias, director of the new boutique hotel The Modernist. But it’s not just Europe. Last year, the city hosted its biggest-ever international tourism event, the International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism, organized by the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization and constituting a link to China (via most of the rest of Asia), which is seen as the next big source of tourists. The country of honor at this year’s Thessaloniki International Fair, Greece’s biggest commercial expo, was India, another massive market with enormous potential.

COMING SOON There’s more good news on other fronts as well. What will be the biggest

film studio in Greece is being built in eastern Thessaloniki, in cooperation with Bulgaria’s Nu Boyana, one of Europe’s largest film studios. A movie on the subject of the city’s Jews will start filming here this winter. The historic Modiano Market is being given a radical facelift by the architectural firm Sparch, while the stretch between the Galerius Palace Complex and the waterfront is being pedestrianized and revamped. Once Fanarioton Square is finished, you’ll be able to enjoy a view from there stretching all the way to the sea. With its long history and its modern landmarks, Thessaloniki offers much to explore for the inquisitive visitor. It‘s an attractive destination, with a vibrant and creative cultural scene and cool entertainment options, and there’s always something more to discover.

©KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS

open up the Gulf market, while efforts launched a few years ago to attract the world’s Jewish community are starting to bear fruit, with large numbers of Jewish vistors arriving from Israel and the US. If you fly to Thessaloniki, you’re bound to notice the construction site for the new airport terminal, a 100-million-euro project being carried out by Fraport and slated for completion in 2021. Will this give tourism a fresh boost? The aim is to attract more carriers, connections and visitors. Apart from the new terminal, another important development expected to have a positive impact on tourism is the completion of the metro and its extension to the airport so as to facilitate the movement of travelers. In the meantime, Thessaloniki is reaching out to dynamic new tourist markets. “The challenge is to attract visitors from more countries, to reach

THE NEW THESSALONIKI

s part of its mandate to take over the management and operations of 14 airports, Fraport Greece has prepared a comprehensive plan for the modernization and development of the facilities. The project concerns the operation, management, development and maintenance of 14 regional Greek airports, of which three are in mainland Greece while the rest are on Greek islands. More specifically, Fraport Greece is responsible for the operation of Aktion, Chania, Corfu, Kavala, Kefalonia, Kos, Mytilene, Mykonos, Rhodes,

Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Thessaloniki and Zakynthos airports. The company’s plan for upgrading the airports’ facilities will contribute significantly to improving the overall customer travel experience while also responding to the expected increase in passenger traffic. By 2021, Fraport Greece will have invested a minimum of €415 million in development works. In addition to this sum of €415 million, Fraport Greece has paid an upfront concession fee of €1,234 billion. Furthermore, it pays an annual fixed concession fee of €22.9 million, as well as a one-euro levy

per departing passenger (approx. €15 million in 2018) paid to the Greek state, and a variable annual concession fee averaging 28.5 percent of its operating profits (after the completion of the investment program) to the Greek state. Fraport Greece’s major development works to be implemented include: building five new passenger terminals at the Thessaloniki, Corfu, Kefalonia, Kos and Mytilene airports; expanding terminals at Mykonos, Santorini, Skiathos, Aktion and Samos; and remodeling the Chania, Zakynthos, Kavala and Rhodes airports. This will result in an increase in termial

ADVERTORIAL

“MAKEDONIA” AIRPORT space of 100,000 m2 at the 14 airports, for a new combined total of 300,000 m2. Fraport Greece is investing some €100 million in creating a “new era” in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki. Along with the second terminal, this investment includes refurbishing the existing terminal, constructing a new fire station and upgrading the biological wastewater treatment unit as well as connecting it to the main city

network. Other enhancements will increase operational capacity, thanks to more checkin counters, a doubling of the security lanes, additional baggage-delivery belts, and the doubling of the number of terminal gates. At the same time, major upgrade works elsewhere at the airport include reconstructing the runway and apron areas and installing a modern baggage-handling and control system. Fraport Greece’s SKG development

program, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021, will significantly increase capacity for a modern gateway to the city of Thessaloniki and its wider region. A new era of growth is starting for Greece, with the largest investment ever made and with tremendous benefits for tourism and the Greek economy. This investment is a multilevel developmental vehicle for Greece, nationally and locally.

WWW.FRAPORT-GREECE.COM/ENG

AGENDA

ALWAYS SOMETHING ON

Outstanding exhibitions and exciting performances fill the city’s cultural calendar

LIUBOV POPOVA, PART OF THE DESIGN FOR THE STAGE SET FOR “EARTH IN TURMOIL”, 1923 @MOMUS-MUSEUM OF MODERN ART-COSTAKIS COLLECTION

BY X E N I A GEORGI A DOU

31082020 CYCLADIC COLONIES

What drove the colonization of strategic locations in the northern Aegean in the first half of the 7th century BC? A new exhibition explores one of the most fascinating chapters of the Archaic period through 478 exhibits, separated into two sections. The first is dedicated to the metropolis of Andros and to the colonies it founded in eastern Halkidiki and the Strymonian Gulf, while the second concerns Paros and its colony in Thassos. • “From the South to the North: Colonies of the Cyclades in the Northern Aegean,” The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki: 6 Manolis Andronikou, amth.gr

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01032020

MULTITALENTED

Painter and designer Liubov Popova is regarded as one of the most inquisitive and active proponents of the Russian avant-garde, producing innovative work that pioneered new techniques and ranged in style from cubism to suprematism and constructivism. MOMus-Museum of Modern Art-Costakis Collection presents a comprehensive exhibition of her work – including paintings, collages, prints for textiles and stage models – that demonstrates the breadth and depth of her oeuvre. • “Liubov Popova: Form, Color, Space,” MOMus-Museum of Modern Art-Costakis Collection: Moni Lazariston, 21 Kolokotroni, momus.gr

0211 02122019

NIKOS KOUNDOUROS THE ARTIST

The 60th Thessaloniki International Film Festival celebrates renowned filmmaker’s Nikos Koundouros work as a visual artist. Oil paintings, drawings, costumes, masks, letters and journals shed further light on the late director’s approach to cinema. “In every frame of his films,” says artistic director Orestis Andreadakis, “we felt the artist’s point of view. In this exhibition, we explore the evolution of that point of view.” • “Nikos Koundouros, The Unknown Artist,” Pier A, Port of Thessaloniki, filmfestival.gr

15122019

POWER GAMES

• “The Servant of Two Masters,” National Theater of Northern Greece, Vassiliko (Royal) Theater: White Tower Square, ntng.gr

In a bid to satisfy his insatiable hunger, Truffaldino becomes an errand boy for two separate masters. A natural blunderer, but also sly and sharp, he soon has them dancing to his own tune. The popular Venetian comedy by Carlo Goldoni is being staged for the second year in a row, in a production directed by Michalis Sionas. Supertitles in English are available every Friday.

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VASSILIS SALPISTIS, MALRAUX, HIS SONS AND HIS KACHINA DOLLS, 2019. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND THE KAPPATOS GALLERY

AGENDA

16022020

A CRITICAL STANCE

TIME TRAVEL

Forgotten in a storage room of an old villa on the island of Syros for around 100 years, a safe finally reveals its secrets. Rare documents, photographs, postcards, pistols, ancient coins and medals transport us to a time when the town of Ermoupoli, the island’s capital, was a vibrant metropolis representing industrial, social and urban development in recently liberated Greece. The safe belonged to the family of Athanasios Ladopoulos, the grandson of a Thessaloniki merchant who moved to Ermoupoli in 1823. • “The Safe: From the story of a family to the history of an era,” MIET Cultural Center, Villa Kapandji: 108 Vasilissis Olgas, miet.gr

JONATHAS DE ANDRADE, O PEIXE (THE FISH), 2016, VIDEO. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND GALERIA VERMELHO YIORGOS DEPOLLAS, 16 INKJET PRINTS, 60X72 CM, FROM THE SERIES “THE OUTSIDER” (2005-TODAY) ATHINA IOANNOU, MYTHOLOGIES, 2019, LINSEED OIL ON COLOURED FABRIC AND PINS, INSTALLATION IN SITU .MOMusMUSEUM ALEX MYLONA (ATHENS), DIMENSIONS VARIABLE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

The 7th Biennale of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki, which is taking place at six venues in the city as well as one in Athens, looks at the importance of maintaining a critical distance from things. Through their work, fifty artists from Greece and abroad reflect on some of the vital issues facing contemporary societies as they seek alternative perspectives from which to view the past and the present while maintaining a conscious critical stance regarding life and the world. Director of the Curatorial Team is art historian Syrago Tsiara. • 7th Biennale of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki - A Critical Stance, www.thessalonikibiennale.gr

17112019

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FILM STILL OF “LILLIAN”, BY ANDREAS HORVATH

AGENDA

0111 01122019 A NEW PERSPECTIVE

In 1987, writer Frank White coined the term “overview effect” to describe that special feeling that astronauts have when looking down at Earth from space. This unique way of seeing the world, the inability to discern boundaries or social, political or religious differences from such a great distance, as well as the other elements that make up this point of view, is the main theme of the 14 films to be screened in the competition section of this year’s Thessaloniki International Film Festival. This concept is also the theme of an original art show taking place alongside the festival, an exhibition which includes 14 works created by different artists and inspired by the films in the competition and the issues they address. • “Overview effect,” Experimental Center for the Arts: Warehouse B1, Thessaloniki Port, filmfestival.gr

122019 052020 POST-BYZANTINE ART

The Museum of Byzantine Culture’s latest temporary show, curated by the institution’s director Agathonikis Tsilipakos, delves into post-Byzantine art. More than 120 exhibits – ranging from portable icons to church utensils – from the museum’s permanent collection, as well as pieces from the Thessaloniki Municipal Gallery, have been arranged into five sections focusing on particular themes, prevalent techniques and influences from other cultures. • “Two Collections Come Together,” The Museum of Byzantine Culture: 2 Stratou, mbp.gr

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02022020 THE ARTISTS’ TAKE

In celebration of its 80th anniversary, the Society for Macedonian Studies is organizing, among other events, an exhibition paying tribute to Greek and other artists who were inspired by Thessaloniki’s landscapes, monuments and views. The show comprises 130 pieces by acclaimed artists, including Spyros Vassiliou, Loukas Venetoulias, Konstantinos Maleas and Alekos Fassianos, dating from the mid-19th century to the present. • “Thessaloniki by Painters,” Society for Macedonian Studies Gallery: 4 Ethnikis Amynas, ems.gr

AGENDA

05,08,11& 13122019 UPDATING A CLASSIC

Johann Strauss II’s famous Viennese operetta “Die Fledermaus” (The Bat), which was first staged in 1874, has been given a modern makeover by Alexandros Efklidis, the artistic director of the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera. In this production, the grand mansions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire have been replaced by elegant 1960s Athenian apartments, the Viennese nobles by scheming Greek colonels and the Russian princes by Soviet diplomats. • Thessaloniki Concert Hall, 25th Martiou & Paralia, tch.gr

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A HOUSE WITH HISTORY

26012020

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS

As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, the Teloglion Arts Foundation pays tribute to those who have helped build its permanent collection. The exhibition focuses on donations made in the last five years; during this time artists from Thessaloniki, other parts of Greece and abroad joined artists’ families, collectors and cultural organizations in bolstering the Teloglion’s collection with large bodies of work or smaller donations. The show comprises more than 160 exhibits, ranging from etchings and paintings to sculptures and mixed-media works. • “Friendship Gifts I,” Teloglion Foundation, Aristotle University: 159A Aghiou Dimitriou, teloglion.gr

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Originally a luxurious townhouse belonging to the prominent Kapandji family of bankers, then a boys’ school and now one of the arts centers of the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation (MIET), the Villa Kapandji has fulfilled many uses since it was built at the end of the 19th century, and these functions represent different chapters in Thessaloniki’s history. The exhibition looks at the building’s changing identities to tell its story and the story of the city. • “The Tenants,” Villa Kapandji, 108 Vasilissis Olgas, miet.gr

PARTY TOWN

Â© KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS

EVENTS

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Event planners are busy people in Thessaloniki. No matter what the season, the locals get together for all kinds of celebrations and you’re invited, too! B Y PAU L I N A B J Ö R K K A P S A L I S

DAY OF COLORS

t often seems like Thessaloniki is in constant party mode. Year round, people gather in the streets and squares for all sorts of events, from movie nights and concerts to food festivals. Inspired by the city’s International Film Festival, cinephiles also throw their own events, adding entertaining twists such as screening films at ancient sites or focusing exclusively on local filmmakers. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are music festivals, street art festivals, dance festivals, festivals promoting sustainable living, and a festival for people with hearing disabilities. There are festivals celebrating brunch, beer, street food, picnics and plenty more. And while it might seem like the city is under the spell of some hot new trend – a temporary event frenzy – this phenomenon isn’t a recent development. Innovative event organizers have been cheering each other (and the city’s creatives) on for over a decade already. For example, the documentary “World Naked Bike Ride Thessaloniki Greece”, featuring the city’s annual edition of the worldwide event, won the Audience Award at the 2009 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

EVENTS

AN OPEN-AIR CATWALK EVENT AT THE NEW WATERFRONT

HOW DID IT START? “Thessaloniki has always been a cultural city,” says Despoina Polychronidou, who runs the press office for the September music festival Reworks. She mentions, among other milestones, the city’s 1997 stint as European Capital of Culture. “But in the first decade of this millennium, things started to evolve. A shift seemed to take place from what we consider conventional cultural events, such as concerts, theater performances and exhibitions, to creative entertainment where those things were incorporated.” Chris Exarchopoulos of the Soulfood Thessaloniki organization, which hosts a number of food festivals throughout the year, saw the change coming. “We’re a university town full of creative people, with weather suitable for outdoor events for more than seven months a year. So, in a way, it was natural that a strong festival scene would grow here. When we started 10 years ago, Reworks was the only large 30

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established festival around, but then the crisis encouraged people to follow its example, and also to look for inspiration abroad. I myself acquired my knowledge from working at street markets in Berlin before we started the Street Food Festival” (next year’s edition will run from 15-17/5/20.) Remember flash mobs? In the middle of the ‘00s, crowds all around the world were freezing and un-freezing, or bursting into seemingly spontaneous dance routines in order to entertain, surprise, and disrupt people’s boring everyday routines. In Thessaloniki, the Sfina collective planned over twenty such events over the course of two years. “Before 2008, Thessaloniki very much lived up to its unflattering nickname “Frappedoupoli” (Iced Coffee City) – a town where all people did was hang out at cafés,” says the collective’s founder Mario Spiroglou. “We wanted to bring some life to the city with events that were exciting and out-of-the-ordinary, like turning Aristotelous Square into a beach

“WE’RE A UNIVERSITY TOWN FULL OF CREATIVE PEOPLE, WITH WEATHER SUITABLE FOR OUTDOOR EVENTS FOR MORE THAN SEVEN MONTHS A YEAR. SO, IT WAS NATURAL THAT A STRONG FESTIVAL SCENE WOULD GROW HERE.”

EVENTS

REWORKS FESTIVAL

NAKED BIKE RIDE

KAPANI PROJECT

by urging people to come out in their swimsuits and flippers, or like having organized pillow fights in the street.” Then, in 2012, Sfina threw the country’s first color party, MMTX (“Mera Me Ta Xromata,” or “Day of Colors,” 2930/8/20), inspired by India’s Holi festival. “We only advertised it on our Facebook page, and 300 people came out for it. We considered that a great success! The next year, we did it again, and got 2,000 visitors. We didn’t intend for it to become an annual event, but now it’s officially a festival. In 2015, 33,000 people joined in the biggest party we ever threw. Since then, we’ve introduced an entrance fee, but we still get 10,000 visitors every year.” The Street Food Festival, held every spring, also had immediate success, and 32

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SoulFood Thessaloniki is still growing. After hosting several more food festivals in the city, they’ve now taken their Street Food Festival on tour, popping up in ten Greek cities throughout the year, aiming to introduce people to Thessaloniki’s contemporary flavors and turn the city into the gastronomic capital of Greece.

WHY HERE? “We all support each other, we have a very active community of young creatives, and they like volunteering,” says Polychronidou. “Another important reason that festivals work here is the compactness of the city; nothing happens outside of town, everything is embedded in the urban landscape, and it’s all easy to get to as well. That’s also how each event gives back to

the community; visitors don’t spend all their time in just one place. They move around inside the city, discovering new things and spending their money in different neighborhoods.” Half of Reworks’ 20,000 attendees are from out of town, and a quarter are from other countries. “Festivals are one of the things people look at before they book a trip to Thessaloniki, and those who don’t book tickets in advance gather around the noticeboards in the city’s hostels, which are always full of posters for events,” Polychronidou says. Spiroglou agrees: “I believe with all my heart that we’re all bringing something important to Thessaloniki, turning it into a destination and a hub of creativity, as every successful event is a source of inspiration for others.”

Ïé «ÊïõëïõñÜäåò» åßíáé µßá åëëçíéêÞ åôáéñåßá, ç ïðïßá äñáóôçñéïðïéåßôáé óôçí ðáñáãùãÞ öñÝóêïõ êïõëïõñéïý Èåóóáëïíßêçò êáé åîõðçñåôåß êáèçµåñéíÜ ðÜíù áðü 70.000 êáôáíáëùôÝò óå üëç ôçí ÅëëÜäá. Ç ðïëõåôÞò ðáñÜäïóç ôïõ ðñïúüíôïò êáé ç åýãåõóôç óõíôáãÞ ôçò åôáéñåßáò ïäÞãçóáí óôçí åðéôõ÷ßá ôùí ðñïúüíôùí µáò. Ôï êëáóéêü êïõëïýñé êáé ïé ðáñáëëáãÝò ôïõ óå ãåýóåéò üðùò µÞëï êáé êáíÝëá, êñÝµá ôõñß ê.ëð. êÜíåé ôïõò «ÊïõëïõñÜäåò» íá éóïññïðïýí µåôáîý µïíôÝñíïõ êáé ðáñáäïóéáêïý, êáé íá öôéÜ÷íïõí ðñùéíü ãéá üëá ãïýóôá. ÅðéðëÝïí, ôá ðñïúüíôá äåí ðåñéÝ÷ïõí ëéðáñÜ êáé åßíáé êáôÜëëçëá ãéá äßáéôá êáé íçóôåßá, äéáôçñþíôáò ôçí õðÝñï÷ç ãåýóç ôïõò. Ç åôáéñåßá, µå óêïðü íá äéáóöáëßóåé ôçí ðïéüôçôá ôùí ðñïúüíôùí ôçò, äéáèÝôåé åéäéêü åîïðëéóµü ðïõ ðáñÝ÷åé ôçí êáëýôåñç ðïéüôçôá øçóßµáôïò. ¼ëá ôá ðñïúüíôá åßíáé ÷åéñïðïßçôá, öñÝóêá êáé ðáñáóêåõáóµÝíá áðü ðñþôåò ýëåò åîáéñåôéêÞò ðïéüôçôáò. Ìßá äïêéµÞ èá óáò ðåßóåé!

“Koulourades” is a Greek company which produces fresh sesame bagels serving more than 70.000 consumers daily in Greece. Our success is a combination of our unique recipe and experience. In our stores, you can find the traditional “koulouri” and a wide selection of different tastes, such as apple and cinnamon or cream cheese; always balancing between traditional and contemporary flavours offering a great variety of breakfast snacks. Additionally, our products do not contain fats and are ideal for diet and for customers in fasting mode. Our company aims of producing high quality products. Our goods are traditionally made by using high-quality ingredients and they are baked to perfection in specialized modern equipment that guarantee the finest baking. Once you taste it, you will understand why our “koulouri” is the best in Greece!

¿ñåò ëåéôïõñãßáò/ Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00 Äéåýèõíóç: Ðëáôáéþí 4, ÐåéñáéÜò, ÔÊ: 18540 (Ýäñá åôáéñåßáò) Address: 4 Plataion str., Piraeus, PC: 18540 (Head Office) ÔçëÝöùíï/ Tel.: 210 422 2049 - 210 422 2048 Website: www.koulourades.gr Email: koulourades@koulourades.gr Âñåßôå µáò/ Find us on: Facebook: ÊïõëïõñÜäåò

EVENT

SAVE THE DATE B Y PAU L I N A B J Ö R K K A P S A L I S

PIC-NIC URBAN FESTIVAL

KAPANI PROJECT Stall owners collaborate with musicians, actors and artists to create this event, which features creative installations and performances at the Kapani Market. The lineup for 2020 has yet to be announced, so keep consulting their website.

. Two-day event, every

autumn, kapaniproject.gr

OPEN HOUSE A worldwide institution, Open House offers the public a free inside peek at historic and architecturally interesting buildings. Taking place in Thessaloniki for the eighth time this November, it’s already a much-anticipated event, drawing 47,000 participants last year.

. Two-day event,

November 23-24, openhousethessaloniki.gr 34

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IN-EDIT The world’s largest music documentary festival In-Edit takes place in more than 10 countries around the world. Next year’s Thessaloniki edition is taking place at four venues and will feature dozens of film screenings, concerts and DJ sets.. Seven-day festival, April 23-29, in-edit.gr

NAKED BIKE RIDE The Naked Bike Ride takes place in cities all over the world, promoting both body positivity and environmentalism. Come, as their motto says, as “bare as you dare.”. One-day event, June, gymnosophy.gr/p/ worldnakedbikeride

LOCAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Thessaloniki is never short of new filmmaking talent. What’s more, the previously bimonthly Local Short Film Festival will become a larger annual festival in 2020, giving local filmmakers the chance to reach a wider audience. . Two-day festival, April, facebook.com/ localshortfilmfestival

PIC-NIC URBAN FESTIVAL Pack a blanket and a basket and join the locals at the site of the ancient Roman Agora for a mass urban picnic. Entertainment includes live music and movie screenings.

. Four-day festival, September 10-13, urbanpicnic.gr

STREET MODE FESTIVAL One of the largest festivals in Thessaloniki, Street Mode presents every expression of street culture, including graffiti, breakdancing, skateboarding, parkour, hip-hop, ska/reggae and more.

. Three-day festival,

September, streetmode.gr

NEA PASARELA Local professional and amateur designers and models team up annually to produce Nea Pasarela, a fashion show with a focus on upcycling and sustainability that takes place at a different seaside spot every year. Keep an eye out on Facebook for next year’s theme, which will be announced in the spring; a temporary costume exhibition will follow in November. . One-day event, September, facebook.com/ filoineasparalias, paraliazo.gr

Study at the fully accredited American College of Thessaloniki, in the Student Hub of Greece!

US-NECHE Accredited • EU-Validated

Join Us @ACT in Thessaloniki, Greece Undergraduate Studies • BS in Business with 4 concentrations • BS in Computer Science • BS in Business Computing • BS in Psychology • BA (Hons) in Political Science & International Relations • BA in English with 2 concentrations Graduate Studies • MBA with 4 concentrations • MS in Hospitality and Tourism Management ACT - American College of Thessaloniki • Pylea, Thessaloniki, Greece • Tel.: +30 2310 398.398 • admissions@act.edu • www.act.edu

A R R I VA L S

NEW ON THE BLOCK Thessaloniki is never out of fresh options for eating, drinking and shopping. BY NENA DI M ITR IOU

A long-forgotten ice cream confection originally from Constantinople; that was all armenonville was until recently. Very few local patisseries made it because it was time-consuming and there was relatively little demand; until, that is, two friends, Evgenia Kalatzi and Elena Kogimtzi, managed to make it fashionable once again after one of them dusted off a traditional recipe from her family, who had operated pĂ˘tisseries in Thessaloniki. Today, in their shop on a narrow street near the White Tower, they make dozens of armenonville variations, from armenonville chocolate cake to armenonville with lemon cream and meringue, served in a bowl or formed into a log with chocolate and strawberry filling. Their updated versions (still based on the original recipe) have certainly found a warm welcome in Thessaloniki, but their classic armenonville, with almond nougat, fragrant cream semifreddo and a generous sprinkling of almonds, needs no modification whatsoever. INFO: 102 Mitropoleos, Tel. (+30) 2310.525.112 36

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ÂŠ NICOLAS ECONOMOU

ARMENONVILLE: A THEMED PATISSERIE

THE BAR AT THREE PIECES: A MODERN SPEAKEASY

You walk into an unassuming street-food joint to find the door to this bar concealed within a photo booth. In order to get in, you need to have your photo taken and receive a code. Only 15 people fit inside this quirky little bar, where the bartender puts on a one-man show for the select few. Their Mai Tai is probably the city’s best, and they also do a great Strawberry Margarita. What’s more, all the cocktails, no matter what’s in them, appear clear. INFO: 4 Verias, Tel. (+30) 2311.221.463

HELLOFROM: LIFESTYLE SOUVENIRS

Anyone who walks into this stylish shop can’t help but realize that Greek design clearly has little or nothing to envy from more famous rivals, including its Scandinavian counterpart. Select items by more than 70 Greek designers are showcased in this lifestyle souvenir shop, whose every corner looks like it’s been set up for an interior design photoshoot. One hundred and forty of the featured items have their own story to tell about Thessaloniki, referencing famous aspects of the city, such as the ceramic “koulouri” (the signature sesame seed-covered bread ring of Thessaloniki) by the artist Christina

Morali, or the t-shirt by the fashion brand Parthenis, with the Greek letter “Θ” replacing its English phonetic transcription “th.” Many of the brands showcased here combine high-quality design and a strong focus on utility with a sense of environmental responsibility, features that are now sought after in contemporary souvenirs. A 1920s washbasin, made of Kozani marble, has been upcycled and is now used as a water fountain for refilling reusable water bottles. Hellofrom has received a Red Dot Award for the communications strategy it follows.

INFO: 45 Proxenou Koromila, Tel. (+30) 2310.248.742

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A R R I VA L S

NU MODERN GREEK: A STYLISH SELECTION

GIULIETTA SPRITZERIA: DOLCE VITA…THESSALONIKI STYLE

The rough limestone wall is reminiscent of Rome, while the striped awning brings to mind the vermuteria bars of Verona. Vermouth, Sicilian refreshments, sparkling wines and music from a bygone era make Giulietta Spritzeria a delightful cosmopolitan spot to spend your afternoons and evenings. Enjoy a drink or two (or three, since they’re all low-alcohol) with pickled artichokes alla romana, fine charcuterie sliced on the spot, or a selection of cheeses. Last call for drinks is at 23:00. Take a photo of the yellow wall with the neon light and post it on Instagram with their hashtag #spritztheday. INFO: 33 Paleon Patron Germanou, Tel. (+30) 2310.242.020

Right across from the entrance to the Old Port and its cultural venues, a small concept souvenir store opened recently. Its owner, Antonis Ladas, claims as his personal motto the words “Art is Alive Everywhere,” and his aim is to create a space where the items on display are both useful and beautiful, a space that positions itself in favor of style and offers the perfect setting to find the ideal gift. More than 30 artists and craftspeople have their work here; items include handmade hats, ceramics, light fixtures, clothes and jewelry. We took special note of the handmade jeans Fit and Craft, designed in Thessaloniki for a perfect fit, using fabrics from Japan and natural dyes. The laser-cut clothing line by the architect/ designers Cutcuutur is timeless, while the avant-garde scarves and shawls are very impressive. Alongside utilitarian objects and design items, there’s also a small space for select deli products, since it would appear that there’s plenty of art in gastronomy, too. INFO: 5 Navmachias Ellis, Tel. (+30) 2310.508.050

Armenopoulou, Tel. (+30) 2310.204.452

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DANGARA: HEARTY MEALS NEXT TO THE ROTUNDA

This is the latest addition to the city’s gastro-bistro scene, a restaurant category that’s flourished in Thessaloniki in recent years. In the kitchen, imaginative ideas are transformed into delicious and affordable dishes. The chef cooks in the Macedonian style, which means lots of peppers, several smoked items and sauces, and, of course, excellent local products such as cured meats, cheeses and legumes. The cuisine is hearty and comforting. Dangara offers several wine choices, mainly from small producers. We recommend the excellent red variety, Xinomavro, which pairs so well with the food. INFO: 26

A R R I VA L S

VALENIO: COFFEE, EXPERTLY MADE This new specialty café, located on one of the most attractive pedestrian streets in the center, is the creation of Valantis Lamprianidis, an authorized trainer (and judge) for the Speciality Coffee Association. Part of the third wave of coffee movement, Valenio is equipped with the latest espresso machine technology and has cups with thick rims that offer a

better mouthfeel. Allow them to propose the blend that best suits your appetite or chosen coffee option. For instance, Honduran beans are great for cappuccino; Brazilian coffee has chocolate flavor notes; El Salvador coffee has a delicate acidity and interesting complexity, and so on. When you order Greek coffee, the beans are ground on the spot and slowly

brewed in a briki (a traditional stove-top coffee pot). You can also buy the coffee beans for all the brews that are served here, along with an inventory of accessories and gadgets. The café also serves breakfast, brunch and light meals; we opted for the praline pancakes and can strongly recommend them.

INFO: 6 Iktinou, Tel. (+30) 2311.291.518

CONTRABANDO: LOW-KEY AND LOVELY

A group of five friends run this laid-back restaurant that’s quite contemporary in terms of cuisine. You‘ll enjoy well-prepared fare that’s on a par with that offered at any good gastropub. Stand-out selections include the cod balls served with a garlicky sauce; the mussels, sourced from nearby fish farms; and the artisanal goat cheese in a filo pastry that goes perfectly with the local honey with which it is served. Contrabando supports microbreweries and offers local beers, the ideal accompaniment to its dishes. Before or after your meal, you can browse for treasures in the antique shops of the Bit Bazaar, since the eatery stands right at one of its entrances. INFO: 2 Gkarmpola, Tel. (+30) 2314.028.184

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DESIGN

ooks

ocal

From bespoke denim trousers to one-of-a-kind wedding dresses, Thessaloniki is always impeccably turned out. Let’s meet some of the designers who add verve to the city’s fashion scene. BY ELINA DIMITR I A DI

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ANCIENT KALLOS

“Our basic philosophy is to create beautiful images and make women all over the world dream of Greece!” say Labrini and Stella Stavrou. The pair founded Ancient Kallos, a resort wear brand that draws its inspiration from ancient Greek ideals of beauty, in 2014. “Traditional pieces of embroidery from different parts of Greece are real treasures for us, which is why we insist that such designs be built integrally into our collections, which are produced exclusively here.” Additional elements shared by every collection are the fine-quality fabrics, the femininity of the lines and the superior quality of the tailoring. “Thessaloniki is the city where we were born, where we grew up and now work, the city we love for its sea, its Byzantine monuments, its film festival, its unique gastronomy, its superb nearby beaches, and its magical view of Mt Olympus! With its unique atmosphere, it guarantees us the peace of mind necessary to put together each new project, to remain faithful as designers to a truly authentic Greek element and to continue to respond successfully to the high expectations of the global market.” INFO ancientkallos.com

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DESIGN

ARTPECKERS

The Artpeckers Group, founded by Kimon Gkologkinas (civil engineer), Elli Gkologkina and Dimitris Sergentakis (both architects and civil engineers), first started to tell “everyday stories using the language of contemporary design” in 2015, working out of a small workshop in Kalamaria. For their “multifunctional” jewelry collections and accessories, designed so that they may “easily serve the demands of a challenging everyday life,” they experiment with geometric forms and new materials (all from Greece), drawing inspiration from classical mythology and traditional folk motifs. The results are collections that are quintessentially Greek and that travel to every corner of the world. As the crossroads of a multitude of cultures, Thessaloniki serves as an ideal home for the first Artpeckers store, located in Frangomachala, in the Ano Ladadika district, where both locals and visitors have instantly embraced this creative union between history and contemporary reality. A few months ago, a particularly popular Artpeckers item, the “Two in One Backpack,” won the A’ Design Award in the Fashion and Travel Accessories design category.

INFO artpeckers.com

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DESIGN

FIT & CRAFT

What this small artisan enterprise has been producing since 2014 is the opposite of mass-produced denim fashion; their items of clothing are handmade and one of a kind, using as their primary material selvedge denim, which is woven using vintage machinery in Japan. This material is treated with natural indigo dye, which creates a special effect on the finished article of clothing as it washes out and fades. A fabric requiring great technical knowhow, selvedge denim embodies a philosophy of life, and corresponds perfectly to Konstantinos Michos’ own philosophy regarding minimalist clothes combining tradition, authenticity and timelessness. “The clothes I create emerge in their purest, ‘rawest’ form, and change with the passage of time and according to the personal habits of those who wear them, since they take on the particular shape of an individual body. The production process takes place at my workshop in Thessaloniki, where I work personally on each piece of denim clothing one at a time by hand, paying careful attention to detail. The rest of the garment’s history is written by the person wearing it, as they leave on it the imprint of their own actions and habits!” INFO fitandcraft.com

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DESIGN

SMARO

KONSTANTINOS TSIGAROS

The attraction felt by the fashion designer Konstantinos Tsigaros towards a higher aesthetic would lead him to create his eponymous label, with his first collections coming out in 1992. “The essence of Konstantinos Tsigaros is an aesthetic based on emotions, which creates an authentic style in opposition to mass-produced fashion. It’s also the essence that characterizes my work.” The 55 personal collections that Tsigaros has presented so far stand out for their simplicity and their clean lines; his work rejects any superfluous elements. In his downtown atelier, he creates garments and wedding dresses of exclusive design, refined pieces that tell a story of inspiration and that emphasize their own uniqueness. “Thessaloniki has exercised a special influence on the way I find inspiration and proceed to create a design, since it’s a city that often combines its maritime atmosphere with a sense of melancholy. But it’s also a city that is characterized by the highly individual and varied style of its people.” INFO konstantinostsigaros.gr 48

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“A SMARO piece of jewelry makes you feel that it’s part of you from the moment you put it on.” For designer Smaro Baraliakou, what matters is that her creations should have a positive effect on people’s mood. Simplicity and honesty are the pillars of her philosophy. She marries clean geometric lines with abstract and free-flowing forms, and can draw her inspiration from just about everything, from simple everyday pleasures, such as a cup of morning coffee or a song, to a painting or anything that emits positive energy. For Baraliakou, Thessaloniki is a city full of vibrancy, where every corner might hold something beautiful in store: you turn, for example, down a narrow lane, and find yourself by the seaside. The people, the sounds and the colors make Thessaloniki a cradle of creativity, producing fresh ideas, like those behind each piece of SMARO jewelry. INFO FB: smaroJWL.

tearoute

Χρυσοστόμου Σμυρνης 12, Θεσσαλονίκη Τ: 2310 285 514 Tea colours of theτης Mediterranean Τοwith τσάιthe με τα χρώματα Μεσογείου

Χρυσοστόμου Σμυρνης 12, Θεσ αλονίκηΤ: 2310 285 514 tearoute

Chrisostomou Smirnis 12, Thessaloniki T. 2310 285514514 Χρυσοστόμου Χρυσοστόμου Σμυρνης 12, Θεσσαλονίκη Τ: 2310 285 514

SHARING INSIGHTS

Five renowned residents of Thessaloniki help you look at their city in a different way.

Â© ARIS PAPADOPOULOS

BY GIOTA M Y RT SIOT I

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SECRETS

THE CITY, THE SEA AND MT OLYMPUS, AS SEEN FROM THE TOWER OF TRIGONIO.

SAME AS IT EVER WAS

By Simon Bensasson, former President of the Municipal Council

eturning after a 38-year absence, I’m confronted with a view of the city marred by nostalgia. I find myself focusing on what is no longer here, and blind to what is. Until one day, along the old seafront, just before sunrise, I look west out at the blackness of the sea and at a dark sky turning gray. The sea and sky are indistinguishable, with no visible horizon, creating the impression that the freighters and boats anchored in the gulf are levitating, until the first rays of light shine from behind, revealing the snowy peaks of Mt Olympus. It’s a moment of sheer magic, and suddenly it’s the same as it’s always been. Imagine seeing your city for the first time, all over again. You stare in awe at the architectural styles of the façades on Aristotelous Square and at the proportions of the great square itself. You turn left onto Tsimiski Street and, in the morning light, you spot shop assistants hurrying to work or nibbling on a koulouri, the ring-shaped sesame bread that is the local breakfast staple. You turn right onto Venizelou Street and realize that all the elegant buildings on the left are exactly as you remembered them. Then it’s a right onto Ermou, and left onto Kapani, bringing you to a marketplace full of little shops and covered arcades. The place is full of butchers, fishmongers, fruit and vegetable sellers, but it’s also full of smells and sounds. You can hear the voice of the throng and the cries of the sellers at their stalls praising the quality of their products. There are people browsing, buying and arguing; it’s the same as it always was, only richer and livelier. You love this city. It’s beautiful. It hasn’t really changed; it’s just developed and progressed, as cities do. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

INSIGHTS

THE CHURCH OF AGHIOS NIKOLAOS ORFANOS

IN A QUIET PLACE By Morfo Papanikolaou, Architect / SPARCH

perceive Thessaloniki as being something uniform and solid, and yet I also experience it as though it were several cities at once. Anarchic and charming, chaotic and resilient, fragile and robust, it’s a living city blessed with infinite dynamism. I think, for instance, of the northwestern section of the city walls and of the Tower of Trigonio. In close-up, it’s a sturdy fortress built of stone, bricks and fragments of marble repurposed as spolia. In the distance, between the city and Mt Olympus, is a pool of seawater that calls me to its side. I start my descent. From the Upper City, I move down towards the sea, slipping between houses and gardens, steps and people. I make a stop at the Church of Aghios Nikolaos Orfanos, a modest monastery church with wall paintings that will take your breath away. What’s more, the monument’s beauty isn’t confined to its interior. Its exterior, the courtyard, will startle you with its simplicity, a space of olive trees, cypresses, scents and a dense

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silence that will redeem you. This is an introverted oasis where an awareness of time vanishes, replaced by a tranquility that will enable you to look deeper inside yourself. Further down, on Kassandrou Street, the noise and the ugliness will wound you. I slink inside yet another enchanting microcosm at the Alaca Imaret. What was once a mosque, a poorhouse and a religious school is today a magical space for travelers and visitors. Outside, children play among the marble columns that support the colonnade’s arches and domes. I continue further down until I reach the Rotunda. The exterior, with its various architectural elements, its modest garden and its fountain, is a prelude to the transcendence that will follow as the interior transports you. There’s magic in the tension of the empty space, the austere geometry, the authenticity of the materials, the spell cast by the mosaics and the light that searches for old and new faiths and rituals. I walk on, down to the sea.

INSIGHTS

“COR-TEN” BY GEORGE ZONGOLOPOULOS

THE OTHER ONE By Thouli Misirloglou, Art Historian

or me, Thessaloniki is the openair cinemas – such as the Apollo, the Natalie and the Alex. It’s the seafront – that timeless breath of life that is also the place from where the city looks out towards the world. It is the monuments of unparalleled beauty, such as the Rotunda, the Church of Aghios Nikolaos Orfanos, the Vlatadon Monastery, which seem to transmit their undisturbed serenity in unceasing waves. It’s also the George Zongolopoulos sculpture Cor-ten at the north entrance of the exhibition grounds of the Thessaloniki International Fair, even if this piece is in complete contrast to “Umbrellas,” another sculpture by the same artist, which has become the city’s trademark artwork. The piece “Cor-ten,” an almost cubist-constructivist sculpture, was installed here in 1966 in order to symbolize production growth and a progressive Greek economy. Diverging from so many of the sculptures created during the same period, such as the statue of Alexander the Great by the sculptor Vangelis Moustakas, its presence was a daring mark of tolerance towards what was different. Today, this sculpture seems to suffer in comparison with the more popular “Umbrellas,” which this romantically minded city loves, especially when that work is framed by beautiful sunsets. In my eyes, however, it remains striking, one of the few modernist monuments that Thessaloniki still has.

“UMBRELLAS” BY GEORGE ZONGOLOPOULOS

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MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY

INSIGHTS

WOMAN’S PORTRAIT, BY KAZIMIR MALEVICH

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

A UNIQUE COLLECTION By Maria Tsantsanoglou, Director of MOMus

y strolls through the city are nearly always linked with the museums that make up the innovative platform known as the Metropolitan Organization of Museums for the Fine Arts of Thessaloniki – or MOMus. Its five spaces, scattered across the city, are home to rich collections comprising modernist art works from the Russian avant-garde, and works of contemporary art and photography, as well as experimental and innovative projects. The collections are part of Thessaloniki’s contemporary cultural profile, while the buildings that house them reflect the city’s architectural diversity: the modern building of the Museum of Contemporary Art; the harbor warehouses that house the Museum of Photography and the Center for Experimental Arts and which are legacies of the city’s early 20th-century industrial boom; and the Moni Lazariston, which was built in 1886 by French monks from the Church of St Lazare in Paris and today is home to the Museum of Modern Art. My route towards the latter, in the western district of Stavroupoli, often passes 56

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through the WWII Allied cemeteries and the housing projects along Langada Street, affording me a glimpse of a less touristy part of the city. The complex, a one-time monastery which sits in the midst of the modern urban landscape, has been a boon to the western neighborhoods, attracting museum-goers eager to see the Costakis collection, a unique assemblage of 1277 works from the Russian avant-garde. There’s also a substantial archive that helps us study this experimental art movement that flourished in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Important works by Kazimir Malevich, Vladimir Tatlin, Lyubov Popova, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Gustav Klutsis and other artists bear witness to one of the most staggeringly creative periods in the history of world art. The collection, which was acquired piece by piece in Moscow by the Greek collector George Costakis, who subsequently transported it back to his native land, is a true gem. If you don’t take the opportunity to see it while you’re in the city, you’re missing something special.

INSIGHTS

CHURCH OF AGHIOS PANTELEIMON

SACRED PLACES

By Anastasis Douros, Director of the Mt Athos Center of Thessaloniki

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CHURCH OF AGHIOS CHARALAMBOS

love the city center’s narrow streets. They’re full of unexpected architectural treasures, revealing the city’s living history while still hiding countless secrets. One such stretch of road is Patriarchou Ioakeim, a side street that connects the city’s three most important monuments. The street starts behind the Church of Aghia Sophia, crosses Egnatia Avenue, meets up with the beautiful Byzantine Church of Aghios Panteleimon, and concludes at the majestic Rotunda. The wider area was once home to the subsidiary establishments of the monasteries of Mt Athos, the points for all communication between that monastic community and the outside world. Development has effaced most of their traces, but there’s still a church here that’s linked to the Monastery of Simonos Petra. It stands in the narrow lane of Exadactylos, ringed by apartment blocks, an oasis in the heart of the modern city. The Church of Aghios Charalambos, built in 1905 on the site of a older church, and the adjacent landmark building in the same enclosed courtyard bring the atmosphere of monastic life to secular Thessaloniki. Nearby on Egnatia Avenue, the Nedelkos Mansion rises majestically; for two decades, it has housed the Mt Athos Center. It operates as the central “succursal” entity, or subsidiary establishment, of Mt Athos, and as a venue for exhibitions and scientific conferences that reinforce the centuries-long bond between Thessaloniki and the Monastic Community of Mt Athos. It’s this neighborhood that constitutes my very own Thessaloniki.

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C U LT U R E

A TREAT FOR FILM LOVERS The Thessaloniki International Film Festival, now in its 60th year, attracts world-class filmmakers and cinema fans to an annual 11-day celebration. BY M A R I A K AT SOU NA K I

urning 60 this year, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival can’t boast about being Europe’s oldest – Venice is 87, Cannes is 73 and Berlin is 68 – but what does age matter? “I’ve been to lots of festivals around the world, but nowhere have I found such a friendly and vibrant environment as right here in Thessaloniki,” Wim Wenders said in 2006, during a visit to the event for a major retrospective of his work. The list of great filmmakers and actors who have graced the festival with their presence and who left similarly enchanted is a long one: Nagisa Oshima, Bernardo Bertolucci, Claude Chabrol, Ken Loach, Francis Ford Coppola, Alexander Payne, Jim Jarmusch, Catherine Deneuve, Faye Dunaway, Isabelle Huppert and John Malkovich are just a few of the entries. A lot has changed between the first Greek Cinema Week in 1960 and this year’s Thessaloniki International Film Festival: the city, the audiences and the 60

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Full house at the Olympion Cinema, the flagship venue of the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the site for the opening and closing ceremonies.

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C U LT U R E

institution itself have all undergone transformations. Even the flagship Olympion Cinema on Aristotelous Square, the festival’s headquarters, is not the same building that welcomed the first Cinema Week 60 years ago. Designed in 1950 by Jacques Mosset, the French architect behind many important buildings in postWorld War II Thessaloniki, the Olympion was neglected for many years before its radical restoration in 1997. In that same year, the old warehouses at the port were also renovated and turned into festival venues, signaling a new era for both a city and an event that now looked towards the open horizons of the sea, generating a new enthusiasm that brought with it more cinematic screenings, more foreign visitors, new hangouts and a revitalized foodie scene. The festival became an international event in 1992, a decision that gave it a whole new character, one focused on a renewed interest in innovation and on bold artistic instincts. The changes that followed were momentous. All of a sudden, Thessaloniki became a city where you could rub shoulders at dinner with Atom Egoyan, debate “71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance” with Michael Haneke or come across Faye Dunaway strolling at the port. The new program also linked the Greek film industry to the cutting edge of international cinema, with an emphasis on independent productions. Audience numbers rose dramatically, and the once-introspective Greek Film Festival was saved from ruin.

01. Theo Angelopoulos jokes with Willem Dafoe, the star of his 2008 film “The Dust of Time.” 02. The late American actordirector Dennis Hopper attended the festival in 1981.

03. The actress Irene Pappas arrives at the 1961 premiere of “Eroica,” for which Michael Cacoyannis won the Best Director award. 04. Costa-Gavras at the premiere of his film “The Capital” in 2013.

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C U LT U R E

06. Melina Mercouri, then Minister of Culture, and her husband Jules Dassin attend a screening in 1982.

07. Catherine Deneuve attended the 40th TIFF in 1999, as star of Philippe Garrel’s “Le Vent de la Nuit.”

08. Francis Ford Coppola holding his Honorary Golden Alexander award at the 46th TIFF.

05. Jim Jarmusch, roughhousing with Alexander Payne at the 2014 festival.

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C U LT U R E

“A TIRELESS CULTURAL ENGINE” A conversation with TIFF artistic director Orestis Andreadakis on the present and the future of a festival that “connects the Thermaic Gulf with world cinema.” BY VL ASSIS KOSTOUROS

am meeting with Orestis Andreadakis, artistic director of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF), amid a flurry of creative, or rather anniversary-induced, panic just a few days after the open screening of Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Cinema Paradiso” in Aristotelous Square. “We brought in 2,000 seats and it was crazy,” he tells me. The historic square was transformed into an open-air movie theater for a novel cinematic experience that demonstrated the inseparable bond between the institution and the city. “In addition to locals, we also had many tourists. The city and its people are the heart of the festival. It’s a huge celebration that begins in the theaters and culminates in the bars and restaurants of Thessaloniki, where you’ll meet cinephiles from all over the world,” he adds. Andreadakis was appointed TIFF’s artistic 64

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director in 2016. “My primary goal was to make it an integral part of life in the city,” he says, “as well as a place where directors and producers can meet and promote their work to distributors, buyers, sales agents and festival representatives from all over the world.” With a year-round presence, the festival has succeeded in contributing significantly to tourism and education as well as to the city’s culture scene. “It’s not just the big event in November,” Andreadakis says. “It’s also the Documentary Festival in March each year; it’s the Olympion movie theater, which screens important films all year round; it’s the Cinema Museum in the port; it’s a series of educational and other initiatives. We’re talking about a tireless cultural engine.” For this year’s 60th anniversary, it was de-

One of the posters designed for the 60th TIFF by the famous illustrator John Mavroudis.

cided to take a look at the past – not necessarily in a nostalgic way – while at the same time looking boldly to the future. “We decided that in addition to good cinema, we would share with the city historical photographs of the event. Rare photos from the 1960s to the present will be displayed in establishments and venues all over Thessaloniki, from butcher shops and bars to hotels and boutiques.” Such pictures will take people back to 1982, when the then Culture Minister Melina Mercouri and the ministry official responsible for cinema, Manos Zacharias, stood beside American film director Jules Dassin on the balcony of the Society for Macedonian Studies, which was the venue for the festival’s official screenings. “Images will also remind people of the outstanding Iranian film director Abbas Kiarosta-

Alexander Payne snaps a photo before the screening of his film “Downsizing” in 2017. With him are Orestis Andreadakis and cinematographer Phedon Papamichael.

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John Waters brings his stand-up comedy show “Filthy World” to the 60th TIFF.

The façade of the historic Olympion Cinema.

mi, and the special tribute to his work at the 45th festival,” Andreadakis says. “Or you’ll see internationally acclaimed Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos, who served as a successful festival president for a number of years, enjoying a good laugh with Willem Dafoe in the year that Theo presented ‘The Dust of Time’ at the festival. And we’ll also be going back to the 46th Festival, to see Francis Ford Coppola receive an honorary Golden Alexander award for his contribution to cinema.” Over six decades, the festival has brought together diverse genres, celebrating everything from the neorealism of Greek auteur Nikos Koundouros to the achievements of Filopimin Finos (the “patriarch” of commercial Greek cinema, who somehow managed to produce 187 films); the independent movies of America’s Jim Jarmusch; Greek queer cinema; and virtual reality films. “This year we wanted to look to the future with optimism. So we turned to people who – through their work – speak about what is to come. This is the thinking, for example, behind the tribute to Spain’s Albert Serra and Britain’s Joanna Hogg, two

ORESTIS ANDREADAKIS

film directors who may not be well known in Greece, but who are highly respected. It’s also the reason for the presence of John Waters, whose work has often delivered scathing criticisms of society, politics and the aesthetics we embrace. Even the festival poster, designed by award-winning Greek-American illustrator John Mavroudis, widely known for his politically charged covers for Time Magazine and The New Yorker, stems from this.” Among this year’s highlights is an exhibition of the little-known artwork of Nikos Koundouros, a tribute to the experimental cinema of Gregory Markopoulos and Robert Beavers, and something called “Growing Up in the ‘80s,” a look at important films of this misunderstood decade, as selected by Greek director and musician Alexander Voulgaris, aka The Boy. “The festival knows how to connect the Thermaic Gulf with world cinema,” notes Andreadakis, explaining that this year will also feature a strong Greek presence. He expresses his desire to reach out to and educate the younger generation as well. “We’re living at a time when the cinematic product is changing; people are watching

films on laptops and less and less in theaters. The challenge for the future is to educate young audiences in the art of cinema, and to ensure that the festival remains competitive in relation to similar events abroad.” Andreadakis believes the festival has been and can continue to be an ambassador for Greek culture abroad. “It can help the country regain the standing it lost because of the crisis,” he says. “Things are already much more positive. The Greek presence abroad is astonishing. You see Greeks every year at the biggest festivals, from Venice and Cannes to Berlin. The fact that Yorgos Lanthimos and Panos Koutras were both jury members at Cannes this year says it all. A legendary festival considers Greek artists to be quite capable of judging world cinema. And this is why I say that the role of our festival is to continue promoting Greek creative expression.”

INFO

60th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. From 31/10 to 10/11/2019. For program details, visit filmfestival.gr

Born in Irakleio, Crete, in 1963, Orestis Andreadakis studied French literature, art and film theory in France and Switzerland, before working as a film critic for leading Greek media outlets. In 1995, he helped found the Athens International Film Festival “Opening Nights” and later served as its artistic director. In 2013, the French government named him a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contribution to cinema.

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A new era for the Port of Thessaloniki, Greece & South-East Europe

MILESTONES

THE THREAD OF TIME

Despite fluctuating fortunes, Thessaloniki has endured for more than 2,300 years. B Y VA S S I L I S M I N A K A K I S

315 BC

380

The city is founded by King Cassander of Macedonia, who names it after his wife Thessalonike.

Theodosius the Great is baptized in Thessaloniki and fortifies the city’s walls.

616

Unsuccessful attack by the Avars.

1185

The Normans occupy the city for three months.

1204

Thessaloniki is captured by the Fourth Crusade. The city is liberated in 1224 by the Despot of Epirus, Theodore Komnenos Doukas.

1387

The city falls to the Ottomans but reverts to the Byzantines in 1403, before being sold to the Republic of Venice in 1423.

1430

Thessaloniki is captured by the Ottomans.

1492

Some 30,000 Jews settle in the city after being expelled from Spain.

The Kingdom of Macedonia falls under Roman control. The city becomes capital of the Roman province of Macedonia and enjoys a period of prosperity, especially after the construction of the Via Egnatia and the expansion of the increasingly busy harbor.

AD 50

Paul the Apostle visits the city and establishes the first Christian community.

293-305

Galerius, as caesar of one of the four districts of the Roman Empire during the Tetrarchy, makes Thessaloniki his administrative center and adorns the city with splendid public buildings.

322

Emperor Constantine builds a new port outside the city walls. 68

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168 BC

1688

Unsuccessful attempt by the Venetians to take Thessaloniki.

1821

The Greek War of Independence begins in the south of the country. Thousands of Greeks are slaughtered in Thessaloniki.

1876

The Old Waterfront pier is constructed; it will be extended towards the sea in the 1890s.

1912

904

Outbreak of the First Balkan War. Thessaloniki is liberated by the Greek army. Within a year, its population reaches 158,000. The city is sacked by Saracen pirates. Thousands of inhabitants are massacred.

1989

1917

1997

Thessaloniki is designated European Capital of Culture. George Zongolopoulos’ sculpture “Umbrellas” is erected on the new waterfront and a number of important museums are founded.

UNESCO lists 15 of the city’s Early Christian and Byzantine monuments as World Heritage Sites.

The Great Thessaloniki Fire destroys half the city center. The reconstruction plan, drawn up by French architect Ernest Hébrard, includes the creation of a monumental axis beginning at what is now Aristotelous Square.

1923

A mass influx of refugees to the city follows the Greek defeats in Asia Minor and the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne, providing for the compulsory exchange of populations. The city’s Muslim inhabitants leave Thessaloniki.

1962

The building that now houses the Archaeological Museum, where unique treasures of Macedonia are exhibited, including finds from the royal tombs of Vergina, first opens its doors to the public.

2000

The Thessaloniki Concert Hall is inaugurated. The State Museum of Contemporary Art is enriched with Russian avant-garde works from the Costakis Collection.

2013

The redevelopment of the Nea Paralia (“New Waterfront”) area, running from the White Tower to the Concert Hall, is completed. © SAKIS GIOUMPASIS

1926

The first Thessaloniki International Fair is held.

1941

Thessaloniki is occupied by the Germans. During the occupation, which lasts until 1944, almost the entire Jewish population of the city is killed by the Nazis at AuschwitzBirkenau.

1949

The Church of Aghios Dimitrios, the city’s patron saint, is reconsecrated after decades of restoration work.

1960

The Film Festival opens for the first time; it becomes the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in 1992.

1970

The Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) Tower is built within the grounds of the Thessaloniki International Fair.

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Â© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE

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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 youths, 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 an inglorious death, Philip received a glorious burial at Aigai. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

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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 72

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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

A HORRIBLE FINALE

The great playwright Euripides, usually remembered for his great tragedies, many of which were performed in the Theater of Dionysus in Athens and awarded first prize, was an eccentric character who spent the end of his life in Macedonia, where he became the unfortunate star in his own final tragedy. Never comfortable in Athens, his anti-establishment sentiments and iconoclastic approach to religion made him a target of comic poets. Euripides often sought seclusion at home among his books, or in a cave on the island of Salamina, where archaeologists found a 5th-c. BC skyphos cup with his name inscribed on it. About 412 BC, historians relate, he moved to Macedonia, only to fall victim one day to King Archelaus’ unrestrained hunting dogs, who fatally attacked him.

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 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

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

Thessaloniki was once the scene of a cold-blooded massacre by the Roman emperor Theodosius I. Or was it? 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 slaughter of as many as 7,000 spectators watching races in the hippodrome. Now, however, a new study by historian Stanislav Dolezal (2014) suggests the deaths resulted from panicky troops sent in to arrest a certain quota of 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 that levied a urine tax on 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 (see #6).

TRUE/FALSE?

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HISTORY

CHURCH OF HOSIOS DAVID

CHURCH OF THE TWELVE 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 the 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), 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 be-

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, be them Athens, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Istanbul or Athens again. Here, the proverbial 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 Macedo-

nians, Greeks and Italians to Slavs, Franks and Turks. The streets teemed with Christians, Muslims, Spanish Jews, Crusaders, Janissaries, merchants and emperors. The Apostle Paul visited, Constantine the Great made Thessaloniki Byzantium’s second city and the burgeoning Jewish community after 1492 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, continuing to be a far-reaching regional capital on the Thermaic Gulf.

neath Ottoman whitewash, dates to the 5th/6th centuries AD. The Vlatadon Monastery’s frescoes (14th c.) are considered the finest preserved examples of “Macedonian school” painting. The church was built by two Cretan brothers, cloth merchants, who became monks. The Church of the Twelve 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 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

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THE SUN SETS BEHIND THE “MOON” SCULPTURE.

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Don’t miss a thing Everyone has their own experience of Thessaloniki and everywhere you go, you’ll find something special. We’ve put together some highlights to help you organize your own perfect city visit. BY A M BER CH A R MEI & NENA DI M ITR IOU

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OFFICIAL CHECK-IN

You can’t visit Thessaloniki and not stop by its central plaza. Aristotelous Square, a jewel that fuses Byzantine style with Western architecture, should be the start of your journey into the heart of the city. Facing southwest, you can see the waterfront and the Thermaic Gulf. If you turn your back on the sea, however, you’ll realize the square isn’t, in fact, a classic rectangle: you’re in a bottle-shaped open area that stretches all the way inland to the Roman Agora. To the left and right of you at the point where the square opens out are its two architectural landmarks: the Electra Palace Hotel and the Olympion, the cinema-lovers’ haven. The alleyways around it are full of secret gems. Heading away from the sea, just before you reach Egnatia Street, you’ll find Kapani Market, a large open-air affair, off to the left; to the right is Athonos Square, with stores selling organic products and vegetables. Stop at 24 Vatikiotou for quality, freshly roasted nuts at Charilaos. Visit Ragian (12 Balanou), a small

ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE

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delicatessen, to try local delicacies. Music workshops, artisans still practicing traditional trades and small tavernas frequented by students keep the square alive almost 24/7. On the corner of Aristotelous and Tsimiski streets, do as the locals do and enjoy a delicious bougatsa (cream pie) at Paradosiako (3 Aristotelous), established in 1957 and open 24 hours a day. The locals, on their way to do their errands, grab a sesame-sprinkled koulouri (a bread ring), the street food of Thessaloniki, from the vendors scattered around Tsimiski and Mitropoleos; they are served warm early in the morning, and around 18:00. Treat the pigeons, the square’s first and oldest residents, to the sesame seeds left at the bottom of your koulouri’s paper bag. As the evening closes in, the best remedy against the chill of the northwestern wind, known locally as The Vardaris, is a hot salepi drink, purchased from one of the street sellers, to warm your throat and hands as you stroll along the brightly lit square.

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VATIKIOTOU STREET

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PARADOSIAKO

BIKE TOUR AROUND THE CITY

ON WHEELS

Thessaloniki may not be one of the quintessential cycling cities of Greece, like Trikala, Karditsa or Kalamata, but it’s certainly bike-friendly. The promenade (a car-free 5-km stretch from the port to the Concert Hall, free of cars) the broad sidewalks, the squares and the city’s street planning all allow you to enjoy it on wheels. You will find electric scooters (scattered, unfortunately, along the cycle paths), for which you’ll need to download the relevant app onto your mobile phone. The city has eight ThessBike (thessbike.gr) stations in central spots for picking 82

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up and dropping back off in the special parking slots. Bike it (bikeitrentals.com), a few meters from Makedonia Palace, offers a wide variety of bicycles, so you can choose the one that suits you: mountain bikes, electric bikes, tandems, cycle rickshaws and covered two-seater and four-seater quadricycles to enjoy with friends or family. If you don’t feel like pedaling around on your own, Let’s Meet in Thessaloniki (meetinthessaloniki.eu) organizes guided and themed bicycle rides to show you the city’s highlights, explore its neighborhoods, or take you on a gastronomical tour of the best eateries.

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THE CITY ABOVE THE CITY

ANO POLIBRACKET FILL THE

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A CHARMING SIDE STREET

For some great urban hiking, explore Ano Poli – right by the Byzantine walls. Besides the dreamy vistas it affords of the rest of Thessaloniki, the bay and majestic Mt Olympus, the “upper city” of Thessaloniki is packed with impressive monuments. Let yourself get lost in the maze of enchanting cobblestone alleys, lined with charming examples of traditional Ottoman architecture as well as some truly dynamic street art. Hidden among the byways up here are several UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Church of Aghios Nikolaos Orfanos, the Church of Osios David and the Byzantine Baths. Keep climbing and you’ll come to Vlatadon Monastery, with its stellar views and beautiful church. Just west is the enchanting alley called Sthenonos; it edges Tsitsanis Square, a space dedicated to Vassilis Tsitsanis, the legendary composer of rebetika music, a kind of urban Greek blues. Follow the walls – themselves a UNESCO World Heritage monument as well – eastward, and you’ll come to Thessaloniki’s premier viewpoint, the Tower of Trigonio, as popular with locals as with visitors, especially at sunset. By now, you’ll have worked up an appetite, so for classic meze dishes, duck through the old city gate at the Tower of Trigonio and head west. You’ll find the eatery Ticho Ticho (1 St. Polidorou), on an enchanting corner tucked right behind the city walls.

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THE VIEW FROM THE TOWER OF TRIGONIO

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Anchoring one end of Thessaloniki’s gorgeous seafront promenade is the port, now a destination for arts and leisure. The original elegant brick warehouses now house cultural spaces, including three dynamic contemporary museums: the MOMus Photography Museum, the MOMus Experimental Center for the Arts, and the Thessaloniki Cinema Museum. Besides being a key venue for Thessaloniki’s film and documentary festivals, the Cinema Museum’s excellent screening rooms show art-house classics and quality new releases from autumn through spring. Despite its many cultural options, the port is also a prime destination for doing absolutely nothing. Wooden loungers built for two are perfect spots for daydreaming and gazing across the water. Just up from the port, you’ll find the “Ladadika” – former warehouses that have been charmingly converted into tavernas, cafés, and bars. The area is particularly festive by night, and especially on holidays – everything from Halloween to St. Patrick’s Day. By day, visit Ta Bakaliarakia tou Aristou (3 Katouni) to lunch like a local on salted cod in extra crispy batter served on greaseproof paper. A side smattering of “skordalia,” the zesty garlic sauce, and a fried hot pepper are essential accompaniments. Above Tsimiski Street is Ano Ladadika – around Emporiou Square, spice merchants share the streets with restaurants, bars and cultural venues. To experience Thessaloniki’s famously fun nightlife, try some bar hopping around Valaoritou Street, then stop at the Stoa Malakopi for a tasty slice at Poselli Pizza (2 Vilara), named for the architect who designed this Belle Epoque arcade, a landmark once home to the Banque de Salonique.

AT THE PORT

IN THE ANO LADADIKA DISTRICT

FILL THE WOODEN BRACKET LOUNGERS AT THE PORT AREA

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A STROLL AROUND THE PORT

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TA BAKALIARAKIA TOU ARISTOU

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THE NEW WATERFRONT

FUN AT THE WATER’S EDGE

After its regeneration, the locals say that the new waterfront, Nea Paralia, is the most “European” part of the city: a 3.5-km promenade along the sea, stretching unobstructed from the Makedonia Palace to the Concert Hall. A route for walking, exercise, people-watching and bicycle rides. With a stick of colorful cotton candy in your hand, bought from one of the street sellers, pose for a photograph in front of the mesmerizing Zongopoulos sculpture “Umbrellas,” which soars to a height of 13 meters. Just before sunset, take a photo of Pavlos Vasiliadis’ 88

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“Moon” sculpture, which was installed in the sea with the help of divers and looks like an optical illusion. For a view of the city from the water, climb aboard one of the kitschy themed boats of the Thermaic Gulf, such as the Arabella or the Cleo, which offer sightseeing, drinks and music on their short cruises. For more views of both the sea and the city, head to Allegro, the Concert Hall’s café. Near the waterfront is also one of the city’s best restaurants, Opsopoion Maganeiai (5 Emiliou Riadi), which serves a very limited number of diners, so you must book at least a few days in advance.

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Â© PERIKLES MERAKOS

THE PALACE OF GALERIUS

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ANTIQUE SHOPPING

A LIVELY NEIGHBORHOOD

Thessaloniki’s Roman Agora is, ironically, a relatively recent addition to the city – its ruins were only discovered in the 1960s. It’s now the heart of one of the city’s most dynamic neighborhoods, where contemporary culture converges with history, faith and nostalgia. The Agora itself is a great place to start your visit, strolling around the Odeon and the Cryptoporticus, then visiting the half-hidden underground museum. Just up from the Agora is the Church of Aghios Dimitrios, Thessaloniki’s patron saint. On Friday evenings, a uniquely moving Holy Liturgy is celebrated in the crypt, once a Roman bath where, according to tradition, the saint was martyred. To experience the neighborhood’s contemporary energy, visit the art gallery Nitra (51 Filippou), then treat yourself to a coffee in the black and white elegance of Loux ( 83 Olympou). Traces of the Thessaloniki of old survive in the “Bit Bazaar,” a flea market started in the 1920s by Greek refugees from Asia Minor, selling what they could to get by. Nowadays, the antique stores in the courtyard of the market are intersparsed with charming places for meze. For a more daring local specialty, stop off at Tsarouchas (78 Olympou) for “patsas” – a bowl of this tripe-and-trotter soup is a traditional way to end a late night out.

LOUX CAFÉ

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THE CAFÉ AT VILLA BIANCA

VILLA KAPANDJI

In the late 19th century, the wealthiest Christians, Jews and Muslims of Thessaloniki started to build mansions in the “Exoches,” the area outside the city’s eastern walls. While neoclassicism suited the Athenians, eclecticism better expressed Thessaloniki’s cultural diversity; from medieval battlements to onion domes, Islamic arches and lacy eaves, this fanciful neighborhood had it all. Some of these mansions, as well as a former mosque, are now venues for culture and recreation. The Municipal Art Gallery of Thessaloniki makes use of three historic buildings that are themselves works of art: the Villa Bianca, the Yeni Tzami, and the Alaca Imaret (near Ano Poli). Pierro Arrigoni’s Art Nouveau Villa Bianca was commissioned by Dino Fernandez Diaz and named after his wife. Today, exhibitions and events are held in this edifice, once 92

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nearly lost to ruin. The villa also houses a fine collection of works of Nikolaos Gyzis. The exotic Yeni Tzami, or “New Mosque,” marries Renaissance and Islamic details. It was designed by Vitaliano Poselli for the Donmeh community, Jews who converted to Islam, and is now an exhibition and performance space of the Municipal Art Gallery. The MIET Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece holds inspired exhibitions in the storied Villa Kapandji, designed by Pierro Arrigoni in the late 19th century. The grand Villa Modiano now houses the Folklife and Ethnographic Museum of Macedonia - Thrace, whose exhibitions include a magnificent display of traditional costumes. Recently, two places for food, drinks, and coffee have also opened: the Epavli Marokkou, in the mansion of the same name, and the Casablanca Social Club, in the Villa Michailidi.

MUNICIPAL ART GALLERY

OUT FOR COFFEE

NEW LIFE IN OLD BUILDINGS

JEWISH MUSEUM OF THESSALONIKI

THESSALONIKI’S JEWISH PAST

The lilting sound of Ladino, a Judeo-Spanish language, once filled Thessaloniki’s streets. For centuries, a thriving Jewish community was a cornerstone of the city’s multicultural society; in fact, the city was once known as “the Mother of Jerusalem.” Today, the community numbers only about 1,000. Nonetheless, there are a few reminders of the vital importance of the historical Jewish presence in Thessaloniki, and it’s certainly worth seeking them out. On the corner of Komninon Street and Vassileos Irakleiou Street, the lovely 16th-century Yahudi Hammam – or “Jewish Bathhouse” – is now a picturesque backdrop for a series of louloudadika, or flower stalls. Just five minutes’ walk from here is the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, housed in a beautiful early 20th-century shopping arcade. On the ground floor is an exhibition 94

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focusing on the city’s vast Jewish cemetery, destroyed during WWII. Displays on the upper floor share centuries of Jewish life, culture, and personalities, and include an exhibit on the Holocaust, in the new wing of the museum – the walls are inscribed with the names of the victims. On a shady street in a lovely neighborhood above Egnatia Street, a ten-minute walk from the museum, is the Monastirioton Synagogue – enquire at the museum about visiting. After the fire of 1917, which destroyed much of the Jewish quarter of the city, and following the destruction wrought by the Nazis during the Occupation, this is the only historic synagogue remaining in the city. This beautiful structure, dedicated in 1927 and recently restored, was commissioned by Jews from Monastir (present-day Bitola, North Macedonia), and designed by the Czech architect Eli Ernst Levy.

MONASTIRIOTON SYNAGOGUE

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HOUSED IN A NEOCLASSICAL BUILDING, dat-

marble baths, fully equipped kitchens, balconies

ing from 1926, in the historic centre of Thessa-

and true works of art will make your stay tru-

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73, Nikis Avenue 54622 Thessaloniki Tel. +30 2310 257900 Fax. +30 2310 252035 E-mail: info@tsso.gr

Insta: @gattoperso www.gattoperso.gr

HOSPITALITY SPONSORS

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MOURGA

NAMA

MAITR & MARGARITA

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CULINARY CREATIVITY

NEA FOLIA

MAVRI THALASSA

The city’s cuisine has always been known for its hearty, spice-rich dishes and for its excellent seafood. There are several upscale restaurants with a long history behind them, such as Mavri Thalassa (3 Nikolaou Plastira, Tel. (+30) 2310.932.542), considered the best choice for fish. At the same time, there’s another gastronomic approach that’s gaining ground. Young restaurateurs, chefs and sommeliers have created a new wave of eateries serving good, inexpensive food. Maitr and Margarita (2 Verias, Tel. (+30) 2314.007.586) is a gastro-bistro, with a menu that reflects the Thracian chef’s culinary roots and offers traditional recipes reimagined in contemporary forms and made with choice ingredients from distinguished producers. Mourga (12 Christopoulou, Tel. (+30) 2310.268.826) is a gastro-kafeneio serving upgraded cuisine with excellent raw materials – all their products except the fish are organic. Don’t miss out on dishes that showcase the magnificence of simplicity, such as the crayfish with goat’s butter and thyme, or the fresh Greek tuna with pasta. Nama (1 Olympou, Tel. (+30) 2313.088.241), set up by a group of friends, serves simple Mediterranean cuisine (flavored with plenty of herbs and spices) in an unpretentious environment, and attracts a clientele of mainly thirty-somethings. Nea Folia (4 Aristomenous, Tel. (+30) 2310.960.383), a no-frills taverna, cooks up tasty stews with local meat and has many dishes inspired by the cuisine of Asia Minor and the Balkans; if you love cheese, you’ll also find plenty of delicious choices from the Cyclades, Crete and mainland Greece.

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OUT ON A SHOPPING SPREE

BROWSING THE BOUTIQUES

Thessaloniki’s women are known for being immaculate dressers, and it’s a stereotype they proudly embrace. They take care of their appearance – you’ll rarely see any of them looking unkempt – and they’re in and out of the shops every chance they get, from morning until just before closing time; if there’s any occasion where they need to make an impression, they’ll always buy something new. The three main shopping streets appeal to different types of shoppers. On Tsimiski, you’ll find department stores with international brands, multinational chain stores and numerous Greek clothing companies. Among them are hairdressing salons, make-up stores and opticians. This is where school and university students spend their allowances to get their hands on the latest trends. Running parallel, Mitropoleos 98

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has more boutiques and an older clientele, and particularly appeals to women who consult fashion magazines before they go out shopping. The stores here sell clothes by local designers, handmade jewelry and shoes, and outfits for a less conventional look. One street over towards the sea, Proxenou Koromila is a compact version of London’s Bond Street, with boutiques by major designers of international fame. Artworks and objects of desire, Italian brands and high design all have their home on this road and its vicinity. Take a break from shopping for a coffee or an aperitif at Mon Frère (6 Karolou Dil), an all-day hangout frequented by the poshest and best-dressed locals. Nearby is the Bientot wine store (5 Morgendaou), which doubles as a wine bar, with a few select choices by the glass – a perfect place for some bubbly or a Greek varietal, in a true jewel of a building.

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ERGON AGORA

NOT JUST A CUP OF JOE

LA NINA FRIDA

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Coffee is the perfect excuse to visit a number of establishments that offer much more than just drinks and food. TOMS Café (22 Tsimiski) is housed in one of the city’s prettiest arcades, Stoa Pelosof, and is part of an international social enterprise chain. Their motto is “One for One” and the company provides developing countries with 140 liters of drinking water for every coffee packet it uses. It also sells shoes, clothing and eyewear, and every purchase benefits a vulnerable community somewhere in the world. The popular Ypsilon (5 Edessis), housed in an old traveler’s inn, is a cafébar that also operates as a workspace and cultural venue. This is where the city’s artiest types gather for evening drinks. The all-day café La Nina Frida (4 Achiropiitou) is an SCE (Social Coooperative Enterprise) where, in addition to wonderful homemade food, you’ll also find products by other SCEs. They

also organize occasional excursions and short day trips. Some staff members are trained in sign language, and the shop’s menu is available in Braille. Ergon Agora (48 Pavlou Mela) is a paradise for foodies; it’s a fully-stocked delicatessen as well as an all-day eatery. Specialty coffees are served in cups made by ceramicists exclusively for Ergon, while menu items are prepared with Greek products that are available for purchase from the store. The multi-purpose venue To Pikap (57 Olympou) is run by five friends; it’s a self-service café-bar which houses a small record label (Pikap Records), a store selling books and vinyl records, and a gallery space. They also run a web radio station, topikapradio.gr. Via their website, they‘ve created a community of 160 local artists, and they’ve launched a publishing company, although with only one title published so far. You’re sure to discover even more going on when you visit.

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TO PIKAP

YPSILON

TOMS CAFÉ

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THE KEYS TO THE CITY

From its scenic waterfront to its towering hills, Thessalonikiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center offers visitors the chance to explore Roman ruins, centuries-old churches, inspiring museums and elegant architecture old and new. BY JOHN LEONA R D & A MBER CH A R MEI

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THE WHITE TOWER (15TH-16TH CENTURY)

Thessaloniki’s most iconic historical monument, the White Tower, once a prison and place of execution, was erected by the Ottoman Turks in the late 15th century. It replaced an earlier Byzantine defensive tower that stood within a small, octagonallywalled sub-fortress at the city’s southeastern corner – where the massive eastern city wall descended from the Ano Poli (Upper Town) to meet the sea. Known by various names through the centuries, including the Lion’s Tower, the Blood Tower and the Janissary Tower, the White Tower took its present designation in the late 19th century, after one of its prisoners whitewashed it in exchange for his freedom. INFO

• Nikis • Tel. (+30) 2310.267.832 • Open daily 08:00-20:00, until end of October (winter hours tba) • Admission: €4 • lpth.gr

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THE ARCH OF GALERIUS (4TH CENTURY)

Now standing alone, the Arch of Galerius (“Kamara”) once formed an integral part of the elaborate palace of the Roman emperor Galerius (who ruled AD 297-311), erected in the late 3rd and early 4th c. AD. This relief-sculpted triumphal arch, originally consisting of a main span and two smaller flanking arches, marked the point where the Via Egnatia, the Romans’ east-west highway that cut across northern Greece, passed directly through the emperor’s residence. Decorating the arch’s main piers are intricately carved panels with propagandistic scenes confirming Galerius’ authority, as he battles Persians, offers sacrifices and stands beside his fellow imperial tetrarchs. INFO: 144 Egnatia

THE ROTUNDA (4TH CENTURY)

Long considered an original feature of Galerius’ palace, perhaps a temple, the Rotunda appears instead to have been built by Constantine the Great in AD 322323, according to recent studies by Greek archaeologists and art historians. This new interpretation suggests the Rotunda was designed as Constantine’s third mausoleum; its mosaics – today considered equal in splendor to those of Ravenna – depicted not saints and martyrs, but the emperor himself and his courtiers, juxtaposed with Christian motifs to symbolize the Roman imperial and Early Christian worlds coming together. Later, the Rotunda became Thessaloniki’s first Christian church (late 4th c. AD) and, eventually, an Ottoman mosque (1591). 104

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INFO

Aghiou Georgiou Square Tel. (+30) 2310.204.868 • Open Mon, Wed-Fri 08:00-20:00, Sat & Sun 9:00-17:00 (winter hours tba) • Admission: €2. • •

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ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE

M2 CONCERT HALL

Imagine Paris and the hum of conversation from café tables, then add the pigeons from Piazza San Marco and throw in a view of Mt Olympus, and you have Aristotelous Square. Urban, cosmopolitan, and at the same time thoroughly Greek, it’s a brilliant synthesis of color and motifs reflecting the city’s Byzantine heritage, augmented with a grand succession of arcades reminiscent of the rue du Rivoli. The buildings lining the square are by various architects (Vokos, Konstantinidis, and Triantafillidis for the Electra Palace Hotel, and Jacques Mosset for the building housing the Olympion Cinema, for example) – and are diverse in detail, yet united by the common rhythm of Ernest Hébrard’s original city plan. And the square itself is just the right size – big enough for public celebrations, but not so big that you can’t spot friends across the way.

In 2000, Thessaloniki’s already thriving cultural scene was further enriched with a new world-class venue. The Concert Hall, a landmark at the eastern edge of the waterfront promenade, hosts a range of major cultural events – ballet performances, symphonic concerts, plays and operas. Its sleek modernist sibling next door – the M2, by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki – has multiple spaces: the Amphitheatron Hall, which seats 500; the Flat Hall (adaptable for events on a more intimate scale); and a rooftop terrace that serves as an outdoor screening room in the summer. There are stunning views from the Allegro bar/ restaurant on the top floor.

(1917)

(21ST CENTURY)

INFO • •

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25th Martiou & Paralia • Tel. (+30) 2310.895.800 tch.gr

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THE CHURCH OF THE ACHEIROPOIETOS

(5TH CENTURY)

Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Church of the Acheiropoietos was built ca. AD 450, on the site of a Roman bath. Traces of its original 5th-century mosaic decoration and of a 13thcentury fresco are still visible. The church was constructed with “Theodosian” capitals and other architectural elements crafted in a Constantinople workshop, features which indicate the close ties between Thessaloniki and the Byzantine capital. The material used is white Proconnesian marble from the Sea of Marmara. With the Ottomans’ takeover of Thessaloniki (1430), the Church of the Acheiropoietos was the first of the city’s Christian churches to be converted into a mosque. In 1922-1923, the building was used to shelter Greek refugees from Asia Minor.

THE CHURCH OF AGHIOS DIMITRIOS (4TH CENTURY, REBUILT 7TH CENTURY)

The present 20th-century Church of Aghios Dimitrios, patron saint of Thessaloniki, hides its earliest historical secrets deep within its crypt. Built over a Roman-era bath complex, the first church here was a small chapel (mid-320s AD) dedicated to the memory of the recently martyred Dimitrios, an early follower of Christianity, persecuted by Emperor Galerius. His body was reportedly dropped down a well in the baths, where he had clandestinely met other fellow Christians. As his fame spread, and ever more pilgrims arrived to pay their respects, the chapel was replaced by a larger church (7th c.) that survived until the city’s devastating 1917 fire. INFO •

83 Aghiou Dimitriou • Tel. (+30) 2310.270.008 • Open daily 06:00-22:00 • inad.gr

INFO • •

56 Aghias Sofias • Tel. (+30) 2310. 227.369 Open 7:30-13:00 year-round; evening hours vary.

THE KAPANDJI VILLAS (LATE 19TH-CENTURY)

People sometimes confuse the two Kapandji Villas – the brothers Mehmet and Ahmet, of the influential Kapandji family, each built themselves a villa, both in a bold eclectic style and both by architect Pierro Arrigoni, on Vassilisis Olgas Street. The Villa of Mehmet is the better known, because of the various roles it has played throughout the 20th century: it was home to Eleftherios Venizelos from 1914 to 1917, provided lodging for refugees from Asia Minor after that, and hosted a boys’ high school later on. The National Bank of Greece restored it to its former splendor. It is now the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank (MIET), hosting fine exhibitions and free public events. INFO •

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108 Vasilissis Olgas • Tel. (+30) 2310.295.170

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THE EPTAPIRGIO CASTLE

OTE TOWER

At the top of the city, with Thessaloniki laid out below, stand the Tower of Trigonio and the Eptapirgio (“Seven Towers”) Castle, also known by its old Turkish name Yenti Kule, which, despite its present-day tranquility, ranks as one of the city’s most storied and colorful monuments. Originally part of Theodosius I’s renovation (late 4th c. AD) of Thessaloniki’s Hellenistic/Roman city walls, this structure became an enclosed castle in the 12th century; then the Ottomans’ headquarters after 1430; and finally, in the late 19th century, a notorious prison, often referenced in Greek rebetiko songs, that went on to hold political prisoners as well. The castle remained in use as a prison until 1989.

The bold bright futurism of the OTE (the Greek Telecommunications Company) Tower stands out in a city of Byzantine opulence and Ottoman mystery. It also stands tall – at 76m, it’s one of the tallest structures in Greece. In the open expanse of the grounds of the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center, the tower has a strong sculptural presence, which is how architect Alexandros Anastasiadis characterized it when he designed it in the late 1960s. In the intervening decades, it has also acquired a layer of retro charm. From the slowly rotating café/bar on the fourth floor (one revolution takes about an hour), you can enjoy a full panoramic view of the city.

(14TH-15TH CENTURY)

INFO • •

Ano Poli • Tel. (+30) 2313 310400 • Open Mon-Fri 08:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 08:00-16:00 (winter hours tba). Admission is free.

(20TH CENTURY)

INFO • •

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154 Egnatia - HELEXPO Tel. (+30) 2310.265.460

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MUSEUM OF BYZANTINE CULTURE (1994)

Immediately after Thessaloniki’s annexation into the modern Greek state in 1913, a law was passed that called for the establishment of this museum, originally slated to occupy space in the 5th c. AD Church of the Acheiropoietos. In the end, the Museum of Byzantine Culture opened to the public in 1994, housed in a building of its own that was designed by Kyriakos Krokos. Its eclectic displays are truly impressive: from Early Christian architectural and mosaic fragments and a stepped marble pulpit from the city’s first churches to sculptures, pottery, farming implements, jewelry, icons and ecclesiastical prints, plates, embroidery, books and radiant silver and gold objects. INFO

2 Stratou • Tel. (+30) 2313.306.400 Open daily 08:00-20:00 (winter hours tba). • Admission: €8 • mbp.gr • •

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF THESSALONIKI (1962)

A visit to the AMTH will help you make better sense of Thessaloniki’s ancient antiquities. Major renovations in 2006 helped bring this extraordinary museum up to date, and today’s visitors can enjoy engaging, thematically arranged permanent displays and creative temporary exhibitions that cover relevant modern topics as well. The museum’s displays, through their thoughtful organization, detailed information panels, original illustrations and historic photographs, tell the story of Thessaloniki and its surrounding region from the Prehistoric era to Late Antiquity. INFO • •

6 Manoli Andronikou • Tel. (+30) 2313.310.201 • Open daily 08:00-20:00 (winter hours tba) Admission: €8 • amth.gr

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PLEASE NOTE THAT SUMMER HOURS APPLY FROM 01/04 TO 31/10.

ΙΝFO: 3-day combined ticket for four major museums and sites of Thessaloniki (Archaeological Museum, Museum of Byzantine Culture, White Tower, Roman Agora) costs €15.

explore O LYMPUS

TOUCH THE SKY

The mythical home of the gods, Greece’s highest mountain is as captivating today as it has been for millennia. “Olympus, the roof of Greece,” woodcut by Giorgos Moschos (circa 1971) E DI T E D BY NATA SH A BL AT SIOU

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“The Banquet of the Gods” (c. 1606-1610), by Hendrik van Balen the Elder and Jan Brueghel (“Velvet”); Musee des Beaux-Arts, Angers, France.

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MYTHS AND MYSTERIES Olympus and its seaward slopes were a land of gods, religious mysteries and lavish living, where myth intersected with wild nature and the bastions of Dion stoutly protected Macedoniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southern frontier. BY JOHN LEONA R D

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f you’ve ever traveled past Mt Olympus, walked among its foothills or hiked its trails, you’re already acquainted with its majestic beauty. It seems only natural that the ancient Greeks would have recognized this unique place as the home of their 12 foremost gods, the “Olympians.” Viewed from the sea, this towering range which afforded passing seafarers an unmistakable landmark, is particularly impressive. The often-snowcapped peaks stretch toward the sky, the massif divided in two by an enormous dark canyon, outside whose entrance stands the modern village of Litochoro. On cloudless days, Olympus’ three tallest peaks may be visible in the distance: Mytikas (2918m), Skolio (2911m) and Stefani (2909m), also known as the Throne of Zeus, which rises above the alpine meadow called the Plateau of the Muses.

WHERE GODS DWELL On the heights of Olympus were the palaces of the ancient Greeks; most powerful gods: mighty Zeus and his queen, Hera; Poseidon, Demeter and Hestia;

were also considered to be sacred in antiquity – the idyllic abode of gods, goddesses, nymphs and the nine Muses, daughters of Zeus (Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Urania). Here one finds the pleasant archaeological park of Dion, an important Archaic and Classical cult center and, later, a fortified Hellenistic military base and affluent Roman colony, marking the borderlands between Macedonia and Greece.

ENCHANTED NATURE Orpheus, the mythical musician and poet, known especially for his enchanting songs and lyre playing, was a main figure associated with the Dion region and its inspiring environment. Much as the phenomena of lightning and thunder high on Olympus were attributed to Zeus, the gatherer of clouds and storms, Orpheus was similarly seen as having powers that affected nature, with which he charmed the animals, trees, rivers and even the rocks. Born in a cave on Olympus’ lower slopes, somewhere south of Dion near

ORPHEUS REPORTEDLY ESTABLISHED A SCHOOL AT LEIVITHRA, TEACHING THE WORSHIP OF DIONYSUS AND HIS OWN ORPHIC MYSTERIES, WHICH PROMOTED THE IDEA THAT THE HUMAN SOUL WAS IMMORTAL.

Athena, Apollo and his sister Artemis; Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus and his wife Aphrodite. Hades, despite being Zeus’ brother, lived far from Olympus, as ruler of the Underworld, while Dionysus, Zeus’ free-spirited son, spent most of his time roaming the woodlands and vineyards with his entourage of ecstatic, winesoaked Sileni/Satyrs and Maenads, and with the nymphs of Nyssa and convivial Pan, a lustful goat-legged god with horns. Olympus’ seaward slopes and coastal plain, rich in rivers and lush vegetation, 116

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ancient Leivithra, Orpheus was a son of Calliope, the leading Muse, and Oiagros, king of Thrace. His exact reputed birthplace, Pimpleia, remains unknown today, but was described by the Roman geographer Strabo as an unwalled village, an outlying settlement or suburb of Dion. Orpheus reportedly established a school at Leivithra, teaching the worship of Dionysus and his own Orphic Mysteries, which promoted the idea that the human soul was immortal and subject to reincarnation or transmigration after death.

Orpheus ranks among the notable figures in ancient Greco-Roman myth who made journeys to the Underworld and successfully returned. Others included Odysseus, Hercules, Theseus, Dionysus, Adonis, Demeter, Persephone, Hermes and Aeneas. In Orpheus’ case, he traveled to the Underworld to attempt to release his beloved wife, the woodland nymph Eurydice, who had perished from a snakebite. Using his magical musical powers, he was able to slip past the Underworld’s three-headed canine

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“Orpheus Among the Animals,” by Jacob de Backer, Antwerp, 1560-1590/91.

gatekeeper, Cerberus, and to persuade Hades to let him lead Eurydice back to the Land of the Living – on condition that while doing so he wouldn’t look behind him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t resist and Eurydice disappeared forever. At Dion, legend held that Orpheus died at the hands of local Pierian women who were either in a Dionysiac frenzy or angered because he refused to admit them as initiates into his Orphic Mysteries. Other versions argued that, heartbroken from the death of Eurydice, he

shunned women, turned his attentions and affections solely to males, and thus enraged the women by luring away their menfolk, at the same time introducing homosexuality into the world. According to the traveler Pausanias, the womenfolk tore Orpheus apart and then went to wash their hands clean of his blood in the Helicon River. Wishing no part in his murder, the Helicon disappeared underground – only to burst forth again near Dion, as the sacred Vaphyras River. After Orpheus’ death, his lyre was placed

on display in the sky (as a constellation) by Zeus, while his bones were buried at Leivithra on Olympus by the Muses. After a flash flood later destroyed Leivithra, Pausanias notes, the Macedonians of Dion “carried the bones of Orpheus to their own country.” He reports that, when “going from Dion along the road to the mountain, and advancing twenty stades, you come to a pillar on the right surmounted by a stone urn, which according to the natives contains the bones of Orpheus.” T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

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DION Dedicated primarily to Zeus, Dion was the most important religious sanctuary in ancient Macedonia. In addition to its numerous shrines and temples dedicated to Olympian Zeus, Zeus Hypsistos, Artemis, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Demeter and Isis, the site was considered the birthplace of Macedon, Zeus’ son and the progenitor of the Macedonians. King Archelaus founded an athletic festival in honor of Zeus at Dion in the late 5th century BC, like the major games held at Olympia and other sanctuaries of Greece, while Philip II celebrated many of his military victories there. Alexander the Great ceremonially launched his Asian campaign from Dion (334 BC), later erecting a monumental equestrian group, sculpted by Lysippus

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in bronze, which commemorated those Companions who fell in the Battle of Granicus. As a strategic military position marking Macedonia’s southern frontier with the rest of Greece, Dion was fortified with massive defensive walls by Cassander (306-304 BC). Later, following the Romans’ takeover of Macedonia (168 BC), it was designated a colony in 32/31 BC by Octavius (Augustus). The city thrived, despite invasions, earthquakes and severe floods, eventually serving as the seat of a bishop after Constantine’s empire-wide embrace of Christianity with the Edict of Milan (AD 313). Dion then suffered final decline and abandonment in the 5th century AD. Today, visitors can explore the excavated ruins of the fortified city in an

01. Temple of Isis, Dion; a riverside sanctuary, where a central water display was intended to evoke the Nilotic environment of Egypt. 02. Orderly stacks of tiles (pilae) in the Great Baths once supported pleasantly warm floors, heated from below by circulating air. 03. Casts of Roman-era statues, affected by the powers of nature and time, offer a clue to Dion’s once lavish sculptural adornment.

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archaeological park notable for its tranquil setting, grassy lawns, tree-lined paths and intriguing architectural relics, some still seasonally inundated – as they likely were in antiquity – by the adjacent Vaphyras River. The people of ancient Dion clearly lived at the whim of their environment, ever aware of the ubiquitous powers of nature so apparent here in the shadow of Olympus. In strolling through the large park, one finds temples, sanctuaries, bath complexes with mosaic floors and hypocaust heating systems, stone-paved streets, a Hellenistic theater and Roman music hall, affluent villas, basilicas and an early Christian cathedral. The Monument of the Shields, a lengthy relief of shields and breastplates (4th century BC), recalls Dion’s military past, while the so-called Villa of Dionysus attests to the luxurious lifestyle once enjoyed in the city. In the Isis sanctuary, a paved channel was intended to evoke the Nile. The site’s museum preserves an array of elegant statues that once adorned Dion, as well as the earliest-known example of a “hydraulis” (1st century BC), an air-driven bronze instrument that represents the forerunner of the modern church organ. INFO

Dion Archaeological Park • Tel. (+30) 23510.534.84 •

Open daily 08:00-18:00

Winter hours (November 1-March 31): 08:00-16:00 Dion Archaeological Museum • Open daily 08:00-20:00 • Winter hours: 8:00-16:00 • Admission: €8 (Winter: €4) •

04. Panacea, daughter of Asclepius, and one of her sisters; (2nd-3rd cents. AD); Dion Archaeological Museum. 05. Medusa, mosaic in the Villa of Dionysus, Dion.

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A SECRET DESIRE “Kakkalos pointed to a vertical peak just south of the ‘Throne of Zeus’ and separated from it by a deep col. ‘That one,’ he said and he wasn’t wrong - ‘is the highest peak. But no one has conquered it yet, and surely, no one ever will.’ Further down the slope, by a copse of pines, he showed me a makeshift loggers’ hut. ‘You’d have to set off from this hut and look further south for a route that may lead to the summit,’ he said. He had guessed my secret desire.”

ZEUS HAD CHEATED US “Following six hours of climbing, we approached this wuthering peak which, for a while, left us with the impression that it was the higher. As we formed a stack of rocks, all of a sudden a strong wind cleared the chaos and a huge shining rock that looked like a tower appeared in front of us, rising in a higher position. A large edge between us and the cliff made it look unapproachable. Zeus had cheated us! Another lost effort!” O LY M P U S

THE FIRST ASCENT

Photographer Frederic Boissonnas, writer Daniel BaudBovy and Christos Kakkalos, a Greek hunter, were the first to stand atop the legendary summit.

T E X T S F ROM T H E B O OK “ M T OLY M P U S , B Y F R E D E R I C B O I S S O N N A S , ” G I A N N I S K I R I TS I S , M U N I C I PA L I T Y O F D I O N O LY M P U S , 2 018

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MORTAL CONQUERORS August 2nd, 1913, at 10:25 “Bravo Christo! Merci! Zito I Hellas! [Hail Greece!] Mt Olympus is now ours. We are the first amongst men, since the gods left, to stand on this untrodden rock. What we have wanted for so long, our dream of so many years, has been realised. How to express how moved we are, how elated! We hug one another, shake the hand of our brave hunter...”

CLIMBING THE SACRED MOUNTAIN For a full account of the historic 1913 expedition to the summit of Mt Olympus, and the difficulties that the climbers overcame, scan here.

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THE

HIGH ROAD

Explore iconic trails, attempt demanding climbs, hike the lonely route or take it easy on the lower slopes. B Y M I L T O S Z E R VA S *

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A group of mountaineers on Skala, 2866m above the Aegean Sea. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll follow a well-worn path to reach Mytikas, the mountainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest peak.

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he world may know it as the epicenter of an entire religion and of the ancient Greek world, but today Olympus is, above all, a spectacular mountain that begs to be explored. Rising to 2918 meters at its summit, it is the second-tallest mountain in the Balkans. An important part of its attraction for nature buffs is its proximity to the sea and to the islands of the northern Aegean, along with its diversity of flora and fauna and its exceptionally beautiful landscapes. There are many ways to reach Mytikas, its highest peak. For those driving up from the coast towards the village of Litochoro, the gash of the Enipeas Gorge is unmissable; its upper edges rise to an elevation of 2500m and to the rocks of Mytikas. The E4 trail runs through here, passing a river, waterfalls and dense woodland before reaching the wellspring of Prionia: a trek of some three to four hours. There’s a hut at the end of the trail where you can get some food and water, and take a much needed rest before the next leg to the top. It takes another three hours or so, through a cool forest of beeches and, higher up,

coarse Heldreich’s pines (which grow at 2000m and above), to reach the refuge of Spilios Agapitos at 2060m. You can get your strength back for the next day’s final push at this old, yet very comfortable and well-run refuge. The trail to Skolio, at 2911m, is a two-hour hike along a rather unforgiving exposed stretch of rock and pebbles. From there, Mytikas is a precipitous ascent of around an hour or so, along a path carved by the first people to conquer Olympus in 1913, forever dethroning Zeus. Another way up Olympus from Litochoro is through the Plateau of the Muses, with the trail starting at 1200m at a spot called Gortsia, which can be reached by car. It’s a two-hour hike from there through dense woodland to the Petrostrouga Refuge, known for its marvelous views of the sea. The trail then heads up to the Skourta summit at 2460m. Continuing along the excellent path – with drops on either side of up to 1000m – will take you to a ridge and then up to the plateau. What a sight! The peak known as Stefani, or “Crown,” is exactly like the back of a giant throne, earning the spot the nickname “The Throne of 01. At the Plateau of the Muses, the Stefani summit dominates the landscape and hides the slightly taller Mytikas. Its nickname, “The Throne of Zeus” is fitting.

02. The summit of Profitis Ilias (2781m), a peak on the Plateau of the Muses, is home to the highest church in the Balkans. 03. Cool beech forests, well-marked trails and a dense network of paths make Olympus a hiker’s paradise.

04. Camping beneath the mountaintops creates a sense of freedom!

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TIPS

1. Olympus is a high mountain, so dress like a climber. The climate above 2000m is similar to what you find in the Alps. 2. Make sure to wear a helmet if you’re scaling Mytikas. Gear and information are available at the refuges, and you’ll find professional mountain guides in Litochoro.

3. Avoid going on weekends or major public holidays, as the area can get too crowded. If you want to spend the night at one of the three higher refuges, you must book at least several weeks in advance.

The Christos Kakkalos Refuge, at 2650m, is a favorite among climbers, thanks to its proximity to the mountain’s highest slopes.

Zeus” from the first climbers to scale the mountain. At 2909m, it is Olympus’ third-highest summit, and the steepest of all. It was this “throne,” which catches the colors of the setting sun, that captured the attention of Italian interwar mountaineering legend Emilio Comici in 1936. Comici and his climbing partner and wife Anna Escher were responsible for establishing the first proper climbing routes on Greece’s mountains. One of these has been named after them and is considered an easy (AD+) but classic route. Since 1936, however, dozens of new routes have been opened up to Olympus’ three highest summits, many of them of particular difficulty. This does not mean they are the longest or the toughest on Greece’s mountains, but they certainly give you a sense of mountaineering adventure. It should take around six or seven hours to reach the Plateau of the Muses, where there are two refuges located quite close to one another: the Christos Kakkalos Refuge at 2650m (named after the Litochoro local who scaled Mytikas in 1913) and the Giosos Apostolidis Refuge at 2690m (named after a mountaineer who helped build it, but died three years 126

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later from a fall just below the summit). Both are more than adequate and provide a good base for reaching Mytikas, just over an hour away, across a sheer, 150-meter couloir, or gully, called Louki. A number of accidents have taken place here, almost all as a result of careless climbers dislodging rocks, so caution is advised. These two ascent routes account for 80 percent of all visitors to Mytikas and the other high summits, and visitor numbers total more than 100,000 a year. But Olympus has more to offer than just these two routes, and there are ways to get away from the madding crowds and find out more about the mountain, too. Starting off from Litochoro again, you can explore Olympus’ southern flank. At 2700m, it’s lower, but it’s also almost empty in terms of people, and has a large plateau, Bara, at 2500m. There are no refuges in this area, but there is a good trail that meets up with the E4 at Skolio. Taking the trail towards Thessaly in the west will bring you to the village of Kokkinopilos, past the Christaki Refuge. The journey takes two days, during which you can enjoy quiet, empty expanses and secluded peaks, although thorough preparation is required. The mountain’s northeastern and northern faces, shooting up 300m from the valley, are also good ways to explore a different side of Olympus. Starting at the Krevatia Refuge just above the vil-

lage of Vrontou, there’s a trail that leads to the impressive Xerolaki Gorge. From there, a narrow rocky pass takes you up to Kazania, a cavity beneath the peaks that is all rocks and boulders, shaped by a glacier that stood here 10,000 years ago. This is by far the most fascinating route for reaching the Plateau of the Muses and the summits. But there’s much more to Olympus than reaching a summit. There is a very good network of trails above the villages of Vrontou and Dion, and you can spend days exploring here. Paths take you through woodlands to natural springs and to the three refuges operating in the area, all at more comfortable altitude not exceeding 2000 m. This is an approach to exploring the area that’s been gaining in popularity in recent years. Whichever experience you choose (and there are many more than those described here), Olympus is an enchanting mountain. I have been trekking its slopes for 30 years, and every time is magical.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Miltos Zervas writes trekking guides for the Greek mountains and is the author of the English-language guide “Olympus: Classic Ascents & Hikes.”

* Offer expires December 31, 2019 and is valid for new subscribers in Athens and Thessaloniki only. This offer is not avalaible in all markets and hand delivery is subject to confirmation by our local distributor. Smartphone and tablet apps are not supported on all devices.

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THE OTHER OLYMPIANS Mighty Olympus is home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna, and to many nature lovers fighting to protect its fragile ecosystem. TEXT & PHOTOS B Y S AV VA S VA S I L E I A D I S *

In early spring in the foothills of Mount Olympus, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll come across the Mirror Orchid.

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The Balkan chamois is a common sight in the Greek mountains.

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ver since ancient times, Mt Olympus has provided an abundance of resources for the area’s residents; timber, coal, resin, ice and food for farm animals covered the needs of the nearby communities. And for strangers to the area, the mountain has presented challenges and discoveries that have been sources of fascination for visitors since antiquity. As far back as the 2nd century BC, geographers took on the task of measuring its exact height. Cartographers created precise maps of the broader area and assigned toponyms to the different locations. Botanists still study its wealth of flora, and nature buffs continue to explore its every corner. The first official ascent of the country’s highest peak (2918m) was recorded some 100 years ago and acted as a trigger for numerous new attempts and for the opening of new paths and trails. Olympus was named Greece’s first national park in 1938, its first Biosphere Reserve in 1981 and is a listed archaeological site as well, 130

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thanks to its important historical legacy. Mt Olympus’ greatest asset, however, may be its flowers. It is a botanical treasury hosting 1700 different species and subspecies. Of these, 27 are endemic. The most well known of these is Jankaea heldreichii, a relict species from the Tertiary Period. You can see it flowering between May and August in shady spots with a northern exposure and at elevations ranging from 250 to 2200 meters. You’ll also come across around 60 different types of wild orchid, tulips, lilies, cornflowers and many other rare, subalpine species. The fauna is no less impressive, as the mountain hosts horned larks, alpine accentors, two to four pairs of golden eagles, nine out of Greece’s ten species of woodpecker, and the rare and mysterious wallcreeper, which is remarkably adept at clinging to sheer cliffs in its search for food. A migratory passage for large and small birds of prey, Mt Olympus offers the opportunity to spot hundreds of short-

toed snake eagles and European honey buzzards circling overhead in March and September, at low and medium altitudes. It is also ideal for photographing and observing butterflies; you can find some 170 of the 250-odd species that live in Greece. It’s also part of the route for bears moving down from the north, from Epirus and Macedonia, in search of new territories in Pilio and Thessaly. The presence of limestone has led to the formation of a karst landscape with hundreds of caves and sinkholes that are home to cave crickets, other arthropods, and mammals such as bats. Every so often at a clearing, you’ll hear the special bark that roe deer use as an alarm, and you may spot wildcats stalking prey at elevations from 400 to 2200 meters. The mammal that has become the symbol of Mt Olympus is the Balkan chamois, a goat-antelope. You’ll see lone males above 1600m, or, depending on the season, come across herds, small or large, in the alpine meadows. You’ll see females with their young on almost every

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01. The black woodpecker, with its distinctive red “crown” and its piercing cry, is the loudest inhabitant of the forest. 02. The European wildcat is known for its hunting prowess and patience.

03. The Balkan whip snake is a harmless rare animal that can be found at the lower and mid-range elevations of the mountain. 04. The rare and impressive Αpollo butterfly.

steep crag, nook and shelf just below Mytikas and the Throne of Zeus. Some 250 of these animals live on Olympus, making this one of the largest populations in the country. To find out more about the wonderful treasures the mountain holds, it’s best to talk to those who know this area. Whether they’re people who live here or regular visitors, they are always happy to share their knowledge. You may, for example, come across Irini, an octogenarian often seen hiking the mountain’s trails, who’ll tell you about her last ascent to Mytikas. Or Jacques and Morisette from Paris, who have come trekking every year for the past 30 years. There’s also Michalis, who cleans every bit of trash he finds from the trails and is always looking for an excuse to recount tales about Livadaki, the old springs and the secret waterfalls of Enipeas or the peak at Kosti. He’s also happy to discuss the daily lives of the people who once lived here, as well as those who still do, right in the heart of the national park.

As you head up through the foothills from Litochoro, you’ll come to where I work, the National Park Information Center, where Areti and I are on hand to give you a warm welcome and all the information you’ll need for your excursion. You’ll probably come across Barba-Yorgos, the most photographed shepherd in Greece, with his flock, and he’ll bid you good morning in his heavy local accent. Further up, Giorgos and Melina are the new managers of the Boudolas Refuge, while Dimitris and his team are usually posted at Prionia. Once you reach the Monastery of Aghios Dionysios, you may be lucky enough to find Father Paisios, a kindly monk who’ll direct you to the old monastery and the Cave of Aghios Dionysios. Futher up, in the higher refuges of Olympus, you’ll come under the care and guidance of Maria, Nektarios, Larry, Nikos, Alex and Mike, all mountain folk with the right mix of professionalism and consideration for anybody who may get into trouble in what can be a demanding and unpredictable environment.

Nikos, a nature buff and explorer who is keenly protective of Olympus’ archaeological treasures and concerned about the impact of human activitied on the area’s wolves and bears, can usually be found somewhere on the Petra-Bara-Kokkinopilos trail. Tolis, a tireless trekker, tends to stick to higher elevations, while still further up you’re likely to find Ilias, another intrepid hiker who has probably walked all 350km of Olympus’ trails in every season and discovered everything about them there is to know. So many of us have fallen under the spell of this beautiful mountain and its rich natural bounty. Why not pay a visit, too, and see for yourself what’s so special about Greece’s “natural Parthenon”?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Savvas Vasileiadis is one of the official guides of the Olympus National Park Management Agency.

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The peaks of Mt Olympus are covered by snow from early autumn through to the start of summer.

IT’S MINUS O LY M P U S

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am on Mt Olympus, on December 29, 2015. It’s minus 32°C. The deafening wind is blowing so hard we’re unable to communicate with those only a few feet away. The small patches of exposed skin on our faces are being burnt by the brutal, biting cold. It is cutting through our clothes, dangerously chilling our bodies. Any fall would be the last. On both sides, the ridge drops straight down into a deep 1500m void. During winter, the Laimos Ridge is the only possible route leading to the Plateau of the Muses. The path narrows to barely 20cm over a few hundred meters. Like a thread, it stretches out along a terrifying cornice. For two days, we had ploughed forward. For two days, our group, myself and the Kakkalos Refuge team, had struggled through deep heavy snow. The prolonged cold starts to work through my boots, freezing my toes. (One of the team would later suffer frostbite to his cheek.) Breathing hard through our noses, our breath freezes in small ice crystals. Our goggles shield our eyes from the bitter wind, keeping them from freezing shut. To top it off, I know that if things get worse, there will be no rescue team. After what feels like an eternity, we finally make it to the refuge. It’s still so clear in my memory. Upon arrival, we found the lock of the door frozen, and had to use lighters and oil to thaw it before we could slide the key in. We finally made it inside only to find the stove out of commission. The wind had blown snow inside the building through the chimneys. And, of course, the outside toilets were buried under meters of snow. At this point, I had to wonder why it was that I never seemed to learn

B Y A N N E V I R Y- B A B E L

32˚C...

The French filmmaker who endured the harshest of conditions while ascending Mt Olympus in winter relates her adventure.

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from experience. After all, this wasn’t my first winter ascent. Two years prior to this glacial moment, I had discovered Olympus when working for a French television production company. At that time, we were producing a one-hour documentary focusing on inspiring people who were living in harmony with nature in the wilderness. I was 28, and it was my first film as a director. What I knew about Greece wouldn’t have covered a single sheet of paper. Looking for subjects for a film, I had turned to a map of Greece and fallen upon Mt Olympus. At 2918 meters high, and with flanks diving into the Aegean Sea, rich in history and scenery, this was a place that I thought had it all. With some further digging, I found out that this mountain was also home to an extraordinary man, Mike Styllas. I called him up and, with a little charm, I convinced him to take part in my documentary. From those initial exchanges, all I knew was that he was a geologist and mountain climber, passionate about Mt Olympus. Passionate enough to run the small Kakkalos Refuge, which stands at an elevation of 2640 meters, even in the darkest and harshest winter. Along with my cameraman Jean-Christophe Cheneau, Mike, and the muleteers, we loaded three mules with heavy (and expensive) film gear and began our ascent to the Petrostrouga Refuge. From there, forming a human caravan, we joined with the refuge team and departed. Shouldering 40kg backpacks, the group climbed high towards the snow-covered mountain

I PRAYED THAT THE BATTERY WOULD HOLD OUT LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE IT BACK ALIVE. FALLING WOULD SURELY MEAN DEATH.

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summit. Truth be told, I wasn’t carrying much weight myself. Nonetheless, I can readily admit that I had completely underestimated the difficulty of the terrain and the length of the ascent, and to this we can add the complication of filming our journey. That first night in the refuge, I doubted the wisdom of pushing to the summit the next day. However, the prize was to be the first crew to film a winter ascent to the summit. I knew the footage from the peak would be spectacular. I could see it from the refuge window. This climb was the first time I had ever worn crampons. Until then, my mountaineering had consisted of some summer hiking and winter skiing. In comparison to Mt Olympus, the French mountains seemed so organized, with rescue teams, helicopters and ski lifts running up to 3000m summits. I thought of the high-elevation chalets that dotted the mountains at regular intervals, offering skiers hot drinks and heated toilets. French refuges are regularly supplied by helicopter. On Olympus, it’s man and mule power only. The next day, after a 10-hour ascent navigating through rock and snow using piolets (small ice axes) while transporting a 14kg camera and a 15kg tripod, we reached the summit just before the sun started to dip under the horizon. Soon after, I found myself hanging from a rope down the Mytikas Couloir, half desperate, trying to find my way down with only a faint headlamp offering me light. I prayed that the battery would hold out long enough for me to make it back alive. Falling would surely mean death: the drop was 2000 meters, and there was nothing to slow or stop me, just frozen air. Framing this scene, I see the shimmering lights of Thessaloniki. So close. I had never felt so far from civilization. The next morning, the sky shone clear and azure blue. Visibility was perfect all the way down to the sea. Our shoot had been a success. I was alive and I had captured unique footage, to edit upon my return. Olympus had offered absolute, pristine, white beauty. It was no surprise that the ancient Greeks had placed their gods in this awe-inspiring place! The legend of Mt Olympus lives year-

round. It can be found in the dead tree that stands in Petrostrouga, struck by one of Zeus’ thunderbolts. You can feel it when your tent shakes from the reverberating claps of nearby thunder. You can touch it, as you caress the tortured trunks of ancient pine trees. As the sun sets over Poseidon’s realm, you can witness the mountain’s perfect pyramidal shadow being cast upon the sea. You can see it; as if by magic, Zeus’ face has been carved by nature on the front of the Stefani, a perfect summit in the shape of a throne. You can smell it when spring flowers bloom on the plateau where the muses dance. It can change your destiny. Somewhere on Laimos, I did fall… in love. Since then, I’ve returned countless times to this special place, seeking to capture its beauty on film. The mountain filters out many things: cars, pollution, humans and their problems. But the mythical wonder of Olympus is under threat. Mortals are knocking at the door of the divine realm. WiFi has entered the refuges, bringing an addictive connectivity with the world below. In summer, hikers swarm as they attempt to ascend the summit. Accidents are becoming worryingly frequent. The refuges are under such pressure that they’re running out of water. Climate change has started to drain water resources, as rain and snow become increasingly infrequent. Villages and farmland on the slopes are under threat. As long as winter returns, however, the myth and the magic will endure. Winter on Mt Olympus reminds us of our vulnerability. It brings us back to our fragile condition. One interpretation of “Olympo” defines it as “the everglowing mountain.” In ancient times, during the Late Antique Little Ice Age, Olympus was covered with snow and ice year round, granting it the perfect shield from human interference, and making it the ideal refuge for the gods. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne Viry-Babel is a French documentary filmmaker specializing in adventure and nature. She has shot footage in mountains all over the world but always returns to Mt Olympus.

Mike Styllas prepares his 40kg backpack for the hike. Inside the bag is an entire stuffed turkey, ready for the New Year’s dinner at the refuge.

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In deep snow, our progress is slow and exhausting. In the end, most of the people expected to spend New Year’s Eve at the refuge turned back because of the weather.

From the snowy kitchen at Kakkalos Refuge, Mike radioes the team at the Petrostrouga Refuge that we’ve finally arrived.

After an exhausting and frightening ascent, I’m delighted to finally reach the refuge, but it will be a few more days before we can heat the place.

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ON THE TOURIST TRAIL Eight places to visit without losing sight of the majestic peaks TEXT & PHOTOS BY OLGA CH A R A MI

OLYMPUS NATIONAL PARK INFORMATION CENTER

APOSTOLIS COURTIS

COURTI ESTATE, RACHI

GASTRODROMIO EN OLYMPO

LITOCHORO

THE GATEWAY TO OLYMPUS Located at the end of the Enipeas Gorge and a short drive from the coast, this small mountain town is where most visitors to the area come to stay. With guesthouses, restaurants and stores selling climbing equipment, it’s a great all-year destination. The main town square, with its fountain and the Church of Aghios Nikolaos, is where Litochoro’s older generation likes to gather in the mornings, enjoying the view of the Enipeas. After a day of climbing, however, most visitors prefer to join the town’s younger residents at the livelier cafés and meze joints in the area known as Lakkos. The name might be a mouthful, but Gastrodromio en Olymbo (Tel. (+30) 23520.213.00) is one of the best restaurants in town, serving excellent Greek cuisine and an extensive selection of wines. Before heading up the mountain, stop by the Olympus National Park Information Center (Tel. (+30) 23520.830.00, olympusfd.gr, open Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00) and let the center’s 3-D imaging system, touchscreens and comprehensive exhibition give you a better idea of the mountain’s history, natural treasures, trails and peaks. 136

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NECTAR OF THE MORTALS The Courti Estate’s organic vineyard and winery in Rachi, in the northern foothills of Mount Olympus, is an idyllic location and the best spot to sample some wines made of native grape varieties such as Assyrtiko, Vidiano, Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro, and to enjoy international classics like Trebbiano, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tastings, which are held in the lovely rustic setting of the main building, comprise seven labels and are accompanied by nibbles of sourdough bread, handmade sausage and goat’s cheese. (Tel. (+30) 697.447.1230).

AGHIOS DIONYSIOS MONASTERY

MOUNTAIN MYSTIC Dionysios was a monk who spent his life in the caves of Mt Olympus, modestly refusing all honors offered to him and enjoying great popularity among the locals. The monastery he founded in the 16th century in Prionia (some 20km from Litochoro) is nestled in the wooded hills and has become a popular attraction. Its charming restored buildings and welltended garden, along with a refectory where visitors are often treated to a spoon sweet and a glass of cold water, give it the feel of a true refuge. There are two trails into the Enipeas Gorge that start at its parking lot: one is an easy ten-minute walk to a pretty waterfall, while the other goes to one of the caves where the saint once lived.

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LOOKING OUT AT PALAIOS PANTELEIMONAS

PALAIOS PANTELEIMONAS

A PICTURESQUE PLACE Restored stone houses with red-tiled roofs, quaint car-free streets and a pretty square with plane trees, tavernas and shops where you can purchase herbs, local products and souvenirs: built at an elevation of 500m with a view down to the sea, Palaios Panteleimonas is the loveliest village in the area and the most developed in terms of tourism. Its “frozen-in-time” charm is the result of having been abandoned by its residents (who relocated further downhill) in the 1950s, leaving the original architecture unchanged. This was also the case in the two neighboring villages of Palioi Poroi and Palaia Skotina, though those cannot offer quite the same amenities. Palioi Poroi has an attractive main square with a taverna and a stone fountain, while Palaia Skotina (accessible by dirt road) is best known for its 19th-c. church, dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. TIP: If you enjoy white-knuckle adventure, try paragliding with Olympic Wings (Tel. (+30) 23520.417.41) at Neos Panteleimonas.

PLATAMON CASTLE

RUINS WITH A VIEW Built near the Vale of Tempe on the old route connecting Thessaly to Macedonia, this once-imposing castle appears to date back originally to ancient times, but it acquired its present form – with its dramatic 18-meter octagonal tower – during the Byzantine period. Take the cobblestone path up the hill and wander around the ruins of a settlement that once included churches, homes and various outbuildings. The view from the ramparts is amazing, but mind your step on the climb up. (Tel. (+30) 23520.444.70; admission: €2; hours vary depending on the time of year) 138

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HERBAL SHOP AT PALAIOS PANTELEIMONAS

PALIOI POROI

CHURCH OF THE DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY, PALAIA SKOTINA

KTIMA BELLOU

A NATURAL HAVEN This eco-friendly guesthouse is located on a 4.5-hectare estate that produces herbs – including Olympus tea (ironwort) – strawberries, walnuts, potatoes, beans and other foodstuffs supplying the estate’s restaurant kitchen and other on-site ventures. The Rosa damascena roses, for instance, are used to make a sweet preserve, but they’re also processed for their essential oils at the distillery on the estate, which produces other preserves and liqueurs as well. In the summer, guests can learn about beekeeping, too, as the estate keep hives. (Tel. (+30) 23517.700.21, ktimabellou.gr) T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 019 - 2 0 2 0

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ORLIAS

ORLIAS AND AGHIA KORI

OVERLOOKED BEAUTIES There are two delightful spots on the outskirts of the village of Vrontos that are often overlooked by visitors: the canyon of Orlias and the Church of the Aghia Kori, both with gorgeous waterfalls and pools, perfect for a refreshing dip in the summer and on hot autumn and spring days. For Orlias, follow the signposts for the Koromilia Refuge. The first waterfall is a 10-minute hike from the Chapel of Aghios Konstantinos, though the most impressive one is an additional 50 minutes or so away at Kokkinos Vrachos. This is also a great spot for canyoning and rappelling. The waterfall near the Church of Aghia Kori is a 10-minute hike from the parking area. You can double back the same way or take a circular one-hour trek instead. Many locals believe the spring by the church is miraculous and make frequent pilgrimages here, although the area is not properly maintained.

KOKKINOPILOS

WOODLAND ADVENTURE The village of Kokkinopilos is the gateway to the mountain’s western flank. Here, you can relax on the huge main square with its massive plane tree, visit the restored Church of Aghia Paraskevi, have a meal at the only taverna that’s open all year round and spend the night at one of its guesthouses. Walking and hiking aren’t the only activities available; this area is also perfect for a bit of off-road 4x4 adventure in the woods. Should you choose to get behind the wheel, a 20km gravel road takes you through dense forests of beech, black pine and fir trees to the area of Xerolakki and the Naoum Stream. This spot looks out at Mikra and Megala Kazania (or “Small and Big Cauldrons”), so named after the effect produced by the clouds trapped between two steep cliffs, and at the three summits of Mt Olympus: Mytikas, Skolio and Stefani. It’s also the starting point for trails leading to CAPTION HERE LOREM IPSUM the Plateau of the Muses. 140

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A SHEPHERD WITH HIS FLOCK

ON A COUNTRY ROAD

THE VILLAGE SQUARE AT KOKKINOPILOS