GREECE IS | THESSALONIKI | 2018 by GREECE IS

EXPERIENCE CULTURE, GASTRONOMY & MORE

THESSALONIKI

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ISSN: 2529-041X

ISSUE #34 | 2018-19 EDITION

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WE L C O ME

Find out what’s up in Thessaloniki, check out the cool spots chosen by our team of insiders and catch up with the city’s exciting cultural calendar.

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E XPE RIE NC E

Dive right in; we’ve ventured off the beaten path, enlisted the best thematic tour guides in town and come up with a 72-hour plan for conquering the city.

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DIS COVER

Join us on a visit to ancient Macedonia’s first capital; check out the city’s landmarks; and see what the nearly-completed city metro project has unearthed.

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INDIVIDUALS

Learn the stories of four famed art collectors and philanthropists who enriched Thessaloniki and meet some young creatives who are doing the same in their fields.

WELCOME

BRIGHT TIME, BRIGHT PLACE Welcome to a city whose exciting future may be just as remarkable as its storied past. BY THE GREECE IS TEA M

Thessaloniki is brimming with anticipation. It simply can’t wait for the first trains of its brand new metro to start running between gleaming station/museums that will display the thousands of archaeological finds unearthed as the metro tunnels were dug. It’s also eager to see its international airport transformed, its port expanded and linked to the rail network, and for the completion of several other major projects that are now breaking ground, such as the renovation of Eleftherias Square, the revitalization of the Modiano Market and the construction of the Holocaust Museum. This city offers much to the traveler. It presents invaluable experiences that connect its grand and multi-layered history to a dynamic present characterized by both a unique mix of East and West and an exuberant youthful energy. It offers its hospitality; many of its abandoned historic buildings are being given new life as stylish hotels, and every year the city welcomes more and more visitors, treating each one as a valued guest. Thessaloniki loves to go out, to eat and drink well. It is, in fact, renowned for the pleasure it takes in these activities. There’s no shortage of traditional mezes, but the city is taking

its cuisine in creative new directions, too, forging an innovative local gastronomy. At the same time, it’s discovering the art of fine drinking, refining its coffee culture and expanding an already exciting street food scene. Thessaloniki creates. Its young, talented offspring are returning from abroad, where they acquired knowledge and experience, and are taking advantage of the benefits of living in a “little-big” city, one which exhibits cosmopolitan dynamism on a human scale. They are coming up with new ideas, investing in their community and creating a new set of social and economic circumstances. Thessaloniki enchants. You will experience it for yourself when you officially check in to the city at its grand “front desk,” elegant Aristotelous Square; during your strolls through the charming alleys of Ano Poli; as you enjoy a drink in the lively squares of Ano Ladadika; and on stunning sunset walks by the sea on the Nea Paralia, or New Waterfront. Sit on one of the futuristic, eco-friendly benches there and enjoy the view of the Thermaic Gulf crowned by distant Mt Olympus. Thessaloniki welcomes you.

Sometimes clichés are true – Thessaloniki really is for lovers. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

CONTENTS G R E E C E I S - I S S U E # 3 4 T H E S S A L O N I K I , 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 19 E D I T I O N

10 10. WISH YOU WERE HERE A look at what makes Thessaloniki so exciting now. 18. THE COOL CHART City influencers and their favorite spots. 22. A PACKED SEASON Highlights of the city’s vibrant cultural scene. 28. SKY HIGH Amazing drone vistas.

Experience 36. SIGHTS AND BITES Our indulgent itinerary will help you make the most of your city break.

52. EAT YOUR HEART OUT Your essential mini guide to Thessaloniki’s best restaurants and bars.

78. THE ANCIENT CAPITAL Vergina, the heart of ancient Macedonia, and its mysteries.

60. SHOW AND TELL

90. TREASURES BELOW Construction work for Thessaloniki’s new metro system has brought to light a trove of ancient artifacts.

The people behind some of Thessaloniki’s best themed walking tours 68. WEST SIDE STORY Long overlooked, the city’s “other” side has been developing its own urban treasures.

Discover 76. THE THREAD OF TIME Twenty-five centuries at a glance.

96. KEYS TO THE CITY A photographic tour of Thessaloniki’s most spectacular landmarks. 108. AGAINST ALL ODDS An inspirational love story and the tragic fate of the city’s Jewish community.

Individuals 116. COLLECTORS AND VISIONARIES Thessaloniki has some seminal collections of modern, avant-garde and contemporary art, thanks to some extraordinarily forward-thinking individuals. 126. THEIR TIME, THEIR TOWN Twelve innovative young city residents meet with us at their favorite waterfront spots to explain how the city helps to inspire them in their work.

ON THE COVER: Artwork: Toobloo

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WELCOME CIT Y REPORT

WISH YOU WERE HERE For a city of its size, Thessaloniki packs an incredible punch as a tourist destination. And it just keeps getting cooler every year. B Y A L E X A N D R A T Z AV E L L A

t the start of this decade, the number of overnight stays in Thessaloniki came to approximately 450,000 per year. Visitors would take a tour around the Rotunda, the statue of Alexander the Great, the White Tower and Aristotelous Square; they would recharge their batteries on the beach, and then depart, taking a few bougatsas, the local custard pies, with them. As the end of 2018 nears, Greece’s second largest city can lay claim to a very different tourism status, having developed into one of the most fascinating city break destinations in southern Europe. Overnight stays in all types of lodgings keep increasing year after year; for the period January to end of August 2018, they reached 2.59 million. The surge in Thessaloniki’s popularity is evinced by hard numbers in terms of flight connections as well. German carrier Lufthansa has just returned to the city after a 17-year absence, while a few months ago there was a significant overture to the Arab world when Thessaloniki became directly linked to two of the biggest air transit hubs in the Middle East via Qatar Airways and Flydubai. What’s more, a visit to Thessaloniki is no longer just about ticking off the standard classics on the tourist path. The city has become attractive for its highly sophisticated gastronomy, its modern cafés and small bars, its intimate and contemporary museums, the numerous Byzantine, Ottoman and Jewish monuments that are scattered throughout, the aura of nostalgia of the Ano Poli (Old City), and the youthful vibes in the fast-evolving Ano Ladadika district. It’s telling that more than half of the visitors in the 18-50 age group state that their main reason for choosing the city is its distinct personality. In winter as well as in summer, it has an alfresco

The night is still young at redeveloped Chrimatistirio Square. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

WELCOME CIT Y REPORT

ÂŠ PERIKLES MERAKOS

culture and a laid-back atmosphere. To feel it, a visitor has only to go and spend a little time one afternoon on the docks of one of the largest commercial ports in southeastern Europe, mingling with locals who use this vibrant seafront spot to clear their minds of humdrum worries while they enjoy the technicolor sunset. The abundance of entertainment options, the welcoming attitude of the locals and the significance of the cultural sites were all facets for which foreign travelers praised Thessaloniki in 2017, giving it, on average, an 8 out of 10 rating, according to an international survey carried out by the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA). Another important factor that makes Thessaloniki attractive is its reputation as a safe and budget-friendly city. Even after the slight increase in the average hotel room rate in 2018, it remains the most affordable when compared with popular European cities of a similar size, such as Antwerp, Cologne, Edinburgh and Hamburg. Over just the past few months, old buildings in the city center have been transformed into modern, minimalist boutique hotels embodying a style of casual luxury; these include the Modernist, which is housed in a 1920s building; Bahar, whose building has been characterized as a work of art by the Ministry of Culture; and Superior One, which is housed in a four-story neoclassical building. Joining the new hotels that have opened this year in the center will be two more belonging to the Marriott Hotels Group, as well as ventures by the Tel Aviv-based design hotel brand Brown Hotels and the Panama-based international hotel chain Selina, the latter of which promises to bring to Thessaloniki the next big trend in hospitality, namely modern spaces for overnight stays that lack luxury facilities but that can serve as connecting points for global nomads.

01. A drink and a haircut at the Hair Pub on Emporio Square. 02. The city makes its laid-back lifestyle available all day long down at the port. ÂŠ PERIKLES MERAKOS

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WELCOME CIT Y REPORT

Chronologically, the city’s tourist expansion coincided with the rise of two global trends in the industry: a shift in travelers’ preferences away from vast capital cities and towards smaller-scale urban centers, and the development of the “live-like-a-local” experience. It was only natural that Thessaloniki, a city that’s easy to walk around and has always been welcoming and open to everyone, should become even more popular. Mayor Yiannis Boutaris played a pivotal role in the redevelopment of the city’s profile. A successful businessman (he founded the Kir-Yianni Winery), the mayor did something that had never been done before: he drew up a strategic plan for tourism. His overtures towards the Jewish community, and the prominence he gave to Thessaloniki’s Jewish heritage have resulted in a 100 percent increase this year in the number of tourists from Israel, who maintain a strong lead among foreign visitors in terms of overnight stays. Thessaloniki’s conference tourism has also grown exponentially – in 2017, 272 conferences were held. And among this year’s highlights are world-class events such as the Europe Congress’ MCE South Europe Forum, the 8th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism (the first to be held in Europe), the Ecocity Forum and the 13th European Evaluation Society Biennial Conference. “Thessaloniki has a particularly competitive edge now with regard to conferences, since it has the capacity to receive a great number of people at value-for-money prices. The next step is to spread this developing momentum across other entrepreneurial sectors: to IT, to creative communities and to education (since we’re a university city and the educational hub of southeastern Europe), and also to tourism focusing on gastronomy,” says Deputy Mayor for Tourism Spiros Pengas.

03. A snapshot of outdoor revelry at the Reworks Festival. 04. A stroll around the Apothikes area of the port, on the occasion of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. © KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

The trailblazing chefs at UMA, who transformed the living room of their home into a private dining space.

The Modernist, one of the boutique hotels that opened its doors in 2018 in the city center.

Food is certainly another reason why Thessaloniki is a particularly attractive destination. Many new restaurants focusing on modern Greek cuisine have opened recently, while a new trend in the city’s gastronomy is the promotion of street-food culture by restaurants and food businesses, with examples including the brand-new Tarantino and The Bird, which focus on slow-cooked street food. Entirely new this year are the private cookery projects curated by Greek chefs and hosted on the premises of cutting-edge wineries and even in private homes. Last December, two local chefs, Andreas Klavdianos and Sissy Karanikolidou, opened UMA, transforming the living room of their home into a space for private dining. “We have a dining room where we can receive 12 guests. Our philosophy is based on hospitality and privacy. Thessaloniki is a small

images that include the treat under the hashtag #koulouriofthemonth. “Thess Brunch emphasizes the role that hotels can play in giving prominence to Thessaloniki as a capital of gastronomy. Orizontes Restaurant embraced the initiative from the start. Tourists as well as local residents can now discover new taste experiences, as well as traditional products,” remarks Yiannis Anthoulidis, manager of Electra Palace Hotel. Since 2016, the city’s gastronomic achievements have also been the theme of festivals attracting gastro-tourists and foodies from the Balkans and the rest of Europe. Two of the most popular ones, attracting almost 70,000 visitors each, are the Beer Festival and the Street Food Festival, both organized by SoulFood Thessaloniki. Not everything, of course, revolves around food. There is always the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, and there is constantly something going on throughout the year, such as the Reworks Festival, a leading music event that attracted 20,000 visitors from 27 cities this year, hosting celebrated electronic music artists such as Laurent Garnier; or the Taratsa Film Festival, which transforms roof terraces into open-air cinemas. The European trend towards mobile parties can be indulged in Thessaloniki, too. “This city thirsts for new things. We’ve made use of local features, the fine weather and the sunshine to offer people

city where everyone can see you, and this is a way to be alone and to enjoy custom-made menus of food, drink and music,” notes Karanikolidou. The Third Wave of Coffee has also arrived on the shores of the Thermaic Gulf. “Coffee is a ritual. The trend today is for sophisticated brews of coffee served in style,” says Nikos Evangelopoulos of Local Café, where patrons can enjoy cold-brew coffee poured over ice made from reverse osmosis water. Chrimatistirio Square and Emporio Square offer a number of drinking establishments, including the quirky Hair Pub, where you can combine your evening out with a haircut. Hotels have joined in the action with the Thess Brunch, a collective initiative whose many activities include a whimsical photography contest starring the koulouri, Thessaloniki’s traditional sesame bread ring; Instagrammers are uploading

FOOD IS CERTAINLY ANOTHER REASON WHY THESSALONIKI IS A PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION. MANY NEW RESTAURANTS FOCUSING ON MODERN GREEK CUISINE HAVE OPENED RECENTLY.

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A traditional Thessaloniki koulouri (round sesame bread) frames this friendly face.

The Bird, nesting in the basement of the Old Thessaloniki Post Office.

the opportunity to enjoy themselves outside during the afternoon hours, rather than later at night in some dark basement,” says Ioannis Pateliotis, the events manager of the team Street Outdoors. “This results in generally lower levels of alcohol consumption without any dip in customer satisfaction.” The timelessness of the city is to be found in all its glory in the archaeological sites and its 30 museums and cultural venues. This winter, one can see avant-garde exhibitions such as that of the magnificient collection of Alexander Iolas, at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, or listen to the Vienna Chamber Orchestra at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. As the concert hall’s artistic director George-Emmanuel Lazaridis points out, the venue has managed to become a major destination in its own right for visitors from the Balkans, thanks to the many international productions that it hosts. It should not, therefore, come as a surprise that in the last three years, the city has attracted the attention of the international media. From an episode of “Rick Stein’s Long Weekends” on the BBC, which explored the city’s gastronomy, to Lufthansa’s inflight magazine, which featured on its cover George Zongolopoulos’ iconic sculpture “Umbrellas” on the

is scheduled for 2019. The subway, which will serve 250,000 passengers daily, will bring a great change to the quality of life and to the image of the city – one needs only to imagine the city center with 63,000 fewer vehicles to get a picture. The modernization of the airport by its new operator, Fraport Greece, has begun and will be completed in 2021. The new terminal is already under construction, and among the other scheduled works is the remodeling of the old airport and increasing the number of check-in desks. Early in 2019, the major Modiano Market urban renewal project will be launched, and work will begin on the construction of the Holocaust Museum, a tribute to the city’s Jewish history. Thessaloniki is a timeless city with an eternally youthful spirit that will continue to provide unique experiences and memories for future generations from across the world.

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Nea Paralia (New Waterfront), Thessaloniki has been the focus of several special issues and reports. This year, Gil Hovav, Israel’s well-known TV presenter, came to shoot an episode of his “Open Skies” series in the city. The crew of Russia-1, one of that country’s most popular TV channels, used Thessaloniki as a location for one of Russia’s most-watched morning shows. Seth Sherwood of the New York Times urged his readers to “Forget your swimsuit and leave your copies of Plato and Socrates at home” as he gave them tips on how to spend 36 hours in Thessaloniki. The city’s renaissance is not just limited to tourism. At the moment, both the IT and gamification sectors in the city are going through a phase of rapid growth. More than 40 creative collectives are currently active. Among them are AddArt, consisting of animators, filmmakers, illustrators and screenwriters who organize everything from activities for refugee children to the Animation Film Festival; and the Youth Nest, a collective encouraging collaborative creativity and networking among young people. The transformation of Thessaloniki, which began about five years ago, is not yet complete. Several major projects are still ongoing, including the city’s new 13stop subway system, whose pilot launch

A NEW WAVE OF BOUTIQUE HOTELS Once-dilapidated neoclassical mansions have been rescued and turned into small hotels full of character, charm and style.

WELCOME 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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DESPINA KAVIRI

DIMITRIS KOLIADIMAS

The tasteful and minimalist café of the MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY on the first floor of Warehouse A, which is right above the water and looks out over the Thermaic Gulf.

LOCATED IN A LISTED 1870s BUILDING ON EDESSIS STREET, YPSILON (5 EDESSIS) IS WHERE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT AND PRODUCE CULTURE IN THE CITY AND BEYOND COME TOGETHER.

CREATIVE PRODUCER, FILM DIRECTOR Co-founder and art director of Thessaloniki’s International Short Film Festival and the Taratsa International Film Festival

CINE MAKEDONIKON (44 FILIKIS ETERIAS), ONE OF THE OLDEST MOVIE THEATERS IN THE CITY, WHICH SCREENS MODERN ART-HOUSE FILMS. Handmade pasta with syglino (smoked pork) from Mani, the Cretan myzithra cheese pie and the rice pudding from SALUMERIA (82 Olympou), a small grocery store with excellent, handpicked traditional deli products.

V FOR VINTAGE (4 STRATOU AVENUE) IF YOU’RE A FAN OF VINTAGE FASHION AND ENJOY OUT-OF-THEMAINSTREAM LOOKS.

The TOMS (22 Tsimiski) multipurpose venue is tucked away in the historic Pelosof Arcade in the old post office building. It is architecturally interesting and also has good food.

DESIGN DIRECTOR, SEMIOTIK www.semiotikdesign.com

There’s always something interesting going on at the CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER OF THESSALONIKI (Warehouse B1, Thessaloniki Port), which showcases innovative artistic expression in all its forms and genres.

A HIGH-ENERGY, HIGH-PERFORMANCE RUN AT THE DRIVE PARK GO-KART TRACK (15KM THESSALONIKI–NEA MICHANIONA ROAD) NEAR THESSALONIKI AIRPORT.

OLGA TABOURIS-BABALIS ARTS AND CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL

The traditional kafeneio MODIGLIANI (12 Kydoniatou), in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Kapani food market.

THE STATE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (21 KOLOKOTRONI, STAVROUPOLI), OR A REFRESHING WALK ALONG THE NEA PARALIA (NEW WATERFRONT) PROMENADE, WITH AN UMBRELLA ,OF COURSE.

Savory cheesecake made with feta cheese cream and dehydrated olive “soil” at NAMA (1 Olympou).

At the CULTURE CLUB STORE (26 Proxenou Koromila) created by the Yades team, talented designer Nena expresses her originality through fashion.

THE BEST GIFT TO TAKE HOME IS A PIECE OF HANDMADE JEWELRY BY DESIGNER-ARTIST KATERINA IOANNIDIS (5 MITROPOLITOU IOSIF), WHO INCORPORATES GREEK FOLK ART ELEMENTS INTO HER WORK.

THE PLAY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW CAUSED BY THE TREES ON THE NEA PARALIA (NEW WATERFRONT) ON A SUNNY DAY.

THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE PORT behind the passenger terminal is a quiet space with a real industrial vibe; it’s fascinating from an architectural standpoint, too.

ILLUSTRATION: FILIPPOS AVRAMIDES

Six city influencers recommend some of their favorite spots.

WELCOME INSIDERS

WRITER

MY FAVORITE CAFÉ

WHERE TO GO ON A RAINY DAY

MY GUILTY PLEASURE

THE HISTORIC ALL-DAY CAFÉ-BAR DE FACTO (19 PAVLOU MELA), WITH ITS COOL WOODEN BAR AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF JAMES DEAN ON THE WALLS.

Don’t just admire the BYZANTINE MUSEUM (2 Stratou Avenue) from the outside; go on inside and check out its excellent permanent exhibition.

SYRUPY SWEETS LIKE BAKLAVA AND KATAIFI, AND GALAKTOBOUREKO (CUSTARD PIE), ALL FROM THE SMALL BAKERY NIKIFOROS (54 ELEFTHERIOU VENIZELOU). HEAVEN ON EARTH!

A HIDDEN GEM

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ANTONIS SOUSAMOGLOU

CHEF/OWNER OF THRIA RESTAURANT AND THESSALONIKI CHEF AMBASSADOR fb.com/THRIArestaurant

VIOLINIST & CONCERTMASTER AT THE THESSALONIKI STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The atmospherically-lit LAIKA–THE COSMONAUT KAFE (53 Georgiou Papandreou), in the eastern part of the city, for its prompt service and the view overlooking the former Allatini factory.

The aroma of Greek coffee brewing slowly on hot sand (hovoli-style) leads me by the nose into PRIGIPOS (22 Apostolou Pavlou), a traditional café located across the street from the Turkish Consulate.

IT’S SO ENJOYABLE, DAY OR NIGHT, TO INDULGE IN A RELAXING BATH AT LAGKADAS THERMAL BATHS (END OF LOUTRON STREET, LAGKADAS), JUST A BIT OUTSIDE TOWN.

I GO UP TO ROOM WITH A VIEW ON THE 5TH FLOOR OF THE OLYMPION (10 ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE), SIT BY THE WINDOW AND LOOK OUT OVER THE CITY AND THE SEA.

I love disappearing from the world for a whole afternoon to taste rare wines at KTIMA GEROVASSILIOU WINERY (Epanomi).

I can’t resist the sweets at SUGARELA (12 Nikiforou Foka), a small patisserie that turns out fresh goodies every day.

One of the oldest record stores in the city, with a wide selection of vinyl and CDs, STEREODISC (4 Aristotelous) is a must.

WANDER THROUGH THE KAPANI AND MODIANO MARKETS; THE COLORS AND AROMAS OF THE FOOD TREASURES OF NORTHERN GREECE AND THE REST OF THE BALKANS ARE A SENSORY TREAT.

START THE DAY EARLY, EXPLORING THE VARIOUS STALLS AT KAPANI MARKET AND STOCKING UP WITH GASTRO-SOUVENIRS LIKE DELI PRODUCTS, HERBS AND SPICES.

WALK ALONG THE PATH IN ANO POLI THAT STARTS AT TRIGONIO TOWER AND ENDS AT THE MUSA BABA MAUSOLEUM. IT’S INCREDIBLE AND ONLY A FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.

THE STATE CONSERVATORY OF THESSALONIKI (15 Fragkon) makes for a fascinating stop, both for the impressive preserved heritage building it is housed in and for the melodies that resonate within.

Seemingly untouched by age, although it has been around since the late 19th century, TSINARI (74 Alexandras Papadopoulou) in Ano Poli remains an authentic ouzeri serving great meze with your tsipouro or ouzo.

A GOOD SHOPPING TIP

DIMITRIS TASIOULAS

ILLUSTRATION: FILIPPOS AVRAMIDES

KIRIAKOS GIALENIOS

15 Antigonidon st, Thessaloniki, 54630 Tel.: +30 2310523573 E-mail: info@antigonhotel.com www.antigonhotel.com

ADVERTORIAL

“Antigon” situated within minutes walk from the Central square of Thessaloniki “Aristotelous Sq.”, Roman Forum and Ancient Agora square, surrounded by the city’s most charming places and routes.

WELCOME AGENDA

A PACKED SEASON

Painters, photographers, filmmakers and performers shape the city’s vibrant art scene. BY X E N I A GEORGI A DOU

15112018 15112019 THE PURPOSE OF COPIES

The Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum’s new exhibition puts the spotlight on the reproduction of Greek art, by examining the materials, methods and objectives of the artists who created replicas of ancient masterpieces. The need for important works of art to be copied is as great today as it was in ancient times, and ancient Greek art has influenced trends throughout the ages. The exhibition is part of events marking the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. • “Copying (in) the Past: Tales of Imitation.” Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, 6 Manoli Andronikou, amth.gr

01 11112018 FILM FEST

This year’s Palme d’Or winner at Cannes, “Shoplifters” by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, opens the Thessaloniki International Film Festival at the event’s flagship movie theater, the Olympion. The festival will also include retrospectives on important filmmakers such as Jaime Rosales, Nanouk Leopold, Cristobal Leon and Joaquin Cocina; screenings of much-anticipated new films, including works by Laszlo Nemes, Rupert Everett and Matteo Garrone; late-night shows; and an international competition section for emerging artists. It will also feature tributes to queer cinema and 14 fascinating films in the Youth Screen program, as well as locally produced films and many, many parallel events. • 59th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, filmfestival.gr

24022019 RIGHTS AND ART

Last century’s struggles for social rights were captured in posters and protest signs. A double bill at the State Museum of Contemporary Art explores social movements in two very different parts of the world – Russia and the US – in the early and mid-20th century. • “Harvard Strike Posters, Spring 1969” (Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre Collection) and “Russian Avant-Garde” (Costakis Collection). State Museum of Contemporary Art, 21 Kolokotroni, Moni Lazariston, Stavroupoli, greekstatemuseum.com © GUSTAV KLUCIS, PHOTOMONTAGE, 1931. GEORGE COSTAKIS COLLECTION, STATE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

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27012019 CRITICIZING THE SYSTEM

“It is easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism,” Mark Fisher wrote in his work “Capitalist Realism.” The central exhibition of the Thessaloniki PhotoBiennale 2018 draws on the late British theorist’s book title and his ideas in an effort to address issues that have propagated or exacerbated the world’s economic crises, both now and in the recent past. Comprising work on subjects such as poverty and wealth, the disparity between the middle and working classes, and industrial development and ecological disasters, the exhibition seeks to question the success of the world’s prevalent economic system.

• “Capitalist Realism.” Thessaloniki Photography Museum, Warehouse A, Pier A, 3 Navarchou Votsi, thmphoto.gr

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WELCOME AGENDA

23112018 20012019 VAN GOGH’S DREAM UNIVERSE

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” This quote, often ascribed to Vincent Van Gogh, is in fact from Edgar Allan Poe, but visitors to Pavilion 12 of the International Exhibition Center will recognize the truth of the words as they are transported into a dreamlike world that sheds light on the great artist’s life and art. Here, 40 high-resolution projectors cast the Dutch master’s artworks onto the walls, ceiling and floor, while additional material uncovers his interests, passions and concerns, the issues that inspired him and those that drove him to despair. • “Van Gogh Alive: The Experience. ” Helexpo, 154 Egnatia, vangoghalive.gr

07122018 31012019 CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY

MIRROR, MIRROR

The story of Snow White started life as a dark folk tale published by the Brothers Grimm in their first collection in 1812. It has since formed the basis of countless variations and adaptations for theater, ballet and film. The Russian Ice Stars transform the classic fairytale about the pretty young girl, the evil queen, the poisoned apple and the magic mirror into an ice-skating extravaganza, with dance, acrobatics, impressive scenery and special effects, taking the audience on a wonderful journey of nostalgia. • The Russian Ice Stars: Snow White on Ice.” Thessaloniki Concert Hall, 25th Martiou & Paralia, tch.gr 24

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26 30122018

Kapandji Villa, home to the Thessaloniki Cultural Center of MIET (the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation), is hosting two separate exhibitions showcasing the work of two distinguished Greek contemporary photographers. While thematically very different, Stratos Kalafatis’ “Archipelago,” a collection he first presented at the 10th Architecture Biennale in Venice, and Socrates Mavrommatis’ critically acclaimed “Fragments,” depictions of Greek archaeological sites and monuments, both have to do with subjects with which their native country is closely associated: the sea and history. • “Archipelago” and “Fragments.” Kapandji Villa, 108 Vasilissis Olgas, miet.gr

20012019 IOLAS: A PATRON OF MODERN ART

Contradictory, passionate, a polyglot, a radical, a scholar and a fan of world cultures, Alexander Iolas was one of the most influential figures of Greece’s post-war art scene. Now, 30 years after his death, the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art has put together a tribute to the Greek gallery owner and collector that explores his exuberant personality as well as the importance of networking in shaping new cultural movements and trends. It also sheds light on his relationships with artists ranging from de Chirico and Man Ray to Modigliani and Warhol, in order to underscore that what interested him was art for art’s sake, regardless of labels. • “Alexander Iolas: The Legacy.” Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Helexpo, 154 Egnatia, mmca.gr

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WELCOME AGENDA

10022019 ARMY OF THE ORIENT IN THESSALONIKI

31122018 A CITY’S HUMAN FACE

As part of the Thessaloniki PhotoBiennale 2018, the Folk Art and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia-Thrace is hosting an exhibition on the Greek countryside and its people in the post-World War II era, captured in black and white. Self-taught photographer Dimitris Letsios memorialized otherwise overlooked facets of life in his native Volos as the city struggled to recover from the war. Fifty wonderful shots – of fashion shows at seamstress’s parlors, shoe-shine boys posing at their work stations, commercial establishments, the bustling port and street markets – compose the candid profile of a city in transition. • “Dimitris Letsios: A Portrait of Volos.” Folk Art and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia-Thrace, 68 Vasilissis Olgas, lemmth.gr

Four hundred drawings, maps and watercolors created by the soldier-artists of the Allied Army of the Orient reveal interesting facets of Thessaloniki during World War I. The collection shows us the city as seen by these ordinary soldiers from different countries and delves into Greece’s involvement in the war, the end of the conflict and the Allied forces’ appreciation of the country’s culture and archaeological riches. • “The Armée d’Orient Paints Thessaloniki.” Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation: 159A Aghiou Dimitriou, teloglion.gr

18112018 TRACES OF CREATIVITY

Maria Kombatsiari’s solo show, first presented at the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens in 2015, is now on at the Thessaloniki Museum of Byzantine Culture. Using oil-ink, Chinese ink or charcoal on paper constructions with different textures and mixed-medium “canvases,” the artist explores how her work interacts with its environment. “The artist’s ability to work simultaneously on different proposals, on different levels of expression, is a cohesive and refreshing element,” says art historian Yannis Bolis about the acclaimed Greek artist’s work.

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• “Traces - Textures.” Thessaloniki Museum of Byzantine Culture, 2 Stratou, mbp.gr

W E L C O M E D R O N E V I S TA S

SKY HIGH 28

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ÂŠ VICTORIA PANAGIOTIDOU

OTTOMAN PAST The Turkish bathhouse Bey Hamam, its characteristic domes visible here, was built in 1444 by Sultan Murad II as a place for people to prepare for worship. Located on the southeast corner of Dikastirion Square along busy Egnatia Street, its bath facilities are no longer open, but luckily part of the structure still operates as a cafĂŠ with a charming roof garden. Nearby stands a statue of Eleftherios Venizelos, the eminent Greek leader who helped liberate Thessaloniki from the Ottomans. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

Â© SAKIS GIOUMPASIS

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FRENCH VISION Resembling a giant pinball machine, or perhaps a wise goggly-eyed owl, when illuminated and seen from above, the square that was named for the great ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle may have fallen short of the original grandiose plans that French architect Ernest Hébrard drew up in 1918, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Hébrard had imagined it as a gateway to the sea and as a place of recreation and commerce with luxurious shops, hotels and cafés, in the image of the Piazza San Marco in Venice. Unfortunately, the sudden influx of refugees from Asia Minor in 1922 made cheaper and simpler solutions for the square necessary. In the 1930s the square’s empty lots were turned into open-air cinemas – earning it for years the nickname “The Greek Broadway” – which were gradually, from the 1950s onwards, replaced by the buildings we see today. The arched colonnades on their ground floors, together with the square’s orientation towards the sea, are part of Hébrard’s legacy and help give the square its timeless appeal.

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Â© VICTORIA PANAGIOTIDOU

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PORT CITY The port of Thessaloniki was established in 315/6 BC by King Cassander of Macedon. It quickly became an important naval center and continued to thrive over the centuries before finally losing its glory during Ottoman rule. Today, the port is one of the largest in the Aegean Sea, with a total annual traffic capacity of 16 million metric tons. Its container terminal (pictured here) in the western part of pier 6 covers a surface area of 254,000 m2 with an on-site storage capacity of 5,000 TEUs in ground slots, making it the secondlargest container port in Greece. In the first eight months of 2018, it handled 278,772 TEUs; the maximum volume ever achieved at the port was 440,000 TEUs in 2007. Plans are underway for the expansion of Pier 6 so that larger container ships can be accommodated, a project with an estimated cost of â&#x201A;Ź160,000,000 that will make the port even more competitive in southeastern Europe.

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GROUNDBREAKING FOR Launches Fraport Greece’s Thessaloniki Airport

raport Greece presented the future look of Thessaloniki’s Airport “Makedonia” (SKG) at a groundbreaking ceremony held September 19 for a new 34,000sq.m. passenger terminal, which is scheduled for completion in two years. Representatives of central and local government, political parties, professional bodies, associations and other stakeholders from Thessaloniki and the wider Macedonia region attended the event. The guests were greeted on behalf of Fraport Greece by Dr Stefan Schulte, Fraport AG executive board chairman; Dimitris Copelouzos, president of the

Copelouzos Group; Petros Souretis, managing director of construction company Intrakat; and Alexander Zinell, CEO of Fraport Greece. Fraport Greece is investing some €100m in creating a new era for the airport, in Greece’s second largest city. Along with the second terminal, this investment includes refurbishing the existing terminal (total floor space of 24,000 sq.m.), constructing a new fire station, and upgrading the wastewater biological treament unit as well as connecting it to the main city network. Other enhancements will increase operational capacity with more check-in counters (up

47 percent), a doubling of security lanes, additional baggage delivery belts (up 75 percent) and a 50 percent increase in the number of terminal gates. Further major upgrade works 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 at the airport and create a modern user-friendly gateway to the city of Thessaloniki and the wider region. Commenting on the Thessaloniki

ADVERTORIAL

NEW TERMINAL “Makedonia“ Expansion Airport expansion and on other Greek regional airports, Fraport Chairman Dr Schulte said: “Fraport is proud to present this new exciting vision for Thessaloniki Airport – our single largest infrastructure investment in Greece. The Thessaloniki region has an amazing heritage and a dynamic future, which requires an airport fit for the future. Step by step, we are improving procedures, operations, services, connectivity and infrastructure. Our goal is to enhance the overall customer experience. We are highly committed. Together with our partners and stakeholders, we’re meeting this challenge – not only in Thessaloniki but also at the

other regional airports.” Fraport Greece CEO Alexander Zinell stressed the importance of the project for Thessaloniki and the Macedonia region, as well as for the entire country: “Today marks the dawn of a new era of growth for Greece. There’s no better place to start a new chapter than in this historic city. Thessaloniki’s new airport “Makedonia” represents much more than a €100m construction project – out of Fraport Greece’s total €415m investment in all 14 regional airports. Quite simply, our goal is to completely transform Thessaloniki Airport into a modern hub for the southeastern Balkans.”

WWW.FRAPORT-GREECE.COM/ENG

EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

SIGHTS AND BITES

With so much at hand, choosing can be daunting; our indulgent itinerary will help you make the most of your city visit.

ERGON

DAY 01 12:00

BRUNCHING

Your first meal in Thessaloniki should be brunch, as the city has gone all in on the worldwide trend. For traditional Greek recipes with a twist, visit industrial chic Ergon Agora (42 Pavlou Mela). You can also pick up some gourmet souvenirs from their store. Mahalo (5 Verias) started life as a gourmet street-food truck and now serves up inventive dishes in its homey space in the upcoming neighborhood of Ano Ladadika. It’s worth waiting for a seat at Estrella (48 Pavlou Mela) to try their red velvet pancakes or the famed “Bougatsan” ( a mash-up of a croissant and a traditional bougatsa pastry). Close to the White Tower, Canteen (7 Dimitriou Gounari) is a popular meeting point, serving a menu of well-executed classic brunch dishes.

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CANTEEN

ESTRELLA

B Y A M B E R C H A R M E I A N D PAU L I N A B J Ö R K K A P S A L I S

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF THESSALONIKI

MUSEUM OF BYZANTINE CULTURE

DAY 01 14:00

CULTURE FIX

At the beautifully minimalist Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki (6 Manoli Andronikou) you’ll find excellent thematic displays that cover prehistoric times, as well as ancient daily life, religious worship, funerary customs, and much more. Among the highlights on display are the seemingly solid gold (but in fact bronze and tin) Derveni Krater, an urn from the 4th c. BC., and the Petralona Hoard, a collection of tools from the Early Bronze Age. Next, walk over to the award-winning Museum of Byzantine Culture (2 Stratou), housed in an impressive building designed by Kyriakos Krokos and listed by the Greek Ministry of Culture as a historical monument and work of art. Ask for a tour (included in the admission price) to discover the best of the museum’s many items and artworks from throughout the empire’s long history. Before you go, stop at the lovely courtyard of the cafe-restaurant B, which offers Mediterranean salads and healthy snacks. T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

THE WHITE TOWER

“UMBRELLAS”

NEA PARALIA (NEW WATERFRONT)

DAY 01 16:30

Thessaloniki is defined by its coastline; when you think back on your visit later, it’ll likely be the first image you remember. Whether you choose to go on foot or by bike (you can pick one up at BikeIT, by the hotel Makedonia Palace), you can easily cover the entire length of the promenade in less than an hour and a half. The Palia Paralia (Old Waterfront) meets the Nea Paralia (New Waterfront) at the15th c. White

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Tower, which now houses a museum focused on the history of the city. The top floor boasts a gorgeous panoramic view. From here, the Nea Paralia stretches to the east, featuring the perfect photo-op, George Zongolopoulos’ renowned “Umbrellas” sculpture. Stroll down the wooden boardwalk before resting awhile on one of the brand new 3D-printed eco-friendly benches that double as planters.

SEASIDE PROMENADE

ADVERTORIAL

EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

HELLOFROM HESSALONIKI

DAY 01 18:00 SHOPPING MAP

VINYL SALVATION

DAY 01 20:00

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MAVRI THALASSA

AFICIONADOS

FINE DINING

A 10-minute drive from the city center will take you to the district of Kalamaria, with its relaxed character akin to a seaside vacation town. The Aficionados (105 Nikolaou Plastira) occupies a historic art deco-style villa, the ideal setting for indulgent dishes such as lobster bruschetta, sea bass carpaccio and Black Angus beef tartare. With a reputation for consistent quality, Mavri Thalassa (3 Nikolaou Plastira) is a great favorite for special nights out. The freshest of seafood is prepared with simplicity and care, and there’s a fine wine list, too.

Thessaloniki is full of specialty stores with unusual items. One retail area is Proxenou Koromila, a small street between Nikis Avenue and Mitropoleos Street, lined with shops catering to every price range. Hellofrom Thessaloniki (45 Proxenou Koromila) partners with artists to offer beautiful, useful souvenirs. For modern artisanal jewelry, check out the elegant geometry of the pieces at Mots (4 Verias), and the cool collections at Bord de l’eau (45 Egnatia). Vinyl fans should drop in at Vinyl Salvation (14 Viktoros Ougko), where the view is stunning, too. For edible souvenirs, try Olicatessen (4 Viktoros Ougko) or the Pantopoleio (12 Komninon); they both stock quality artisanal food products.

DAY 02 9:00

CENTRAL SQUARE

Aristotelous Square feels like it‘s been here forever; in fact, this elegant colonnade-lined plaza was only created in the mid-20th century. It was a central feature of architect Ernest Hebrard’s urban redevelopment plan after the Great Fire of 1917, designed to connect the city to its seafront. The city’s most famous meeting point, it’s close to the outdoor Kapani Market (Menexe Street), Athonos Square with its tavernas and spice shops, and Komninon Street with its florists. For a perfect city moment, buy a koulouri (a bread ring covered in sesame seeds) from a street vendor in the square and sprinkle some seeds around: the pigeon show will start in seconds.

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ALACA IMARET

DAY 02 10:00

EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

As the locals like to say, Thessaloniki was never a village. Monuments spanning centuries of urban history are on casual, glorious display. Walking up from Aristotelous Square and crossing Egnatia will bring you to the 11th c. Church of Panaghia Chalkeon (2 Chalkeon), “Our Lady of the Coppersmiths.” At the top of the square is the Roman Agora (75 Olympou) from the 2nd c. AD. Make sure you don’t miss the small underground museum in the northwest corner. The patron saint of Thessaloniki is honored at Aghios Dimitrios Church, a site of pilgrimage with a crypt worth visiting. The crypt was once a Roman bathhouse and the site of the saint’s martyrdom. It’s a quiet, spiritual space. Just 150 meters uphill from here, hidden between apartment buildings, is one of the most beautiful Ottoman era monuments in the city - the 15th c. Alaca Imaret (91-93 Kassandrou). Modest outside and thrilling within, the soaring domes are beautifully painted, and the walls bear traces of sacred inscriptions. The space now often hosts exhibitions organized by the Municipal Art Gallery of Thessaloniki. Walking east, you’ll pass the Atatürk Museum (17 Apostolou Pavlou) housed in Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s childhood home. Save the best for last: the Rotunda, a temple similar in design to the Pantheon in Rome. This spectacular domed space, 30 meters high and covered with shimmering mosaics, was built in the early 4th c. AD. Having been used first as a Christian church, and later as a mosque (today it has the city’s only remaining minaret), it remains a deeply contemplative space. 42

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ROMAN AGORA

STROLLING THROUGH THE CENTURIES

©PERIKLES MERAKOS

EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

DAY 02 13:00

CATCH OF THE DAY

MAREA SEA SPIRIT

©PERIKLES MERAKOS

DAY 02 16:30

MORE THAN COFFEE

MMCA

DAY 02 15:00 ART ATTACK

Spend your afternoon with Magritte, Calder, Warhol, Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, Taki and many other seminal artists. The Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art (154 Egnatia) is currently celebrating the collector Alexander Iolas, whose extraordinary vision helped shape 20th-century art, with the exhibition “Alexander Iolas: The Legacy” (through January 20, 2019). His donation formed the core of the museum’s collection.

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Have you ever had a coffee in a historic Ottoman-era bathhouse? Some of the best coffee in town is served in unusual places. Have one under the dome of the Aigli Geni Hamam (3 Aghiou Nikolaou), or amid the tiled domes of the rooftop of the Bey Hamam at the café-bar Palio Hamam (11 Mitropolitou Gennadiou). Popular Ypsilon (5 Edessis) is a café, workspace and cultural venue housed in an old traveler’s inn, while the old post office on Tsimiski makes for an interesting setting for Toms (22 Tsimiski). Mob (Ionos Dragoumi & Papadopoulou), which hosts art events, captures the essence of the old commercial neighborhood with original architectural details. BEY HAMAM

MOB © NICOLAS ECONOMOU

A view of the Thermaic Gulf might not be on the menu at these restaurants, but you’ll surely enjoy the city’s favorite indulgence, seafood. The modern dining room of Marea Sea Spirit (13 Margariti Lori) is the perfect place for crayfish tartare and sea bass in a salt crust. If you prefer a classic neighborhood atmosphere, Ouzeri Kosmas (15 Platonos) is frequented by regulars who come for the fish which is grilled or fried to simple perfection and accompanied by boiled greens, taramosalata (fish roe dip) and a glass or more of ouzo or tsipouro.

DAY 02 17:30

SUNDOWN BY THE SEASIDE Cyclists, young couples and families with strollers frequent Pier A in the evenings. There’s no better spot to enjoy the sunset and to capture some Insta-worthy shots. Arrive early to find your spot near the water, or to indulge in a leisurely stroll. The pier’s old warehouses have been turned into cultural venues. The Contemporary Art Center of Thessaloniki (Warehouse B1), offers dynamic and thought-provoking exhibits. The Thessaloniki Museum of Photography (Ware-

house A) is the only museum in Greece dedicated entirely to photography; it hosts a variety of exhibits throughout the year, including the main exhibition of the Thessaloniki PhotoBiennale, which this year features works from Greek and international photographers on the theme “Capitalist Realism” (through January 27, 2019). The rich history of Greek moviemaking is evident at the Thessaloniki Cinema Museum (Also Warehouse A).

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EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

DINNER IN LADADIKA

The old warehouses along the cobblestone streets in this lively neighborhood have been converted into restaurants and bars decorated in various styles, from the traditional to the exotic. Try the authentic Cretan specialties at Charoupi (4 Doxis), which features the best selection of Cretan wines in the city, and great value-for-money food. The mood of historic Thessaloniki lives on in the classic interior at Zythos (5 Katouni), which serves a fine selection of beers and wines and classic Mediterranean dishes.

TSAROUCHAS

ROSSINIOL

DAY 02 23:00 AFTER HOURS

You’re never overdressed for Thessaloniki’s famous nightlife. Whatever your taste is, you’re in for a great night and you’re spoilt for choice. For sophisticated cocktails in a smoke-free environment, visit Vogatsikou 3 (named for its address). Their dazzling drinks list includes clever mocktails − a good start if you’re serious about making a long night of it, maybe opting later for dancing at Uberdooze (8 Danaidon), known for its great themed parties, and international guest DJs in an industrial space. Alternatively, experience Thessaloniki rebetika, what some call the “Greek blues,” at Rossiniol (21 Athinas). 46

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DAY 02 4:00

BEDTIME SNACK

The classic choice for a bite on the way home is souvlaki. Derlikatessen (7 Ioanni Kouskoura) serves some of the best, even for vegetarians. If you’ve been listening to rebetika, though, the classic follow-up is a bowl of patsas at Tsarouchas (78 Olympou); this veal soup of tripe and trotters is famous for fending off a hangover.

DAY 02 20:30

EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

BANTIS

DAY 03 10:00

BOUGATSA FOR BREAKFAST

The north of Greece is famous for its excellent filo pastries, and queen among them is the bougatsa – layers of flaky dough with fillings of cream, spinach, cheese, or seasoned chopped meat, hacked into bite-sized pieces. Very few artisans still turn out bougatsa with handstretched dough, but Bantis (33 Panagias Faneromenis) is one of them. Also try Anoteron (61 Aghiou Dimitriou), known for top-quality ingredients, or To Neon (20 Frangon & Leontos Sofou), which also specializes in handmade pies.

BENSOUSAN HAN

DAY 03 12:00

EXPLORING THE CITY’S JEWISH PAST

Time to discover some of the city’s rich history, beginning at the Jewish Museum (11 Aghiou Mina), housed in a century-old landmark building. A visit to the hall dedicated to the Holocaust, with objects from the Nazi crematoriums, is a particularly moving experience. The audio tour is recommended; headphones are available at the entrance. Two minutes’ walk from the museum at 6 Edessis is the Bensousan Han, an early 19th-century inn that once provided lodging for traveling merchants and today hosts cultural events and exhibitions. The restoration of the building has preserved the patina of the past and the atmosphere is eerily evocative; you feel as if the former owner – Samuel Bensousan – might step out of the semi-darkness at any moment to welcome you.

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EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

ANO POLI TRIGONIO TOWER

DAY 03 14:00 GETTING LOST IN ANO POLI

Only a 15-minute walk from Aristotelous Square, the Ano Poli ( Upper Town) is arguably the most authentic and colorful part of the city. Situated just inside the Byzantine walls, high above the main town, it escaped the devastating fire of 1917. It’s a beguiling maze of steep tree-lined alleys, small squares, and stairways, lined with charming examples of Ottoman architecture, fountains, and traditional tavernas and cafés. Near the eastern walls, make a stop at one of Ano Poli’s early Christian sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the beautiful Aghios Nikolaos Orfanos church (1 Irodotou). Before you leave, pay a visit to the Trigonio Tower, where you will have a sweeping view of the city and bay.

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AGHIOS NIKOLAOS ORFANOS

EXPERIENCE CIT Y BREAK

DAY 03 15:30

LUNCH LIKE A LOCAL

SEBRICO

Unpretentious but still refined, these two places offer a fresh approach to modern Thessalonian cuisine. Nea Folia (4 Aristomenous) is a longtime favorite of the locals; in a light-filled semi-basement, you can enjoy complex, beautifully plated dishes served at tables covered with butcher paper. Forty different artisan cheeses from all over Greece are featured on the menu. Warm and inviting Sebrico (2 Frangon) serves up some very attractive dishes, including grilled octopus atop white fish-roe dip, and fresh sardines wrapped in vine leaves – both delicious. The prices are very reasonable, and both of these restaurants will bring you a little something sweet on the house.

ALLEGRO

DAY 03 18:30

WAVING GOODBYE

The final image to take with you as you board your plane should be a memory of the amazing views that the city’s premier cafés offer. The entire waterfront is on display through the panoramic windows of bar-restaurant Allegro (25 Martiou & Paralia), on the 5th floor of the modern M2 building of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. Head to Kitchen Bar (Warehouse B2), situated

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on the western edge of the seafront, for a more urban view of the city that includes the White Tower in the distance. At Café Nikis 35 (named after its address) between the White Tower and the pier, you can watch the crowds go by as the light changes over the bay. Sit by the window at Room With a View (10 Aristotelous) for a view of the square from above.

EVORA EATERY

NEA FOLIA

E X P E R I E N C E TA S T E

EAT (YOUR HEART) OUT

In a city famed for being a foodie heaven, no one leaves dissatisfied.

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

CHAROUPI

ANANTAM PAPANTAM © NICOLAS ECONOMOU

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Â© PERIKLES MERAKOS

CLOCHARD

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E X P E R I E N C E TA S T E

EXTRAVAGANZA

apping into the local markets offering artisanal products from around Greece, exotic spices and seasonal ingredients, a number of the city’s restaurateurs and chefs have succeeded in creating a new Thessalonian cuisine. Characteristic examples include the hylopites (handmade pasta) with pancetta, the crispy octopus patties, and the many creative dishes made with local cheeses that you’ll find at the small but light-filled Nea Folia taverna on the outskirts of Ano Poli. At the new Fata Morgana, in the city center, you’ll find smoked mackerel with yellow and black split peas; a salad of zucchini, apaki (smoked pork), sea fennel and xinotyri cheese; as well as a lovely dish with fried kalathaki cheese (named for the small basket in which it takes form) from Limnos. Radikal, a cooperative project in the Kastra area, prides itself on its oxtail with fried gnocchi and trachanas (fermented cracked wheat) cream, and on its wine list, which features interesting and well-priced selections, including natural wines. Sebriko, near the courthouse, gets its ingredients 54

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at source and puts tons of imagination into its dishes – think rooster stuffed with mushrooms glazed with soumada (almond orgeat). Nama, a gastro-kafeneio near the Church of Aghii Theodoroi, serves hearty, value-for-money fare like handmade pasta, and dishes enlivened with plenty of spices and fresh herbs. In the up-andcoming Ano Ladadika neighborhood, Maitr&Margarita has a similar philosophy, with top-quality cold cuts and meats, and a focus on products from all over northern Greece. Charoupi, in Ladadika proper, pays tribute to Cretan cuisine, bringing products straight from the island, so expect rare cheeses, handmade pasta and excellent olive oil. Unlikely combinations executed with technical skill – like the crab with spicy chorizo and soft mastichotyri cheese from Andros – define Extravaganza, a laid-back bistro with great comfort food. A new arrival, Evora Eatery in Kato Toumba is aimed at meat lovers, with specialties like the flat iron steak, served with baby potatoes. Don’t hesitate to order the boar, slow-cooked with apples and oranges, if it’s on the menu.

MARVELOUS MEZE MeZen, an authentic meze joint from Volos, the birthplace of the genre, recently opened shop in Thessaloniki and presents best-sellers like its tuna gyros, its squid “kokoretsi” and other inspired sharing dishes that play with traditional concepts. As in every proper meze place, studying the menu is not as important as taking time over your ouzo or tsipouro as you sit back and watch all the good stuff come to your table. Here, there are more than 80 labels of Greek distillates to choose from – ranging from anise-flavored to aged and single-variety offerings. Another option for meze is Anantam Papantam, which started out as a kafeneio in 1963 but has changed both address and philosophy. Now very much a gastropub, it presents classic as well as modern meze, like the eggs with kavourmas (spiced, cured meat), the salted fish (mackerel, bonito) and a few fresh seafood dishes, as well as some meat choices.

SEAFOOD Mourga is Thessaloniki’s coolest place right now, a kafeneio that serves fish and other seafood prepared in dozens of unusual ways and unlikely combinations. Strict about using fresh seasonal organic ingredients, the chef changes the menu depending on their availability. At the elegant and classic Mavri Thalassa in Kalamaria you can enjoy whole grilled fish, or shellfish pasta, though the famed fish soup is a must (and has to be ordered in advance). Marea Sea Spirit, near the White Tower, is modern both in its decorative aesthetic and its food, while if you’re in the mood for a drive, head to the restaurant Marina for fish by the sea in Nea Potidea, an hour from Thessaloniki in the direction of Nea Moudiana. FINE DINING Opsopoion Maganeiai is a small restaurant with a big reputation near the White Tower, where you can enjoy a rich and concentrated version of Mediterranean cuisine, with beautifully executed classics like pastas and risottos, and perfectly cooked special cuts of meat – that’s if you do manage to find a table (by booking by phone days in advance). At Thria on the Nea Paralia, in a dining room featuring Scandinavian décor and overlooking the sea, the chef and owner 56

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FATA MORGANA

NAMA

shows a flair for experimentation in both seafood and meat dishes. The linguine with shrimp and a coconut-milk sauce is a balancing act between Asia and the Mediterranean. Clochard remains a steady favorite, with a shiny new look and a menu that includes tagliata and ingredients like truffles and foie gras, among other delicacies.

THE STANDARDS Diagonios, near the White Tower, is the kind of restaurant every city would like to boast, with an old-school air, servers who are always alert to your needs and still help you with your coat or jacket, and sensible, flavorful and well-executed food. Try the liver or the soutzoukakia (oblong meatballs), both cooked on the charcoal grill. Chalaro, in operation since 1992, has two locations and a great fondness for chicken in all its forms. Dozens of recipes and 20 years later, the eatery has added many Mediterranean dishes to the menu, as well as American meat cuts and aged meats that are ideal for the grill, sending a positive signal that its future will be as bright as its past.

INFO

ANANTAM PAPANTAM: 13 Polytechneiou, Pylaia, Tel. (+30) 2310.323.666 • CHALARO: 75 Themistokli Sofouli, Tel. (+30) 2310.423.269 • CHAROUPI: 4 Doxis, Tel. (+30) 2310.526.262 • CLOCHARD: 4 Proxenou Koromila, Tel. (+30) 2310.239.805 • DIAGONIOS: 13 Stratigou Kallari, Tel. (+30) 2310.260.958 • EVORA EATERY: 13 Diogenous, Kato Toumba, Tel. (+30) 2310.930.800 • EXTRAVAGANZA: 8 Episkopou Amvrosiou, Tel. (+30) 2310.529.791 • FATA MORGANA: 1 Filippou, Tel. (+30) 2313.252.122 • MAITR & MARGARITA: 2 Verias, Tel. (+30) 2314.007.586 • MAREA SEA SPIRIT: 13 Margariti Lori, Tel. (+30) 2310.257.696 • MARINA: Nea Potidaia, Tel. (+30) 2373.041.570 • MAVRI THALASSA: 3 Nikolaou Plastira, Kalamaria, Tel. (+30) 2310.932.542 • MEZEN: 3 Rogkoti, Tel. (+30) 2310.232.749 • MOURGA: 12 Christopoulou, Tel. (+30) 2310.268.826 • NAMA: 1 Olympou, Tel. (+30) 2313.088.241 • NEA FOLIA: 4 Aristomenous, Tel. (+30) 2310.960.383 • OPSOPOION MAGANEIAI: 5 Emiliou Riadi, Tel (+30) 2310.889.699 • RADIKAL: 61 Stergiou Polidorou, Tel. (+30) 2310.202.007 • SEBRIKO: 2 Frangkon, Tel. (+30) 2310.557.513 • THRIA: 1 Marias Kallas, Tel. (+30) 2310.821.120 •

HANDMADE CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

NOELL

DRINK UP!

Cocktail bars, wine bars and plain old bars abound in nocturnal Thessaloniki. BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

Fashion with Greek influence

44 Dimitriou Gounari ADVERTORIAL

Thessaloniki ranks as a top-notch entertainment hub and is an ideal place for partying into the wee hours, thanks to the wide assortment of establishments dotting the city. This broad range extends from electronic music stages and cocktail bars to wine bars and traditional rebetadika (venues with live rebetika music). The latest arrival on the local bar scene hails from Athens. Noell is Thessaloniki’s version of Noel, a themed bar that has been active in the Greek capital for three years. The interior is reminiscent of a Victorian mansion, and the place is so ultra-decorated that inside it feels like Christmas year-round. It offers extremely imaginative cocktails and a menu filled with delicious food – all this right in the heart of the city center. Just a few meters down from Noell is Local, a hangout for the business crowd, a purebred, all-day bar-restaurant with a long list of spirits; it fills up nightly with regulars. Recently, one of the neoclassical buildings in the Vasilissis Olgas area became home to the Casablanca Social Club. This establishment boasts a garden, a meticulously-designed décor and an outstanding, high-volume bar. Those who love single malts have a special reason

• Thessaloniki • PC 546 21 • Greece • Tel. (+30) 697.665.1725 • Tel. (+30) 231.124.2316 • Mail: info@itsallgreekonme.com • www.itsallgreekonme.gr

LA DOZE

VIN

GORILLA

to visit. If cigarettes put you off, head to the smoke-free Vogatsikou 3, with its extremely well-stocked bar featuring almost every kind of rum, whiskey and gin imaginable, each served up the way it should be. Gorilla, in the Ano Ladadika district, is a fine-drinking bar renowned for its excellent cocktails. This year, owner Achilleas Plakidas netted the national World Class Bartender award, proving that he’s got plenty of successful recipes tucked away in his shaker. The cocktails at Gorilla, prepared using premium spirits, are the fruits of boundless experimentation in its fully equipped laboratory. In addition to a lot of imagination, the bartenders here employ centrifuges, vacuums, sous vide, carbonation devices, Thermomix machines and many more gadgets and techniques to maximum effect. For a more classic cocktail – such as a well-prepared Sazerac, Dry Martini or Old Fashioned – make your way to The Blue Cup in the Ladadika district; it serves tried-and-tested but less complicated recipes, offering consistently high-quality service. If you’re looking for a particularly 58

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lively atmosphere, take a seat at Paraty & Loft, also in Ladadika, either inside in its cosmopolitan hall or in its outdoor space, where you can indulge in some people-watching. For beer, timeless drinks and soul jazz music, head down the steps to the classic On the Road, located on the waterfront. At La Doze, you can dance till dawn to electro music selected by well-known DJs. As for wine bars, check out the tiny Souel, where you can select from 160 wines, 40 of which are available by the glass. Alea is surely one of the city’s most classic and atmospheric establishments, with red-and-black décor and framed movie stills on the walls. This is the oldest wine bar in town, having been around for about 30 years. Oinovate only serves Greek wines, with a special emphasis on island vineyards. At the luxurious Vin, you’ll need time to peruse the list and make your choice, as some 340 wines are available.

INFO

ALEA: 12 Isavron, Tel. (+30) 2310.281.614 • CASABLANCA SOCIAL CLUB: 18 Vasilissis Olgas, Tel. (+30) 2311.243.609 • GORILLA: 3 Verias, Tel. (+30) 2313.086.274 • LA DOZE: 1 Vilara, Tel. (+30) 2310.532.986 • LOCAL: 17 P.P. Germanou, Tel. (+30) 2310.223.307 • NOELL: 13 P.P. Germanou, Tel. (+30) 2310.231.260 • OINOVATE: 5 Syngrou, Tel. (+30) 2314.013.774 • ON THE ROAD: 61 Nikis, Tel. (+30) 2310.271.240 • PARATY & LOFT: 8 Pindou, Tel. (+30) 2310.522.403 • SOUEL: 16 Pavlou Mela, Tel. (+30) 2310.262.827 • THE BLUE CUP: 8 Salaminos, Tel. (+30) 2310.900.666 • VIN: 31 Katouni, Tel. (+30) 2310.555.077 • VOGATSIKOU 3: 3 Vogatsikou, Tel. (+30) 2310.222.899 •

EXPERIENCE GUIDED TOURS

SHOW AND TELL

The people behind some of Thessaloniki’s best themed walking tours talk about their own personal city highlights. B Y E F T H I M I O S S AV VA K I S / P H O T O S K O N S T A N T I N O S T S A K A L I D I S

KOSTIS ZAFIRAKIS

THE CULINARY GUIDE Kostis Zafirakis has taken hundreds of visitors on culinary tours of Thessaloniki; his favorite walk starts in his own childhood neighborhood, the area of the Church of the Holy Apostles and of Olympou Street. “It’s a long road, not a major avenue, linking two very special monuments: the church and the Rotunda,” he says. “It’s also associated with dozens of fascinating stories and personalities, from Roman and Byzantine emperors to the urban planner Ernest Hébrard, the poets Yiannis Ritsos and Manolis Anagnostakis and people like us who are helping to shape its current character. Olympou is more than a street; it’s a chapter in a historical drama.” History, however, isn’t the star: Zafirakis’ tours are all about delicious fla-

vors. “If you’ve never tasted local delicacies like pastourma (air-dried cured red meat), parcharotyri (a smoked aged cheese), Macedonian pies or tsipouro (a pomace brandy),” he says, “you’re missing out. My tour participants head back to their hotels intoxicated by the aromas and flavors, with smiles from ear to ear. I remember a man from Hawaii who just couldn’t get enough of our Pontic food; an impromptu party with a group of Germans when one guy was celebrating his birthday and we stuck candles in a galaktoboureko (a syrupy custard-filled pastry); and an American bunch, with whom we ended up singing the classic love song ‘Frangosyriani’ while eating San Michali cheese from Syros. Every walk is like a street performance; that’s how I see it.”

HIGHLIGHTS: The Kapani and Athonos food markets and their environs, and a tour of “bygone” Thessaloniki that takes in the legendary Bank of Thessaloniki and Edessis Street, with its beautiful buildings. CONTACT DETAILS: • •

www.thessalonikiwalkingtours.com info@thessalonikiwalkingtours.com

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EXPERIENCE GUIDED TOURS

GEORGE MANTZOURANEDES

THE URBAN LEGENDS GUIDE “Are you ready for a spooky ride?” asks George Mantzouranedes as we walk up a steep hill to Ano Poli on a “Mystery Walks” tour. There are two of these popular tours, one taking in the area east of the city walls, and the other the old quarter of Ano Poli. Each of these city sections, he tells us, has its own stories, its own atmosphere and its own distinct setting. Mantzouranedes and fellow guide Vasiliki Kartsikali spice up their tours with tidbits of information that capture the imagination of even the skeptically inclined. “The history, folk culture, interaction, narrative and elements of drama, in combination with the characters of the participants, make each tour different, a singular event, so that many want to come again,” he says. Thessaloniki may be better known for its Roman and Byzantine history or its multicultural social mosaic, but it also has an element of the mysterious that is quite intriguing. The urban legend of women in black, for example, said to appear in different parts of the city holding candles just before every major event or disaster, is one of the stories that particularly fascinates visitors. “Maybe this is because they connect different threads of the city’s history,” says Mantzouranedes. There are also “audience participation” moments that are no less impressive. “I remember an American blogger I took on a private tour being shocked by a palm reader describing an item of jewelry this American had lost during a trip to Peru! How much spookier can it get than that?”

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HIGHLIGHTS: Ippodromiou Square and the Gardens of the Pasha. The square is considered cursed because of its bloody past; it was the site of a great massacre in the 4th century, and suffered dozens of fatalities in the 1978 earthquake, while the gardens present an incredible combination of atmosphere, architecture and mystery.

CONTACT DETAILS: • •

www.dot2dot.gr info@dot2dot.gr

EVI KARKITI

THE CULTURAL WALKS GUIDE Evi Karkiti, founder of Thessaloniki Walking Tours, often receives touching feedback from her tour participants. One local man, for example, thanked her for helping him “really see” the street he’d lived on for 20 years of his life. A German visitor said that he’d never seen anything so alive as when they walked around the port area. She quotes a third, because his words were particularly poignant: “You made my day so much more beautiful and rewarding.” Karkiti believes Thessaloniki is the tour guide’s ideal city, thanks to its many layers of history and all the human stories that are interwoven among them. “These small stories allow you to delve deeper and see the bigger picture more clearly; they create a bond between people from disparate backgrounds, which is so much more powerful than mere communication, by making them feel they have a shared experience,” she says. “This is what we were aiming for from the start. We didn’t want to just describe a monument or visit a spot with a lot of history. We wanted to root out the human stories behind these things, to explore the city’s streets, neighborhoods and public squares, to redefine all these things that we walk past every day without noticing, even things hidden from view. This is the idea around which we’ve been building our company for the past five years.” An accomplished journalist, Karkiti recently created the Literature Walk, a “tour that is constantly being enriched with my own research and with revelations from poets, writers, critics and other personalities who have played a key role in the city’s cultural life for many years.”

HIGHLIGHTS: Casa Bianca, a splendid example of eclectic architecture in the area once known as “Exoches” (lit. “countryside”), holds a great many stories of its erstwhile residents, not all of them happy. You can almost hear their voices on the tour. The building is also home to the Municipal Gallery, an important showcase for the city’s history.

CONTACT DETAILS: • •

www.thessalonikiwalkingtours.com info@thessalonikiwalkingtours.com

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EXPERIENCE GUIDED TOURS

CONSTANTINOS SFIKAS

THE VIP GUIDE Constantinos Sfikas quit his bank job a few years ago so he could study at Thessaloniki’s School of Tourist Guides, where he went on to teach after graduating. “It was the most important decision I’ve ever made,” he confesses as we walk along Mitropoleos Street in the autumnal chill. “I knew this career would suit me to a tee. It is, after all, one of the oldest jobs in the world; at ancient Delphi, the ‘exigites’ would act as spiritual guides for the sanctuary’s visitors. With this job, I’ve found my calling.” Sfikas and a group of his former students have so far put together 26 themed tours around the six districts that make up the municipality of Thessaloniki. The initiative has been a success, with participants – both locals and visitors – learning to pay closer attention to the city and to value it more, which is what the endeavor is all about. “I’ll never forget one local resident who said that in 40 years she hadn’t appreciated her own city as much as she did on our tour of Palaiologian-era Byzantine churches in the Ano Poli district. What could be more gratifying than that?” Sfikas also works with the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, taking many of its special guests on city tours. “I remember Jim Jarmusch expressing surprise when I showed him around the castles: ‘Well, I didn’t expect that,’ he said. Also, I won’t forget Oliver Stone standing in front of the statue of Alexander the Great, saying: ‘I feel more complete as an artist here; like a Macedonian.’” The list of film greats he has accompanied on tours is impressive and includes Wim Wenders, Willem Dafoe, John Malkovich, Werner Herzog, and John Sayles. “I enjoy every tour I give, but showing around people you idolized as a teen is something you remember forever,” says Sfikas. 64

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HIGHLIGHTS: The panoramic views of the city from high up on the Trigonio Tower, as well as the palimpsest of history revealed by the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Jewish monuments. The Bit Bazaar flea market, with its antique shops and cool restaurants, and, of course, the city’s coastal promenade, which always makes an impression. CONTACT DETAILS: • •

www.expertguides.gr info@expertguides.gr

ADVERTORIAL

THE PANTOPOLEIO

THESSALONIKI’S GENERAL STORE

Three generations of experience and tradition are on hand to guide you in your purchases. Whether you are looking for health food or something sinfully indulgent, you are sure to find something to your taste in this Aladdin’s cave of delicious flavours.

The Pantopoleio - Thessaloniki’s General Store 12 Komninon St., 54624 Thessaloniki • Tel.: (+30) 2310.244.684 • Fax: (+30) 2310.244.687 pantopoliothessa@yahoo.gr • www.to-pantopolio.gr

EXPERIENCE GUIDED TOURS

ALEXANDROS MYROFORIDIS

TASOS PAPADOPOULOS

THE CRIME GUIDE

THE TOMB GUIDE

Alexandros Myroforidis has spent more than a decade in the field of interactive and live games, exploring alternative ways to promote Thessaloniki’s rich historical heritage. He created his “Crime Tours” in 2013, focusing on the city’s violent past. “Thessaloniki, unfortunately, holds something of a record in politically motivated crimes, in addition to countless acts of violence motivated by passion or greed. From its liberation from Ottoman rule to World War II, and through the Greek Civil War to more recent events, the material is infinite,” he says. Each walk is not just a tour, but also an investigation into every aspect of the crimes in question. “I’m surprised by the incredible level of interest that’s been shown by residents of Thessaloniki, but perhaps I shouldn’t be: the theme of crime is undisputedly a part of modern pop culture. Visitors are interested because the tour’s different and original, and locals like it because they get so much information concentrated in one tour,” says Myroforidis.

Tasos Papadopoulos is a true fan of rebetiko music and has put together, among other tours, one dedicated to its rich history in Thessaloniki. “This tour was born out of my love for this specific genre; an urban jewel representing the popular spirit,” he says. “This is an almost mystical form of music that spoke to the hearts of refugees, blue-collar workers, and the down-and-out. So many rebetiko songs have been written about Thessaloniki.” Poet Ilias Petropoulos once said: “Show me the food a people eat and how they bury their dead and I’ll show you who they are.” Papadopoulos appears to share this sentiment, since he’s added tours of the city’s cemeteries to his itineraries. “A cemetery tour may sound macabre, but it ‘s not. We walk around the gravesites and other inconspicuous resting places, and tell stories about the different people buried there: scholars, writers, architects, politicians and regular folk who have so many interesting and meaningful things to teach us,” he says. “Isn’t this, after all, the aim of anyone who wants to keep the memories of a place alive?”

HIGHLIGHTS: The Crypt of the Macedonian Struggle, located in the bowels of the Metropolitan Church, near the museum dedicated to the same subject. There’s a feeling of stepping into history as you enter this space, used by the resistance to store weapons and ammunition right under the noses of the Ottoman rulers. Another highlight is the State Conservatory building, formerly home to a branch of the Ottoman Bank; the branch was put out of commission after dynamite placed in a tunnel beneath it was detonated in what was the most audacious resistance attack carried out in early-20th century Thessaloniki.

HIGHLIGHTS: TS-14, the transvestite bar that is part of the tour “From Bara to Vardaris.” Owner Kristy Alexiou is an amazing storyteller who’s happy to answer questions from tour participants over a glass of wine. “The conversation is always different and always interesting,” says Papadopoulos. “Those on the tour never fail to be impressed by the forthcoming and sweet nature of so many trans folk, who have often experienced terrible things.”

CONTACT DETAILS: • www.gamecraft.gr • info@gamecraft.gr 66

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CONTACT DETAILS: • www.thessalonikiwalkingtours.com •

info@thessalonikiwalkingtours.com

WEST SIDE STORY EXPERIENCE NEIGHBORHOODS

Long overlooked, the city’s “other” side has been developing its own urban treasures, gathering momentum for change and looking to the future with confidence and justifiable pride.

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B Y A L E X A N D R A T Z AV E L L A

It may seem hard to believe, yet you are still in Thessaloniki. The neighborhood of Nea Politeia in the borough of Evosmos is only a 20-minutes’ drive away from Aristotelous Square.

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EXPERIENCE NEIGHBORHOODS

he locals say that the moment you cross Langadas Avenue where it meets Vardaris Square, you have effectively reached a boundary. Yet, unless you know to expect it, you’re unlikely to become aware of the change. The only thing you’ll notice as you keep on walking is that there are more trucks and fewer pedestrians, and that the apartment blocks are taller and the horizon is narrower. Every city has a side with less sparkle. In London, Paris, Manchester, Glasgow and Helsinki, this less polished side is in the east; in Thessaloniki, it is in the western part of the city. For those living in the city center and in the eastern neighborhoods, west Thessaloniki is a transit area rather than a destination. Rarely do non-residents forego the circular highway in order to discover Stavroupoli, Neapolis, Ambelokipi, Menemeni, Kordelio, Evosmos, Polichni or Oreokastro. Although all of these are no more than a five to twenty-five minute drive from central Aristotelous Square, they are, for most tourists visiting Thessaloniki, terra incognita. Those who do happen to pass through, do so most likely fleetingly, on their way to the New Railway Station, the intercity bus station, Moni Lazariston or the State Museum of Contemporary Art. Under Ottoman rule, this side of the city was full of swamps and fields. At the end of the 19th century, Thessaloniki’s industrial zone was created, making the city the economic center of northern Greece in the early 1900s. A few years later, it would receive waves of refugees from Eastern Thrace, Asia Minor and the Pontus region in the Black Sea, who erected the first rudimentary settlements. This is an area that is heavily charged with the traumatic memories not only of the refugees, but also of the Jewish community. In 1943, 50,000 Jews were deported from the Old Railway Station to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where they met a harrowing end. West Thessaloniki today consists of densely populated neighborhoods with no access to the sea. Some offer no view of the horizon – it has been obscured by the tall apartment buildings. The area is one of highways, machine shops, manufacturing plants and factory chimneys, where multi-story apartment blocks rise skyward above the few small single-family dwellings that remain, and toddlers play on swings in playgrounds down the street from brothels. There are even whole neighborhoods, such as Nea Politeia in the Evosmos suburb, that resemble ghost towns.

01. Graffiti near Langadas Avenue, the perceived boundary between the city center and west Thessaloniki.

03. The Koukloutzas eatery in the district of Evosmosis is famous for its soups and stays open 24/7.

02. This soccer field is overshadowed by two 12-story apartment blocks known locally as the “twin towers.”

04. The Railroad Museum of Thessaloniki in Kordelio is a real time capsule.

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EXPERIENCE NEIGHBORHOODS The renowned freerunner and parkour enthusiast Dimitris ‘DK’ Kyrsanidis captured during a singular stunt in Evosmos.

This area, further out and at a higher elevation compared to the older, denser neighborhoods, boasts a spectacular panoramic view extending from Kalochori to Thessaloniki’s seafront and main harbor, and some felt that it could become a new, highly attractive suburb. The financial crisis, however, put all such dreams on hold, leaving behind newly-built apartment blocks with few or even no occupants, half-finished sport facilities and deserted streets. Nonetheless, a visit to the west is not a melancholy affair. The majority of Thessaloniki’s population lives right here in these suburbs. According to the most recent statistics, these neighborhoods have some of the youngest populations on average in Greece. Once you factor in the thousands of students attending the Technological and Educational Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki and the School of Fine Arts, it becomes clear why these neighborhoods display such a strong youthful vibe. You can feel this energy most keenly in Evosmos, the second-largest municipality in terms of population in the regional unit of Thessaloniki: in schoolyards that double as parkour training grounds; on fields where young soccer players train until late at night; and on the main square of Evosmos, packed with café-bars and restaurants. Hidden in the most unlikely places are treasures unknown to most, including locals from the other side of the city. Who’d have thought that a rare, genuine Orient Express dining-car can be found in Kordelio? Built in 1905, it was in service until 1950; today, it’s parked in the courtyard of the Railroad Museum of Thessaloniki, along with other exhibits. The museum is housed in the restored historic Military Railway Station, built in 1894 according to plans by the Italian architect Pierro Arrigoni. The nearby neighborhood of Ambelokipi has the largest military cemetery in Greece, the Allied Cemetery of Zeitenlik. It is a moving site, with row upon row of uniform tombstones that often bear heartrending inscriptions. About 20,500 French, Serbian, Italian, British and Russian soldiers who fought in World War I are buried here. In fine weather, a stroll in the archaeological park of Polichni – five Byzantine watermills and one wine press have been excavated here – can be very pleasant. Another good option is the Botanical Garden of Stavroupoli. This 5,000 square-meter garden, featuring 1,000 plant species, is a well-maintained oasis in the midst of massive concrete apartment blocks.

HIDDEN IN THE MOST UNLIKELY PLACES ARE TREASURES UNKNOWN TO MOST, INCLUDING LOCALS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY.

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EXPERIENCE NEIGHBORHOODS

Anyone who thinks that the west part of town hasn’t kept up with current trends is in for a surprise: one of Thessaloniki’s leading wine shops sits on the border of Evosmos and Menemeni. An elevator takes you down to the cellars of the Abatzis wine shop, which also operates as a wine-tasting venue. Here you can find wines from all over Greece as well as from abroad: with over 4,000 selections that include very expensive premium wines such as the €5,000-6,000 Romanée-Conti and Château Petrus.“We love this neighborhood, and we want this space to play an educational role,” says wine specialist Dimitrios Motsos, who holds a degree from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. There are plenty of options for going out. Mata Hari in Menemeni is a legendary bar, with a history that spans 32 years – one of those places that are a real joy to discover when you are exploring a foreign city. In the evening, patrons perched on the leather stools along its long wooden counter can order beers from the six taps that form part of the ornate décor; in the morning, they can enjoy high-quality coffee. Lykiskos in Stavroupoli offers a selection of about 50 different beers, while the U Bar Project, housed in an old villa in Evosmos, serves high-quality coffee blends and is the area’s hotspot for brunch as well as for evening cocktails, available until late at night. Ask the locals to reveal their personal gourmet secrets, and they will likely send you to Koukloutzas, an eatery specializing in patsas (tripe soup), a local delicacy. One of the oldest such eateries in Thessaloniki, it’s been in operation since 1994. Open 24/7, 365 days a year, it serves around 600 bowls of soup a day; if you’re not a fan of tripe, other options include chicken soup and mushroom soup. During your stop at the bakery called Panos, owned by Panos and Sakis Paschalidis and specializing in handmade bougatsa (a pie typically made with cheese or sweet cream filling), take a look behind the scenes to see how a small ball of pastry dough is transformed into a sheet as large and as thin as a tablecloth. On high-demand days, the shop can produce 120 trays, or 600 individual pies. It’s more than likely that this previously ignored side of the city, with secrets known only to a select few, will in fact end up constituting one of Thessaloniki’s most popular spots. The western city districts were recently included in the expansion plans for Thessaloniki’s underground metro, and a new phase of development projects is scheduled to begin soon. These include the transformation of the Pavlos Melas Military Base, abandoned since 2006, into a 36-hectare metropolitan park. The redevelopment, expected to take about ten years, is being designed by architects Prodromos Nikiforidis and Bernard Cuomo. It will radically improve the quality of life in the whole of Thessaloniki, which is in dire need of green havens and outdoor walking spaces. The construction of the Holocaust Museum, a six-story octagonal tower made of metal and glass providing a total exhibition space of about 7,000 sq.m., is scheduled to begin in the next few months. With visitor numbers from Israel rising each year, it’s certain that this museum will attract international attention as well as domestic interest.

INFO

• THESSALONIKI RAILWAY MUSEUM: 3 Monastiriou,

Kordelio, Tel. (+30) 2310.559.590. Open Mon-Fri 10:00- 14:00 (weekends by appointment only). • ALLIED CEMETERY OF ZEITENLIK: 136 Langada, Open

daily 9:00-18:00. •

BYZANTINE WATERMILLS:

Intersection of Polichni-Eukarpia • BOTANICAL GARDEN OF STAVROUPOLI: 9A Perikleous,

Open: Mon-Thu 9:00-13:30, Fri: 9:00-13:00, Tel. (+30) 2310.600.717. • ABATZIS WINE SHOP: 12 Aristotelous, Evosmos, Tel. (+30) 2310.387.400 • MATA HARI CAFE-BAR: 12 Kyrimi, Menemeni, Tel. (+30) 2310.737.016 •

LYKISKOS ALL DAY BAR:

65 Syntagmatarchou Davaki, Stavroupoli, Tel. (+30) 2311.241.863 • U-BAR PROJECT: 93 Megalou Alexandrou, Evosmos, Tel. (+30) 2310.776.002 • KOUKLOUTZAS: 32 Megalou Alexandrou, Evosmos, Tel. (+30) 2310.593.77 • PANOS BOUGATSA: 119 Oreokastrou, Stavroupoli, Tel. (+30) 2310.668.224

01. Mata Hari in Menemeni. 02. Bougatsa being made at the bakery shop Panos in Stavroupoli. 03. The Botanical Garden of Stavroupoli, one of the very few green spaces on the west side. 04. Wine-tasting events are held in the cellar of the Abatzis wine shop. © DIMITRIS MICHALAKIS

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DISCOVER 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. 76

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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

Mass influx of refugees to the city following 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

Inauguration of the building that now houses the Archaeological Museum, where unique treasures of Macedonia are exhibited, including finds from the royal tombs of Vergina.

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, 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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Archaeologist Manolis Andronikos (center, squatting) supervises the excavation of the Great Tumulus, where he identified Philip IIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tomb in 1977.

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THE HEART OF ANCIENT MACEDONIA W W W.G R E E C E - I S .C O M

The capital of ancient Macedonia and burial spot of King Philip II is the outstanding archaeological site within striking distance of Thessaloniki. BY JOHN LEONA R D

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to swirl about this historical site. Vergina occupies a central position on the archaeological landscape of Greece, just as, some 2,500 years ago, it ranked as an elite royal center within the heartland of ancient Macedonia.

EXPERIENCING VERGINA A visit to the museum at Vergina is a feast for the eyes and the mind. Located amid the relatively new (post-1922) village’s maze-like streets lined with tidy houses, its inconspicuous gateway and wrought-iron fence enclose an immaculate archaeological park whose atmosphere, one feels, even upon first entering this space, is steeped in noble privilege. Someone very important clearly must have been buried here. Curiosity builds as the large green tumulus, neatly covered with grass and shrubs, is spied ahead. Crossing the open courtyard after the ticket office, the visitor, drawn inexorably toward the mysterious mound, accesses the museum through a long

Entrance to Vergina’s Great Tumulus and the subterranean Museum of the Royal Tombs at Aigai.

“dromos” or walkway that slices into the hill, similar to the approach to the Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae or other monumental underground tombs. On entering the museum proper, one is immediately transported into another world, reminiscent (appropriately) of the Underworld, where a reverent gloom fills the interior and the eye is drawn to impressively exhibited artifacts and Greekstyle architecture sharply defined by bright spotlights. The “mound” presently covering the museum is in fact a modern roof (invisible in the dark) that protects the site and offers a sense (both externally and internally) of the original tumulus. The tour of the museum follows a circular, clockwise flow, beginning with painted, inscribed or relief-carved grave steles that once marked the millennia-old bur-

mong the great subjects of Greek archaeology, Philip II’s Macedonia (359-336 BC) is one that might seem familiar, but, on close inspection, consistently proves to have something new, or old, to learn about, wonder at and gain new perspective on, and the best place to begin is at Vergina. One should make a beeline for this diminutive spot on the road map (approximately one hour southwest of Thessaloniki), as it’s here that you’ll find one of the best-presented, most memorable archaeological museums in Greece: the Museum of the Royal Tombs at Aigai. Tucked into a corner between the broad Aliakmon River and the foothills of the Pieria mountains at the southern edge of the bountiful plain that extends westward from the Thermaic Gulf, Vergina’s pastoral, deceptively peaceful setting belies the palpable excitement of its steady stream of visitors, the material splendor of the museum’s artifacts and the furious scholarly debate that seems constantly

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ials contained within the Great Tumulus itself or the more than 300 other, smaller tumuli previously scattered all around it. This extensive necropolis, dating from the Iron Age (post-1000 BC) through the Hellenistic era, was a prominent indicator on the landscape of two ancient settlements (pre-Classical and Classical-Hellenistic) that had successively thrived in this area, until Aigai was destroyed and ultimately abandoned, following the Macedonians’ defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC. The necropolis actually represents only one part of the Vergina archaeological site, lying on the western side of a large urban center heavily fortified with walls and towers in the late 4th or early 3rd century BC (now buried, no longer visible). The city’s still-only-partly excavated remains also feature an acropolis, at the high southern end and, extending northward down the slope, a large palace and associated theater, religious sanctuaries, public buildings and private houses.

CULTURAL TREASURES Today, within the darkness of the Aigai museum, the exhibition’s diverse displays and dramatic presentation illuminate, literally and figuratively, the resplendent life and death of elite ancient Macedonians. The main attractions, augmented by archival excavation photographs, information panels and detailed cut-away 3-D models of the Great Tumulus, are the series of monumental tombs, with standing columns (Tomb of the Free-Standing Columns) or colorful, temple-like facades (Tombs II. III), beautifully conserved in situ. One also finds a magnificent array of grave goods – ranging from finely crafted personal, ceremonial and utilitarian objects, in gold, silver, bronze, iron, textile and ivory, to the carbonized organic remains of various, ritually offered foodstuffs. The identities of the deceased within the elegant Tombs II and III, respectively, as indicated in on-site museum labels and many scholarly articles, are King Philip II

A visitor admiring the elegantly painted facade of “Philip II’s” tomb, with its lion-hunt fresco.

(ruled 359-336 BC) and Alexander IV (Alexander the Great’s teenage son). Manolis Andronikos, the late archaeologist and university professor, discovered these burials and first presented their extraordinary contents in 1977-1978. Just beside Tomb II is a simple, block-built cist grave (Tomb I), which held seven unidentified bodies (1 adult male, 1 adult female, 4 infants, 1 fetus), while next to that are the foundations of a “Heroon” erected to honor the occupant(s) of one or more of the adjoining tombs. Andronikos suggested it was the later king Antigonus II Gonatas (277-274, 272-239 BC) who first erected the Great Tumulus to protect this tomb group. What ranks Vergina among other world-renowned royal or elite burial sites, including Mycenae, Troy and the Egyptian T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

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Bronze helmet with gold decoration, of Illyro-Corinthian type. From a noble warrior’s grave at Archontiko (Pella), Tomb 279, ca. 550 BC.

Oak-leaf wreath, Vergina; luxurious gold wreaths with vegetal decoration (oak, myrtle) were a common grave good placed in elite Macedonian burials.

Small gold-foil ornament with a central gorgon portrait, in repousse technique, from the funerary garment of a noble Macedonian; 6th c. BC.

Iron cuirass with gold trim and lion-head ornaments, from the main chamber of Tomb II, Vergina, attributed to Philip II.

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A 2013 discovery from a cist tomb near Vergina’s Town Hall: two warriors, stunningly preserved in gold relief, once adorned a shield; ca. 430 BC.

Element of a golden necklace, with granulation, similar in style and technique to elite grave goods at Sindos (Thessaloniki); late 6th c. BC.

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The golden larnax, containing the cremated remains of perhaps Philip II, from Tomb II at Vergina (Museum of the Royal Tombs at Aigai).

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Valley of the Kings, is that, like them, the tombs at Aigai were discovered unlooted and pristine. The excavations by Andronikos, whose name is now as well known in certain circles as Heinrich Schliemann and Howard Carter, revealed a treasure trove of weapons and body armor; jewelry; golden larnakes (ash chests) and oakleaf diadems; banqueting equipment; luxuriously woven and ornamented burial shrouds; equestrian tack; and the remains 84

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of wooden mortuary couches trimmed with ivory, relief-carved human figures, including males whose faces have become iconic Macedonian images, sometimes said to depict Philip II and Alexander the Great themselves.

TERRITORIAL EXPANSION Vergina/Aigai has become a key piece of cultural evidence in the ongoing state-level and public debate about

who the ancient Macedonians were and which land and people today we can accurately call “Macedonian.” Where exactly was ancient Macedonia, and were the Macedonians Greek or something else? In the time of Philip II, the kingdom’s heartland, represented together by Lower and Upper Macedonia, extended from the Pindus mountains (W) to the Philippi plain (E), and from Mt Olympus (S) to the narrow gorge of the Axios river

(now southern FYROM) that cuts between the high ranges of Kaimaktsalan (2524m) and Kerkini (1474-2211m). These mountains formed ancient Macedonia’s natural northern boundary. “Almost ninety percent of its lands,” concludes historian Miltiades Hatzopoulos, “fall within the present-day borders of Greece.” Already in the 5th century BC, under Alexander I (498-454 BC), more than a dozen tribal regions had been united – an

area of some 17,000 square kilometers. This confederation gradually collapsed over time, until Philip II revived it (after 359 BC) and expanded Macedonian hegemony even further. He subjugated additional regions in all cardinal directions, including Paeonia (FYROM) to the north; many mainland areas and islands of Greece to the south; and Thrace to the far east – a vast empire whose total domain by 336 BC, when Philip was as-

Persephone kidnapped by Hades, a favorite Macedonian funerary subject, from the walls of Tomb I, Vergina.

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sassinated at Aigai, amounted to more than 43,000 square kilometers.

THE GARDENS OF MIDAS The historical sources are clear concerning Macedonian “Greekness” and the location of the original homeland. Herodotus (5th century BC) records an oral tradition from Macedonia which relates that Perdiccas I, Macedonia’s soon-to-be founder, and his two brothers departed the Greek city of Argos (c. 700 BC), traveled briefly north to Illyria and Paeonia, but were not allowed to stay. They consequently returned south to settle “near the Gardens of Midas” in the shadow of “the mountain called Vermion” – adjacent to present-day Veria and (13km SE) Vergina. Herodotus also tells us that the Macedonian and more northerly Bottiaean “fatherlands” are separated by “the rivers Lydias and Haliacmon, which unite their waters in one stream.” We can thus surmise that ancient Macedonia’s earliest capital lay near Veria and the Aliakmon river. But what was it called? The origin of the name Aigai, “goat town,” is indicated by Diodorus Siculus (1st century BC), who writes that Per86

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diccas was advised by Delphi’s Pythian priestess to: “swiftly go … where thou shalt see white-horned goats, with fleece like snow, resting at dawn; make sacrifice … upon that spot, and raise the chief city of a state.” Later, Diodorus reports, Macedonian kings and queens were buried at “Aigai,” as was the royal custom. In 273 BC, however, its precious tombs suffered widespread desecration: “After Pyrrhus [of Epirus] sacked Aegeae [sic], the seat of the Macedonian royal family, he left his Gauls there. They, learning … in accordance with … ancient custom much wealth was buried with the dead at royal funerals, dug up and broke into all the graves, divided up the treasure, and scattered the bones of the dead.”

VERGINA’S “ROYAL” TOMBS Given the frequency of tomb-raiding in antiquity, the pristine condition of Tomb II, as revealed by Andronikos and now on display in the Aigai museum, is all the more impressive. Andronikos, as one of the first information panels in the museum commemorates, quickly felt certain he had unearthed the royal tomb of Philip II. Since then, his archaeological conclusions and legacy have been

Pella Archaeological Museum: a selection of richly ornamented bronze armor that accompanied noble Macedonian warriors’ graves.

AFTER SACKING AIGAI (273 BC), PYRRHUS’ MERCENARIES “...DUG UP AND BROKE INTO ALL THE GRAVES, DIVIDED UP THE TREASURE AND SCATTERED THE BONES OF THE DEAD” (DIODORUS SICULUS).

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The best evidence for Vergina being Aigai is its enormous, unparalleled palace, now under renewed archaeological investigation.

determinedly defended, scrutinized, augmented with new evidence, in some cases proven accurate, in others still persistently questioned. Certainly, Vergina is home to ancient Aigai, the most definitive proof being the site’s enormous palace, with ground-floor banqueting rooms and an upper story that may or may not have accommodated a royal residence. The adjacent theater appears to be the exact spot where Philip II was killed by a disgruntled bodyguard in 336 BC while celebrating his daughter’s marriage (Diodorus Siculus 16.91-4). In the nearby Eucleia sanctuary, a votive statue and two inscribed statue bases dedicated by Eurydice, Philip II’s mother, also indicate royal presence at Vergina/Aigai, as do the marble thrones discovered in the “Eurydice” and Rhomaios Tombs. The city’s massive defensive walls, recently

redated in excavations to the era of the post-Alexander king Cassander (c. 315297 BC), offer another clue to Aigai’s political and strategic importance. Unlike the near-palace “Eurydice” and Rhomaios tombs, the burials of the Great Tumulus are located downslope at Aigai’s northwestern edge. Among the constellation of much-debated evidence for Tomb II’s association with Philip II, the silver-gilt diadem and unique handguard of a torch have been particularly noted, but similarly remain inconclusive. More persuasive is the lion-hunt fresco on the tomb’s facade, depicting an activity reserved exclusively for kings. Nevertheless, this evidence, like so much else, can also be interpreted as belonging to an important elite who may have been a royal friend or another noble, wishing to demonstrate high rank or, depending on

INFO

the tomb’s date, even an Alexander-like level of achievement. Next door, the young “prince” in Tomb III was buried beside “Philip II” and was the right age (14) to have been Alexander IV, but is that enough to positively identify him? The king in ancient Macedonia was considered the greater among equals, within a social structure still strongly feudal in character. His Companions (elite guard) and other leading nobles lived, feasted, fought and died in close proximity to him and to each other. Their final resting places also seem close, both in location and style – archaeologically distinguishable perhaps only by key artifacts still not fully understood, or by the happenstances of preservation. Many clues exist at Vergina, Lefkadia and elsewhere that suggest the material wealth and splendor exhibited by the architecture and grave goods of Tombs II and III were not limited to the Macedonian royal family. Funerary objects of similar luxuriousness as those of Tomb II have been found at other sites, including the non-royal tombs at Derveni (late 4th century BC), attributable to the spoils of Alexander’s conquest of the Persian Empire. In the end, of this we can be sure: the people of ancient Macedonia were Greeks, speaking and writing in a dialect of Greek, whose heartland lay generally west and south of Thessaloniki and whose earliest capital was Vergina/Aigai. Where exactly Philip II, Eurydice and other royals, including perhaps Cassander, may have been buried at Aigai remains one of the great archaeological puzzles.

70k from Thessaloniki, 8k southeast of Veria • Aigai, Imathia • Tel. (+30) 2331.092.347 • Open Mon 12:00-20:00, Tue-Sun 08:00-20:00 (winter hours from 17/11-31/3 Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00). • Admission for the archaeological site & museum €12 (€6 in winter) • Combined admission: €14 (valid for three days and includes entry to: Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai, the Archaeological Museum of Veria and the Byzantine Museum of Veria). • www.aigai.gr 88

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TREASURES BELOW A historic project is coming to an end, as Thessaloniki’s nearly completed metro system prepares to put the city’s ancient riches on display in its stations. BY GIOTA M I RT SIOT I

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or Thessaloniki, 2022 promises to be a historic year. As long as the city’s metro is completed on schedule, few citizens will dwell on the daily scenes of chaos, or on the fierce debate of “antiquities vs. metro” that has divided the city for so long. All the controversies and all the delays will, at last, fade away. Following the battle waged by the combined forces of Mayor Yiannis Boutaris, archaeologists and academics for the preservation of Thessaloniki’s antiquities, a solution has finally been found and the metro is now on track for completion, with inaugural operations running from Nea Helvetia as far as Sintrivani Station planned for 2020, and the remaining sections to open in late 2021 or early 2022. At that point, the metro’s innovative, international construction project will draw to a close, leaving a unique design showcasing a stretch of the ancient city’s Decumanus Maximus (main East-West street) inside Venizelou Station, and, in the Aghia Sofia Station, an archaeological site with a flagstone-paved city square and monumental 4th-century AD nymphaeum (water display). A “city under the city,” a stunning older world, has gradually emerged from the largest, costliest excavation ever conducted in Thessaloniki. Such discoveries were, of course, expected. When the Ministry of Culture and Attiko Metro signed an agreement in 2006 to begin work in Thessaloniki, archaeologists offered a warning: carving out tunnels under an historic city – one continuously inhabited since 315 BC and which had flourished during the Roman Empire, held sway as Byzantium’s second largest city, and had been a major commercial

Left: Sintrivani Station. Detail of a golden olive wreath; 3rd c. BC, Eastern Necropolis. Right: Sintrivani Station. Floor mosaic with a representation of a phoenix.

A “CITY UNDER THE CITY,” A STUNNING OLDER WORLD, HAS GRADUALLY EMERGED FROM THE LARGEST, COSTLIEST EXCAVATION EVER CONDUCTED IN THESSALONIKI.

center of the Ottoman Empire – could not avoid striking archaeological treasures. The predictions proved right. Indeed, the wealth of archaeological artifacts, and especially of in-situ architecture of monumental character, has exceeded all expectations. More than 300,000 artifacts (including 50,000 coins) dating from the 4th century BC up until the era of the devastating 1917 fire that destroyed the historical centre constitute the rich harvest of an excavation project spanning many years and 13 individual metro stations. A new historical narrative is being written in Thessaloniki. Archaeologists of the Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities (Stella Vasileiadou, Krino Konstantinidou, Eleni Lamprothanasi, Tania Protopsalti and Stavroula Tzevreni, with excavations headed by Polyxeni Adam-Veleni, General Director of Antiquities of the Ministry

of Culture) are shedding new light on nearly all the chapters of the city’s history and stages of urban development. In particular, new data is illuminating burial customs throughout the centuries; the pre-Cassander era; the organization of the urban space; the city’s trade, central marketplace and economic development; the early Christian period and Thessaloniki’s transition from the ancient Greek and Roman world to that of Byzantium; the Ottoman period; and the European city of the early 20th century, devastated by the 1917 fire. The story of the city’s antiquities, like the metro lines themselves, can be traced from the historic center out to the metro depot in the southeastern suburbs. Before Cassander founded Thessaloniki – a city that would soon boast a dynamic economy, a developed sociopolitical T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

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Dimokratias Station. Detail of a ceramic amphoriskos with molded relief depicting Dionysian scenes; late 2nd – early 3rd c. AD, Western Necropolis.

structure and an organized grid-like urban planning system that would become a prototype for Macedonia’s major cities – a smaller 4th-century BC community flourished in the area of present-day Aghios Pavlos. The settlement featured houses, shops, a temple of Athena Ergane and a necropolis, altogether covering 3.1 hectares across 12 city blocks. Archaeologists believe it was one of the 26 small towns that Cassander consolidated to form Thessaloniki. Leaving here, the metro’s “antiquities train” stops next at Fleming Station, where the necropolis of an unknown Roman settlement that was inhabited for approximately two centuries (2nd-4th century BC) was unearthed. Some 200 built tombs have been excavated, revealing numerous small finds: coins for paying the ferryman Charon for passage across the Acheron into the Underworld; ceramic and glass vessels; and gold, bronze and bone jewelry. Dense archaeological layers, encompassing all of Thessaloniki’s historic eras, lie at the heart of the modern city. Golden wreaths, glass vessels, pottery, figurines and gold and silver jewelry and coins were discovered in both humble and opulent graves. These are just some of the valuable items that accompanied the dead in thousands of tombs comprising two ancient cemeteries: the Eastern Necropolis (3,000 graves), at Sintrivani Station; and the Western Necropolis, at the Dimokratias and New Railway stations outside the city’s ancient western walls.

These burials span a lengthy period, from Hellenistic times (4th-3rd century BC) to late antiquity. A fifth-century, three-aisled Christian basilica at Sintrivani, built on the site of an earlier cult building (4th century BC), further enhances the city’s archaeological heritage with a number of excellent mosaic floors.

THE HISTORIC CENTER The metro stations in the historic center hold the greatest archaeological interest. Aghia Sofia and Venizelou stations n particular contain truly unexpected wonders. Deep down, protected from the ravages of time, is the Decumanus Maximus (later the central street or Mesi Odos of Byzantine Thessaloniki). Lying directly beneath modern Egnatia Avenue, it’s lined with marble-paved public squares, a nymphaeum, the mosaic floors of an affluent Roman official’s residence (at Aghia Sofia Station) and other amazing finds. The Decumanus Maximus was long the city’s great commercial district, a central artery crossing the historic center. The ancient roadway has now been removed from Aghia Sofia Station, sadly gone forever; it reappears, however, inside Venizelou Station, where, preserved in situ and almost intact, it extends – 100m long by 20m wide – some 7m below the pavement of the modern street. The Hellenistic city’s level, low-lying areas, laid out according to a grid system designed by the ancient urban planner Hippodamus, continued to be inhabited into Roman times. By the 4th century AD, its marble-paved streets were flanked by long, colonnaded galleries (stoas) and large building complexes adorned with

THE METRO STATIONS IN THE HISTORIC CENTER HOLD THE GREATEST ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST. AGHIA SOFIA AND VENIZELOU STATIONS CONTAIN TRULY UNEXPECTED WONDERS.

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sumptuous floor mosaics. In the same period, north of the Decumanus’ intersection at Aghia Sofia Street, a nymphaeum (a monument dedicated to water nymphs) was constructed, which remained in use until at least the 7th century AD. It was an opulent monument with a theatrical facade (scaenae frons) and was uniquely tall (15.5 m) for the city. Under Byzantine hegemony, Thessaloniki became the empire’s second city after Constantinople. The “Avenue” or “Middle Street” of the Byzantine era is preserved among the traces of the earlier Decumanus Maximus. Along the road were clusters of mud-built workshops, shops and other structures. Finds include kilns for smelting raw materials, workbenches with tools, molds for jewelry-making, crucifix necklaces and other jewelry, glass and bronze bracelets and finished or semi-finished pottery. A full picture of western Thessaloniki is developing from archaeological finds at the construction sites of the Dimokratias and New Railway stations. An array of new finds – including rich burials from the 94

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West Necropolis (3rd century BC-mid-4th century AD); religious buildings; churches; Byzantine workshops; other traces of small industry; and state warehouses for oil and wine – attest to the organization of space in what was then a more suburban area of Thessaloniki. These new discoveries regarding Thessaloniki’s history will require significant changes to the city’s tourist map. Visitors will learn about the city from displays in all of the stations, from the exposed archaeological sites of Venizelou and Aghia Sofia stations, and at the large Metro Museum, located near the metro line, which will showcase a selection of the thousands of artifacts unearthed. The ancient road at Venizelou Station, flanked by colonnaded stoas, monumental entrances and shops, will be visible to both metro passengers and interested members of the public. “Thessaloniki will win in multiple ways: in travel, tourism and its economic development,” says Yannis Mylopoulos, chairman of Attiko Metro. The city’s solutions for its metro and the preservation and

Drone photograph of the excavations at Venizelou Station.

promotion of its archaeological heritage are being implemented; already, its innovative approach has piqued the international community’s interest regarding the potential for technology and culture to coexist. Riding the 9.9 km route from the city’s New Railway Station to the Pylea depot will be a unique metro experience. Inside the stations, vibrant traces of the past will share space with 21st-century innovation, and open archaeological sites will become an everyday part of life for city residents. “After criticism and opposition, what the city has gained is a wealth of information on its historical development. The rewriting of Thessaloniki’s history, based on this newly acquired archaeological data, will require multiple volumes!” says excavations director Polyxeni Adam-Veleni. In which case, the story of the metro’s contribution will make a fascinating opening chapter.

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67 members, all local administration officials. With its headquarters in Thessaloniki and facilities all over Central Macedonia, its employs 350 people. Its staff includes specialized scientific and technical officials, who can support projects related to solid waste management and recycling. It participates in national networks with purpose of exchanging information and implementing programs that aim to protect the environment and achieve sustainable growth. Fodsa was and remains the only regional solid waste management agency in Greece that was founded following the merger of other agencies. It constitutes an example for all similar agencies in the country, evident in its impressive results regarding its specialization and the implementation of all its targets and actions related to the temporary storage, transfer, treatment, recovery and disposal of solid waste at regional level. Its main responsibility is the operation and management of 11 controlled landfill sites and seven transfer stations the serve a population of two million citizens, as well as the increasing the awareness of citizens regarding the reduction and the rational management of waste.

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The Keys to the City

From its scenic waterfront to its towering hills, Thessaloniki’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

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, octagonally-walled 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 ( winter hours 09:00-16:00) • Admission: €4 • www.lpth.gr

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97 © HELLENIC MINISTRY OF CULTURE & SPORTS, EPHORATE OF BYZANTINE ANTIQUITIES. PHOTO: KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS

THE ARCH OF GALERIUS

THE ROTUNDA

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.

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).

(4TH CENTURY)

INFO: 144 Egnatia

(4TH CENTURY)

INFO

Aghiou Georgiou Square Tel. (+30) 2310.204.868 • Open Tue-Fri 08:0019:00, Sat & Sun 9:00-16:00 (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, 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)

BOUTIQUE MUSEUM EXPERIENCES Architecturally and historically intriguing, these museums and exhibition spaces offer an intimate experience of the city. 100

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(21ST CENTURY)

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

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THE CHURCH OF THE ACHEIROPOIETOS

THE CHURCH OF AGHIOS DIMITRIOS

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 13th-century 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 19221923, the building was used to shelter Greek refugees from Asia Minor.

The present 20th-century Church of Aghios Dimitrios (Demetrius), 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

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56 Aghias Sofias • Tel. (+30) 2310. 227.369 • Open 7:00-12:30 & 18:0019:30.

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(4TH CENTURY, REBUILT 7TH CENTURY)

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

(5TH CENTURY)

ADVERTORIAL

MAIN STORE: 2nd km Giannitsa-Edessa, Tel. (+30) 23820.837.52 1ST BRANCH STORE: 8 Hatzidimitriou, Giannitsa, Tel. (+30) 23820.222.86 2ND BRANCH STORE: 20 Venizelou, Thessaloniki, Tel. (+30) 2310.222.260

gpapasta@gmail.com • Facebook: Halvas Giannitson • Instagram: halvas_giannitson • www.halvasgiannitson.gr

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THE EPTAPIRGIO CASTLE (14TH-15TH CENTURY)

At the top of the city, with Thessaloniki laid out below, stand the Trigonio Tower and the Eptapirgio (“Seven Towers”) Castle, also known by its old Turkish name Yenti Kule, which, despite its presentday 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.

(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 splendor. It is now the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank (MIET), hosting fine exhibitions and free public events. INFO •

108 Vasilissis Olgas • Tel. (+30) 2310.295.170

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Ano Poli • Tel. (+30) 2313 310400 • Open daily 8:00-15:00. Admission is free

OTE TOWER (20TH CENTURY)

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. INFO •

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154 Egnatia - HELEXPO • Tel. (+30) 2310.265.460

THE KAPANDJI VILLAS

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THE ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM OF THESSALONIKI (1962)

MUSEUM OF BYZANTINE CULTURE (1994)

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.

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 in1994, housed in a building of its own, 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

6 Manoli Andronikou • Tel. (+30) 2313.310.201 • Open daily 09:00-16:00 • Admission: €8 • www.amth.gr •

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2 Stratou • Tel. (+30) 2313.306.400 • Open daily 09:00-16:00. • Admission: €8 www.mbp.gr

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

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

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AGAINST ALL DISCOVER JEWISH THESSALONIKI

Leon Perahia and Lina Capon never met in pre-World War II Thessaloniki and, had it not been for the war. What they did have in common was exceptional bravery, 108

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hen German troops occupied Thessaloniki in April 1941, the systematic persecution of the city’s Jews began almost immediately, eventually leading to their segregation into ghettos. In March 1943, the deportations began. Within a little over a year, a community that had been the cornerstone of Thessaloniki’s multicultural society for centuries was almost completely wiped out. Leon Perahia was sent to Auschwitz. The Capon family was, at first, more fortunate; that same spring, as the deportations were in progress, Lina’s sister, Alice, and her brother, Benjamin, were able to reach Athens, using false identities and various means of transportation. Lina and their parents, Hasdai and Vida, followed soon after. The family first took refuge in an asylum by feigning insanity, as did some other Jews. They were betrayed, but when the police came, they were able to pay them off. Still, it no longer seemed safe, so they joined other family members already living in a villa that had been given to them by a business associate of Hasdai Capon. They lived there for nearly a year before being betrayed again. Thirteen members of the extended family were deported, including Lina, her siblings and her parents. Their mother was killed on arrival at Birkenau, a fate that befell more than three-quarters of Thessaloniki’s Jews. Not long before liberation, Hasdai and Benjamin were sent to other camps, while Lina and Alice remained in Birkenau. In January 1945, with the war’s end in sight, the Germans evacuated the death camps, hoping to kill as many Jews as possible by letting them die from exhaustion as they marched, before the Allies could reach them. When Birkenau was evacuated

In pre-war Thessaloniki, the Capon family gathers for a festive afternoon at a taverna. Third from the left is Lina, with her sister Alice just behind her. Their father Hasdai is in the front on the right, with their mother Vida beside him.

ODDS

coming from such different social backgrounds, they might never have, which was what eventually brought them together.

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on January 18, Lina, feverish with typhoid, was in the infirmary. She fainted as they were being marched from the camp. A guard thought she was dead and kicked her aside. Alice was elsewhere and didn’t know what had happened to her sister. Hours later, Lina regained consciousness to find herself in an utterly deserted Birkenau. Three kilometers away at Auschwitz, Leon and some friends had managed to hide during the evacuation. They had been factory workers, so they knew the camp’s layout and were also in fair physical condition. Armed with whatever they could find, they now took control of the camp where they were once prisoners, in case any Germans should return. Two of the men, Jews from Holland, went to Birkenau in search of other survivors. They found Lina and told her there were other Thessaloniki Jews at Auschwitz. She gathered her strength, bundled herself in whatever she could find and set off with them through the snow, taking sips from a small bottle of Cardiazol – a heart medicine – to sustain her as she walked. When she arrived, she asked the prisoner-turned-guard, in German, if he knew where the Greeks were. He replied to her in Greek; the guard was Leon Perahia. On January 27, the Russians liberated Auschwitz. They didn’t have the means to repatriate anyone, so the survivors were transported to the city of Chernivtsi (present-day Ukraine), where Leon and Lina fell in love. Six months later, they were sent by train to Bulgaria. Other Jews greeted them at the station offering soup and cigarettes. “Stay with us,” they urged them. “You won’t find any survivors in Thessaloniki.” But Lina and Leon could not be dissuaded; they still held out hope. At a quarantine station set up near the Greek border at Sidirokastro, a woman from the Red Cross recognized Lina. She gave her excellent news: her father, brother and sister had survived. Alice had reunited with Benjamin at Bergen-Belsen, and their father had been liberated at Gross-Rosen; they had been living at home together in Thessaloniki for months. Lina’s family had, for some time, been certain that Lina had died, after a woman from Thessaloniki had told them she had seen Lina being tossed aside as they were being marched from Birkenau. They had even said the Mourners’ Kaddish for her. The miraculous news was sent to them at once: Lina was alive and would soon return to them. By June 1945, the Capon family had returned to their old rented apartment. Most of the city’s Jews were not as fortunate.

Over 95 percent never made it back, and for nearly all of those who did return, there was no home to go back to: after the Jews were deported, the authorities redistributed most of their houses to refugees from Asia Minor and to those fleeing the violence in Thrace. With so many homes gone, communal housing was arranged in the buildings that were still at the disposal of the Jewish community. Leon, who had also lost his family home, was housed in a synagogue. Back in Thessaloniki at last, Lina and Leon wished to marry at once. However, they met with a new obstacle. Lina’s father withheld his permission; there was, after all, still their difference in social class (the Capons were from a privileged class; the Perahias were not). And as it turned out, her father’s refusal wasn’t the only obstacle. No sooner was World War II over than the Greek Civil War, which had been brewing before the end of the German occupation, broke out in earnest. Leon was sent off to fight in 1947 and 1948. Some Jews perished in the civil war, but Leon came home safe. It was only after his return that Lina’s father was eventually persuaded to give his permission. In 1950, Lina and Leon were finally married. Later in the 1950s, Leon and his brother, David, managed to reclaim their family home. They sold it, as David had decided to emigrate to the United States. Although Greece was the first country to pass a law allowing Jews to recover their properties, in practice, tracking down property deeds was difficult and costly. This led many other Jews to make fresh post-war starts elsewhere, some in the part of Palestine that would become the state of Israel in 1948, others in destinations closer to home, including Athens, feeling there was nothing left for them anymore in Thessaloniki, and yet others on distant continents. Leon also thought of building a new life in Israel, but Lina wouldn’t hear of it. Being reunited with her family was a miracle, and it would have been unbearable to be parted from them again. Hasdai Capon lived with his daughter and son-in-law for the rest of his life; he was there when the family welcomed his granddaughters, part of a new generation of Thessaloniki Jews, into the world.

• This story was narrated to the author by Lina and Leon’s daughter, Erika Perahia Zemour, who recently retired from the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki.

BY JUNE 1945, THE CAPON FAMILY HAD RETURNED TO THEIR OLD RENTED APARTMENT. MOST OF THE CITY’S JEWS WERE NOT AS FORTUNATE. OVER 95 PERCENT NEVER MADE IT BACK.

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In 1950, Leon Perahia and Lina Capon embark on a happy future together.

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EVEN THE WALLS TELL STORIES

THE RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF A COMMUNITY • Some researchers believe there has been a Jewish presence in Thessaloniki since the founding of the city in 315 BC. Others suggest the first Jews may have come over from Alexandria, Egypt, in 140 BC. By the middle of the 1st century AD, we know there was an established community, as Apostle Paul addressed the congregation of a synagogue on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). • In 1492, 15,000-20,000 Jews who were fleeing the Spanish Inquisition settled in Thessaloniki.

• When Thessaloniki became part of Greece in 1912, Jews were the city’s largest ethnic group, numbering over 61,000, with Muslims numbering 45,000 and Orthodox Greeks 40,000. • At its apex in the early 20th century, Thessaloniki’s Jewish community numbered about 80,000, representing half of the city’s population. The other half consisted of Muslims, Orthodox Greeks, Armenians, Slavs, Bulgarians and some other nationalities.

FOR ADDITIONAL READING: Devin E. Naar, Jewish Salonica: Between the Ottoman Empire and Modern Greece (Stanford University Press, 2016); Mark Mazower, Thessaloniki, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews, 1430–1950 (HarperCollins, 2004); Leon Sciaky, Farewell to Salonica: City at the Crossroads (Paul Dry Books, 2003); Rena Molho and Vilma Hastaoglou-Martinidis, Jewish Sites in Thessaloniki: Brief History and Guide (Lycabettus Press, 2009). 112

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• For 450 years, Ladino (JudeoSpanish) was one of the city’s principal languages. • At the beginning of World War II, Thessaloniki’s Jewish community numbered over 50,000. • In 1946, the Jewish community numbered 2,400 members, about half of whom emigrated shortly after the war. • Today, there are about 1,000 Jews in Thessaloniki: 20 percent have their roots in the city, and the rest moved to Thessaloniki from the smaller surrounding cities of Kavala, Katerini, Larissa, Didymoteicho and others. • Thessaloniki now has a Jewish Museum, a new Jewish cemetery and two synagogues; the Jewish community also maintains an elementary school and a retirement home.

The long history of the Jewish presence in Thessaloniki is presented in the deeply moving and informative displays in the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, with heirlooms and artifacts that shed light on everyday life. The Holocaust and the story of the German occupation of Thessaloniki are central to the exhibitions. On the ground floor, one space features gravestones from the old Jewish cemetery, while another room is a place of reflection and remembrance, whose walls bear the names of the 25,000 documented Jewish victims of the Holocaust from Thessaloniki, out of a total of 46,000 who were lost. INFO

11 Aghiou Mina, Tel. (+30) 2310.250.406 • Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00, Wed only also 17:0020:00, Sun 10:00-14:00 (winter hours Mon-Fri 09:00-14:00, Wed & Thu also 17:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-14:00). • Closed on Saturday, Jewish holidays and state holidays • Admission: €5 • www.jmth.gr •

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TRACING THE PAST

Cultural and architectural landmarks worth a visit, and two apps to help you navigate the city. MONASTIRIOTON SYNAGOGUE

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

OLD JEWISH CEMETERY MEMORIAL

MONASTIRIOTON SYNAGOGUE

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

The beautiful main synagogue of Thessaloniki, built by Jews from Monastir (presentday Bitola, FYROM) and consecrated in 1927, has been recently restored. Used by the Red Cross during the war, it is the only pre-war synagogue to have survived. A ticket for the Jewish Museum also grants access to the synagogue.

This memorial to the Thessaloniki Jews who perished in the Holocaust stands at the edge of Eleftherias (“Freedom”) Square where, in July 1942, Thessaloniki’s Jewish men were gathered to be registered for forced labor, and subjected to hours of ill-treatment. This was the first overt public act of mass aggression by the Germans against the community, which eventually culminated in deportations and the Holocaust.

35 Syngrou Tel. (+30) 2310.275.701 • Open Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00, Wed only also 17:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-14:00 (NovemberApril by appointment only) • www.jmth.gr • www.jct.gr/synag_monastir.php • •

MODIANO MARKET

YAHUDI HAMAM

This handsome landmark of downtown Thessaloniki, designed by Eli Modiano after the great fire of 1917, was a thriving central market for decades. Even though it has fallen into disuse in recent years, the light-filled structure of several shopping arcades under a soaring roof remains rich in original detail.

Near the Modiano Market, look for an Ottoman-era monument. The lovely 16th c. Yahudi Hamam – or “Jewish Bath” – is in the heart of what was the old Jewish quarter.

24 Ermou & Vas. Irakleiou & Komninon

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Eleftherias Square, Nikis & Eleftheriou Venizelou

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OLD JEWISH CEMETERY MEMORIAL The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is built on the site of the city’s old Jewish cemetery, destroyed during the war. A monument of remembrance, composed of a sculpture of a menorah and fragments of some of the gravestones, was erected in 2014. University Campus (Panepistimioupoli), Observatory (Asteroskopio) Park (Central Gate entrance).

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Komninon (between Vasileos Irakleiou and Tsimiski)

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APPS SALONICA JEWISH LEGACY provides information on key sites and the history of the Jewish presence in Thessaloniki, as well as maps for several walking tours. SALONICA JEWISH ARCHITECTURE focuses specifically on commercial buildings of 1922–1930 and their engineers and architects, documenting a rich part of Thessaloniki’s architectural heritage.

INDIVIDUAL S ART

Collectors and Visionaries Thessaloniki has some seminal collections of modern, avant-garde and contemporary art, thanks to some extraordinarily forward-thinking individuals.

BY A MBER CHA R MEI

GEORGE COSTAKIS

THE SAVIOR OF THE RUSSIAN AVANT-GARDE “In 1960s Moscow, there were two places that official state visitors wanted to see: the Kremlin and George Costakis’ apartment,” says Dr Maria Tsantsanoglou, director of the State Museum of Contemporary Art (SMCA), referring to the home of this dynamic, purposeful collector, who amassed a vast and comprehensive art collection. The apartment everyone wanted to visit comprised three modest rooms whose walls were covered with works of the Russian avant-garde; it was the only place where such a collection could be seen. A diverse crowd of intellectuals, artists, students and foreign visitors 116

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gathered nearly daily. Chagall came; Stravinsky came; a provincial school of art visited one morning and then, later that same day, David Rockefeller. In this contemporary salon, they would drink, engage with one another about art, and even break into song. George Costakis was born in Moscow, where his father, a merchant from Zakynthos, had settled. George worked as a driver for the Greek Embassy and later took a job at the Canadian Embassy. In the course of his work, he would sometimes accompany foreign visitors to art galleries and antique stores. He had a good eye, so he, too, started collecting – old Dutch Masters, porcelain, silver – although without particular passion. As he said later, “I kept thinking that, if I continued in the same vein, I wouldn’t contribute anything to art … Everything I collected was already shown in the Louvre or the Hermitage … by sticking to this, I could get rich, but nothing more.” In 1946, he chanced upon his first avant-garde work. His daughter Aliki said it was likely a cubo-futurist painting by Olga Rozanova. He took it home and hung it beside the Dutch Masters and then contemplated it: “I had a feeling I’d been living in a room with curtains drawn, and now they were open and sunlight was streaming in through the windows. At that moment, I decided to part with everything I’d collected, and started buying nothing but avant-garde.”

“Female Portrait,” Kazimir Malevich, ca. 1910–1911. Gouache on cardboard.

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George Costakis at his apartment in Moscow.

Costakis turned to art historian Nikolai Khardzhiev for advice. Khardzhiev told him that the names of only a few artists, such as Kandinsky, Tatlin and Malevich, would survive. He also said that the movement was finished, not worth pursuing. If anything, the conversation only strengthened Costakis’ resolve; he likened his pursuit to archaeology, determined to bring the avant-garde to light “as Schliemann had unearthed Troy.” Tsantsanoglou puts it a little differently: “George Costakis formed this great collection in the period between 1946 and 1977, fully aware he was fulfilling a mission: the mission of saving Russian avant-garde art from disappearance.” This venture was unprofitable; as Costakis later recalled: “Among the circles of collectors in Moscow I had the not-so-flattering nickname ‘the Mad Greek’ who collects useless garbage.” It was also risky; by the 1930s, socialist 118

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realism had become the sole acceptable form of artistic expression in Soviet Russia. As the Stalinist state began to persecute the avant-garde, works were hidden away, sometimes for decades, in closets and under beds. This lent urgency to Costakis’ mission. Piece by piece, he rescued works. He sought out sketches, correspondence, manifestoes, educational materials, posters and magazines, creating an encyclopedia of the avant-garde. “A real collector must feel like a millionaire, even when he is penniless,” was one of his precepts. “He’d buy a car, then sell it a few days later to buy a painting,” Tsantsanoglou relates. “When he gave his wife Zina a fur for her birthday, he asked for it back three days later. She loved the fur but wanted the painting more.” His daughter Aliki went to Leningrad to buy a painting for him; as a foreign citizen, his travel was restricted. “We all loved art,” she said. “We were in it together.”

By the 1970s, given his social circle, his free views and his outspoken defense of art were labeled “degenerate” by the authorities, his situation had become increasingly precarious. He began plans to emigrate. As a condition of receiving his exit visa, he gave 80 percent of his collection to the State Tretyakov Gallery. Ultimately, he wanted the works to be seen: “I’m against people having collections for themselves.” The works that came with him to Greece are now in the SMCA. After a stay at Istanbul’s Sakip Sabanci Museum, the exhibition “Thessaloniki. Costakis Collection. Restart,” which celebrates his vision, will return to the SMCA in April 2019. INFO

State Museum of Contemporary Art 21 Kolokotroni, Moni Lazariston • Tel. (+30) 2310.589.143 • Tue-Sun 10:0018:00, Thu 10:00-22:00 • Admission: €4. • •

INDIVIDUAL S ART

ALEXANDER IOLAS

THE CHARISMATIC ONE Among the many captivating personalities of the 20th-century international art world, Alexander Iolas was unique. This charming cosmopolitan man had a clear vision, which he followed by discovering and representing artists who would shape the world of modern art. Today in Thessaloniki, this vision is being explored at the museum he helped found. Iolas’ story is intriguing from the very start: born in 1908 into a wealthy Greek family of cotton merchants in Alexandria, he left the Egyptian port-city for Athens in 1927, with a letter of reference from the poet Constantine Cavafy to pursue the discipline of dance. From then on, he’d find himself continually engaging with people of culture and intellect. He moved to Berlin in 1931, where he became acquainted with composer Kurt Weill and author Thomas Mann. In 1933, after the Nazis came to power, he left for Paris, where he acquired his first artwork – a piece by Giorgio de Chirico, who became a close friend, and formed acquaintances with René Magritte, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Raoul Dufy and others. He left for New York around 1935, becoming a principal ballet dancer there. He eventually stopped dancing due to an injury, and changed course; in 1945, he became director of the newly established 120

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INDIVIDUAL S ART

“Story with a Chicken,” Martial Raysse, 1968. Oil and acrylic on canvas.

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“Brain,” Dennis Oppenheim, 1984. Construction.

the country’s cultural landscape. After the 1978 earthquake in Thessaloniki, his close friend Maro Lagia proposed a dynamic response to the damage the city’s monuments had suffered: a center for contemporary art. Iolas had considered making a major donation to the Greek state but that ultimately fell through, making this entirely private initiative his only actual bequest to Greece. The almost 50 works that Iolas gave formed the core of the collection of the Macedonian Center of Contemporary Art (later the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art). The MMCA’s director, Thouli Misirloglou, admires the collection’s global sensibility: “What is interesting about Iolas’ donation is the mingling of international and Greek artists. Tinguely, de Saint Phalle or Martial Raysse are not very far, artistically, from the Greeks Akrithakis, Tsoclis or Pavlos. Of course, Iolas didn’t really care about nationalities. ‘Artists

don’t have a passport,’ he’d say. Takis, for example, was seminal for Iolas (and the MMCA) not as a Greek artist, but as an artist whose nationality was irrelevant.” Sharing this cosmopolitan perspective with the Greek public was pivotal. When the Macedonian Center of Contemporary Art opened, it was the only institution for contemporary art in the country. The MMCA’s exhibition “Alexander Iolas: The Legacy” celebrates an extraordinary individual, his collection and the sense of excitement and discovery he brought to art.

INFO

“Alexander Iolas: The Legacy” – until January 20, 2019, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art • 154 Egnatia (inside HELEXPO grounds) • Tel (+30) 2310.240.002 • www.mmca.gr • Thu 10:00-22:00, Fri 10:0019:00, Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-15:00, Mon-Wed closed • Admission: €4. •

Hugo Gallery. The gallery gained instant, enthusiastic recognition, as expressed in a review of the opening show in the New York Times: “The Hugo Gallery, dedicated to the avant-garde, has entered New York’s art-world roster … You have to just reject the rational, resist it like mad at every turn, and the magic will begin to work.” Some time later, he met Andy Warhol, stopping him on the street in front of the gallery to see what was in his portfolio – his sketches of shoe designs for the factory where he worked. Iolas arranged Warhol’s first solo exhibition – a series of drawings based on the works of Truman Capote. Iolas and Warhol would remain friends for the rest of their lives. Around 1955, the gallery in New York became his, and was renamed Iolas Gallery. A series of galleries throughout Europe followed: Paris, Rome, Milan, Geneva, Madrid, Athens (Iolas-Zoumboulakis). Over the next two decades, he would work with many seminal artists, including Ernst, Magritte, Kounelis, Tanguy, Calder, Miro, Dali, Picasso, Takis, de Saint Phalle, Klein and, of course, Warhol, artists who defined the major movements of the 20th century: surrealism, pop, arte povera, nouveau réalisme and minimalism. His galleries became destinations: “Being in New York and not visiting Iolas’ gallery,” Margot Fonteyn told Jackie Kennedy in 1968, “is like being in Greece and not visiting the Parthenon, or being in Rome and not visiting the Vatican.” Accounts of Iolas often refer to his notably arresting persona, his rare style and charisma: he was remembered in the New York Times for being able to reassure collectors “with his hierophantic manner, his often sensational mode of dress, and his mischievous and sometimes irresistible charm.” But he was also a person of substance who had meaningful relationships with the often prominent artists he represented, collaborations that contributed to their creativity. Some of his friendships were marked by significant acts, such as closing all his galleries – except the one in New York – after the death of Max Ernst, in fulfillment of a promise he had made to him. In Greece, he was pivotal in changing

INDIVIDUAL S ART

ALIKI & NESTOR TELLOGLOU THE PHILANTHROPISTS

On the top floor of a building facing Aristotelous Square is the apartment of Nestor and Aliki Telloglou. Small groups visit periodically, by appointment. It’s a wonderful home, elegant in its modest proportions. The rooms are eclectically furnished, with rustic pieces mixed with mid-century modernism, and filled with wonderful objects: Chinese sculpture and Asian pottery (18th-19th centuries), Persian miniatures, and photos, souvenirs and mementoes acquired on the couple’s travels. It was and still is a place for lively engagement with art and culture. The paintings, hung floor to ceiling, have a tremendous presence. When the Telloglous married in 1955, they started buying art at once. The resulting collection includes significant 19th and 20th-century Greek artists such as Gyzis, Parthenis, Maleas, Lytras, Kontoglou, Gounaropoulos, Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, Georgiadis, Engonopoulos, and Spyropoulos. While it’s a fine introduction to different currents in Greek art – from academicism to the “Generation of the ’30s,” modernism, surrealism and abstraction – the growth of the collection was organic and personal. The common factor among the works is simply that they were all adored. As Aliki put it, object and meaning were inseparable: 124

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“Works of art were among the first friends who came, one by one, to our home … We moved each of these works when we acquired it from room to room, wherever we sat, to be able to get to know it, to listen to its voice and feel it as our own.” Travel deepened their appreciation of the universal necessity of art, causing them to reflect on the role of art in Greek life and to note that not only was art education largely absent from Greek schools, but that many people, especially in rural areas, lacked both the awareness and the means to seek out art in museums. Realizing this inspired them to, in Aliki’s words, “open a school that would speak about the way in which man and art come to an understanding.” Happily, they had the resources and skills to achieve this. Nestor came from a philanthropic background. His family had been merchants and bankers in Smyrna, and benefactors to their region before coming to Thessaloniki. Aliki possessed a rare sensitivity to art, and the determination to realize such a project. In 1971, they arranged with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to donate their collection and to dedicate the funds required so that the university could host a future institution to be known as the Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation on its

grounds. Establishing the foundation would prove to be a tremendous undertaking, made even more difficult by the death of Nestor in 1972, although his widow Aliki, who ended up realizing the dream for both of them, insisted that his passing had in no way diminished “his contribution to the Teloglion.” The foundation opened in 1999, after nearly three decades of effort. Community engagement is at its heart: theater, dance, music, and literary events, as well as colloquiums and symposiums engage the community in art and culture. A fantastic museum space hosts exhibitions of local and internationally renowned artists, including Miro, Delacroix and Toulouse-Lautrec. Parallel to this, selected works from the Teloglion’s permanent collection, which has a particularly strong focus on modern Greek art, are displayed at the Teloglion on a rotating basis, as well as at the Telloglou House.

INFO

Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation • 159A Aghiou Dimitriou • Tel. (+30) 2310.247.111 • www.teloglion.gr • Tue-Fri 09:00-14:00, Wed 09:00-14:00 and 17:00-21:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00 • Admission: €5. • For Telloglou House tours, Tel. (+30) 2310.991.610 • Admission: €5. •

“The Incorruptibles,” Nikos Engonopoulos, 1967. Oil on canvas.

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THEIR TIME, Twelve innovative young city residents meet with us at their favorite waterfront spots to explain how the city helps to inspire them in their work.

THEIR

B Y A L E X A N D R A T Z AV E L L A / PHOTOS DIMITR IS MICH A L A K IS

ALEXANDROS POURLOUKAKIS CONDUCTOR

Born and raised in Ptolemaida, 20-year-old Alexandros is studying Music Science and Arts at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki and is one of the youngest conductors in Greece.

When the afternoon rehearsals of the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Macedonia are over, I often stroll around the city listening to classical music on the radio, humming along to operas. Sometimes I take my headphones off and listen to the natural sounds that surround me instead, the city’s own soundtrack. There’s a hidden harmony amid the chaos of Thessaloniki, a composition that accompanies you as you move around the city. This music includes the noise of the crowds and the cars on Egnatia Avenue, the melodies of street musicians, the cries of toddlers and babies, and the footfalls of joggers along the seaside promenade. The fishermen’s songs and the splash of the waves at the end of the New Waterfront are in there, too, as are the shouts from merchants at the Kapani Market, and the lively discussions among the students at their hangouts on Navarinou Street. Then there’s near silence, the hush at the Rotunda. I don’t think I’m the only one that hears this concert. In recent years, more and more young people have found a creative outlet in symphonic music and expressed interest in joining one of Thessaloniki’s musical ensembles. New orchestras, the nurseries of future musicians, have been formed, including Muse, the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. I’m thinking of continuing my studies abroad, but it would wonderful if, in the future, there were big musical productions and creative collaborations here at home, projects that could tempt back those who move away in order to expand their horizons, but are still filled with nostalgia for their city. 126

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TIP:

“Among the many surprises that Thessaloniki has in store for music-loving visitors are the very beautiful concerts that are held at the Rotunda and at the Yeni Tzami Mosque.”

TOWN

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ANNA CHLIOURA

“ELEKTRONIO” CO-FOUNDER, MARKETING MANAGER Anna grew up in Trikala and studied Journalism and New Media at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. • elektroniowheels.gr

I never left Thessaloniki, because I believed in something, and I saw it start to blossom, something that’s still growing today. More and more locals are using our handcrafted bicycles, and we’re beginning to export them all over Greece and the rest of Europe. Our vision going forward is to keep finding new ways to contribute to smart urban mobility. We spend nights at the lab working late, envisioning new bicycle designs that will make life easier for a lot of people. There’s one coming out soon, a special edition model aimed at people who, because of certain health problems, can’t ride a conventional bicycle.

TIP:

“A great ride for cycling fans visiting the city is up to Ano Poli (an electric bicycle makes the uphill work easier). Those who want to see how a custom bicycle is built should drop by our workshop, elektroniowheels.com”

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PANTELIS ZARKOS

“ELEKTRONIO” CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Pantelis comes from Velo, a village near Corinth and moved to Thessaloniki in 2004 to study automotive engineering at the Alexandreio Technical Institute.

After spending almost half my life here, I’m starting to think of Thessaloniki as my city. Three years ago, Anna and I started Elektronio, where we build electric bicycles, something we are passionate about. We want to encourage people to use our bicycles not just for leisure, but also for getting around on a daily basis; they’re perfect in small cities with lots of traffic, like Thessaloniki. Our home on the eastern side of the city is about 5km from our lab in Ano Ladadika, and I cycle to work every morning along the coastal bicycle track. It’s always quiet and cool at that time of day.

TIP:

“The city has a network of about 12.5km of bicycle lanes. Cycling along the seafront is amazing, especially on cloudy, windy winter days, when the sea turns a strange dark green. It’s like being in a painting.”

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TENIA MENEGAKI

CREATIVE DIRECTOR, OWNER OF APODEC Tenia grew up in Thessaloniki and studied interior design in the city, and retail design at the Elisava Barcelona School of Design and Engineering.

The year was 2011. I had just wrapped up my graduate studies in retail design, and I asked myself: “Should I stay here, or return to Greece?” In the end, I began building my future in Thessaloniki, converting an old leather goods factory into a multifunctional space. I named it ApoDec; now, six years down the road, it serves as a meeting point for creative people, a spot where they can express themselves freely, where we can all turn our craziest ideas into reality. Thessaloniki is a port; consequently, it’s outward looking by its very nature. Still, this a characteristic it must cultivate even more − at times, I feel like I’m living in a big village. You experience an immediacy of contact, but you also encounter difficulties in detaching yourself from it all, or going unnoticed. Friends visit from abroad, and

after our first stroll together they always ask me, “What, do all you guys know each other here?” This “small-scale” aspect of Thessaloniki, along with the fact that it’s safe and awake 24/7, makes it a dream city for students. I believe that it has the dynamic needed to evolve into an international university town, attracting those who cannot afford the high tuition fees and steep rents found in other university towns throughout Europe. This year, I began teaching at a private college in Thessaloniki; in my class, most of the students aren’t Greek – they hail from places like the Balkans or India; there’s one student from Iran, and another from Kenya. I’d like it if the city could rediscover the multicultural character it once possessed, the one that the scattered remnants of so many different cultures gifted it.

TIP:

“A short walk downtown, from the Roman Agora to the Church of Aghios Dimitrios and on to Alaca Imaret, is like downing a shot of centuries of history.” T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

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KALOS

OF ARTIST DUO KALOS & KLIO Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Christos Kalos studied photography and worked as a VJ for music bands and theater productions after studying art in the UK. • kalosklio.com/

I met Klio – she was living in Chicago at the time – while she was back here on vacation. A dozen years ago, we embarked on our career as a duo called “Kalos & Klio” with the motto, “Two people, one artist.” We are represented by Kalfayan Galleries, Thessaloniki-Athens, a group with an international reach and one which participates in important contemporary art fairs, so it has been possible for our work to reach a widespread audience, without our Thessaloniki base being an obstacle. In fact, the city serves us perfectly as a quiet retreat. We spend most of our time in our studio, K&K Showroom, which is located in a listed 1930 building that also serves as a cultural venue in the historic center. When we’re not there, we’re most likely at the waterfront, riding our bicycles, taking a walk or just relaxing on a bench, talking or reading.

TIP:

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KLIO

OF ARTIST DUO KALOS & KLIO Klio Tantalidis was born in Thessaloniki but left town after high school to study painting, print making and digital arts in the Netherlands and in the US.

I like to think that Chicago, where I spent several years training and working in the area of digital arts, helped shape my way of thinking, and that Thessaloniki, to which I returned in 2007, shaped the way I sense the world. Located at the crossroads of great civilizations, it has always encompassed distinct cultural elements from both the East and West. Its history and multicultural identity, in combination with the experiences that we gained traveling and living abroad, prompt unexpected cultural references that shape the art that we do together. Thessaloniki is on the periphery of current artistic developments and, even though it has a creative momentum that yields pioneering art, it has never been able to maintain this output. Nevertheless, its institutions, festivals and creative collectives are all helping the public become more familiar with contemporary cultural output.

TIP:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;One place that is definitely worth visiting is the Bit Bazaar Square, which started as a market for refugees in 1928 and still has an old-world atmosphere. Start your morning exploring the shops selling antique and vintage items and end up at a taverna or cafĂŠ.â&#x20AC;?

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CHRIS EXARCHOPOULOS

DJ, CO-FOUNDER OF SOULFOOD THESSALONIKI Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Chris has worked as a DJ, radio producer and bar manager. In 2015, he founded SoulFood Thessaloniki, an initiative that organizes various gastronomic events, including the first street food festival in the city.

Thessaloniki’s cuisine has always drawn on influences from around the world; the people who immigrated here in the past always brought their own taste preferences and recipes with them. Foodwise, I’d characterize Thessaloniki as a charming “mongrel” of a city. It has all of the makings of a gastronomic capital: good-quality ingredients, inspired chefs, modern delis and restaurants, and a “let’s-go-out” culture. It also has a maritime feel and a lot of sunshine. It was that energy that the sun emits, even in winter months, that I missed most during my five-year stint in Berlin. When I left to go there in 2011, it was because I’d felt really bogged down and, searching for inspiration, I ended up turning what had been my hobby into

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my vocation. Together with two Berlin-based friends, I started cooking and organizing pop-up gastronomic events dedicated to Greek cuisine in little bars in Kreuzberg and in Neukölln, as well as in the famous Markthalles, or food markets. A strong response from residents of various ethnic backgrounds made me wonder: “Why here and not in Thessaloniki?” And so I returned, in order to put everything I’d learned into practice. Kostis Karatzias, Demis Samaras and I founded SoulFood Thessaloniki. Today, street food, beer, coffee and brunch festivals have become established events, held every year; they’re growing in popularity too, attracting thousands of locals and others from throughout the Balkans.

TIP:

“Some of the most delicious stops the visitor can make include Tarantino, not only for a burger but also slow-cooked brisket and pulled pork; at Mourga, for Greek cuisine grounded in the freshest of ingredients; and at the meze restaurant Massalia for seafood.”

S P O T L I G H T C R E AT I V E S

DIMITRIS PAPAZOGLOU

DESIGNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dimitris grew up in Athens and in Serres, and came to Thessaloniki to study architecture but was quickly won over by graphic design and visual communication. His work has won major international distinctions (Red Dot Design, D&AD and Dieline awards).

I’m not someone who likes to sing the praises of Thessaloniki, my place of residence for the past 22 years. I often feel that I live in an inflexible city whose people care only for appearances. And yet, I wouldn’t change a thing about the place. It’s precisely this aspect of the city’s character that makes it interesting. My work isn’t limited by the city’s boundaries. I move between Thessaloniki, Athens and the US. I have several stable foreign collaborators covering a broad geographic spectrum, and, depending on the project, I either design alone or put together teams based on the individual features and requirements of each project. One of the most satisfying recent ventures was our successful submission, in February 2016, to the competition for the visual identity of the National Library of Greece, with whom we have been working ever since. I also consider the invitation I received in May 2016 from Nike to join their Global Football department at the company’s global headquarters in Portland, Oregon, as a milestone in my career. I continue to maintain a strong professional relationship with them, with the aim of relocating there in the near future. Perhaps the most important reason why I love Thessaloniki is the fact that it’s here that I met Baloo, the stray dog that picked me out as its friend. We both love taking a stroll to Krini and Aretsou in the eastern part of the city. A special favorite spot of ours is Elxate, a small café-bar close to Navarinou Square, and I also love places that have left their mark on history, such as the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art. 134

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TIP:

“A football game at the PAOK stadium on a Sunday can be a unique experience for anyone, even if they don’t have a clue about football. As they follow the fans, they will experience up-close the entire event – souvlaki from the open grills of street vendors, some retsina, the chanting in the stands, the celebrations or the disappointment. It is a highly revealing slice of everyday reality, with people from all walks of life.”

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TIP:

“Friends from abroad who wish to explore Thessaloniki’s street art scene can start with the Faculty of Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, then continue to Navarinou Square and the Ano Ladadika neighborhood, or they can join an organized street art tour with local guides.”

ARGIRIS SER STREET ARTIST

Argiris Saraslanidis is a Thessaloniki native who studied graphic design, illustration and comics and is considered one of the pioneers of the Greek street art scene.

I’ve been drawing since I was a child. For me, the best canvas is the nearby wall of an ugly, modern Greek apartment block. I draw inspiration from pop culture, including hip hop and comics, and pictures from my own imaginary universe have been featured on walls, as well as in art galleries in several European cities. In the early 1990s, when I started to spray-paint, street art was not as widespread as it is today. It was very difficult to get permits and I’m keen to draw legally. I often am able to work thanks to the funding I receive from local residents or from school parents’ associations. You can see my biggest work on the wall of the eight-story youth hostel Stay. My ambition is to see the creatures I create add color and joy to people’s lives, getting them to change their daily journeys just so that they can look at my work and smile.

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TIP:

“You can see one of my heroines in the mural on Athonos Square; another one will keep you company in Estrella while you’re having one of the city’s best brunches. After eating, why not stroll around Ano Poli where the street artists hang out?”

SIMONI FONTANA ARTIST

Simoni grew up in Corfu, studied art conservation in Athens, lives in Thessaloniki and works around the world.

Painting has been a major part of my life since childhood. My background is in art conservation. Although I only practiced it professionally for a brief period, I think my education has helped me achieve a more in-depth understanding and appreciation of artworks. Strangely enough, the art form that won my heart has no real duration. It’s possible that a work that might take me up to two weeks to complete will only last a day. My style – a hybrid of Japanese iconography, manga, pop surrealism and various other references filtered through my own personal aesthetic and the fantasy world that resides inside my mind – is commonly recognized as street art. My interest in street art developed through my relationship with Argiris Ser, my companion and artistic alter-ego. My aim is to create characters that abound with female energy and tenderness.

S P O T L I G H T C R E AT I V E S

MARIA SAMOU

OWNER OF BIENTÔT WINE STORE Maria studied oenology in France at the University of Bordeaux’s Institute of Vine and Wine Science and worked in winemaking before returning to her hometown of Thessaloniki in 2013.

For me, wine is a part of Greek culture and Greek history, a source of inspiration. The more you know about wine, the more you enjoy it. The same is true of Thessaloniki; it doesn’t reveal all of its charms all at once. You discover them in doses, as you explore the city’s history and delve into its multicultural character. I lived in France for five years, but, inspired by my belief that my city held enormous potential for me, I decided to come back. In 2015, I opened my own specialized wine shop, Bientôt, the first of its kind in Thessaloniki. At that time, there was a shortage of wine-related choices on offer. Things only started changing with the growth of tourism and the evolution of the food scene. Right now, more than half of Bientôt’s customers are tourists, mainly from France, Belgium, Denmark and the US.

Most people love to travel, and there’s an increasing number of them who are interested in learning about their destination from its local wine. I want visitors to my city to acquire memories and points of reference so that when they go back home, they will remember the stories we shared in Bientôt, so that they will revisit Thessaloniki in the future to experience new life stories.

TIP:

“I always enjoy an after-work drink at the wine bar Souel. I love the open steak sandwich at the restaurant Mahalo and classic cocktails with a modern twist at the bar Gorilla.” T H E S S A LO N I K I 2 018 - 2 019

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SOTIRIS PETRIDIS FILMMAKER

Sotiris was born and raised in Thessaloniki and is a postdoctoral researcher and instructor at the School of Film of Aristotle University. He works as a screenwriter, film producer and director. His latest short film “9023” has been screened at 35 festivals in 18 countries, including a showing at Comic-Con International.

Thessaloniki is a cinematic city, with many stimuli. It offers an astounding range of locations, people and style elements, allowing the place, by its very nature, to act as one big film studio with natural lighting. Moreover, in recent years, thanks to the School of Film, the city has made a dynamic entrance into the world of filmmaking, with the potential of becoming a film production hub offering almost non-stop sunshine along with its other charms. There’s no genre limitation here: the Fix area will inspire you to shoot a horror film; the New Waterfront cries out for a musical; the old buildings on Valaoritou Street are ideal for a film noir. Thessaloniki has, of course, been the set of my own

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films as well, including my latest work, “9023,” a short-length feature. The film is set in a dystopian present in which, because of a great nationwide famine, the government has permitted the consumption of non-productive citizens as food. I am a big fan of horror flicks, so I would give anything for the next film of a famous franchise – such as “Halloween” – to be shot in Thessaloniki, by none other than John Carpenter himself ! If I were to ever do a remake of a film in Thessaloniki, it would have to be “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” which would be set in a neighborhood in the western districts of the city, the area where I grew up.

TIP:

“The perfect day for a film buff starts at the Cinema Museum at the port complex, then continues with a film at Fargani Art, one of the city’s oldest theaters, and ends with drinks at Mata Hari, a bar in western Thessaloniki that looks like something out of a movie.”

SPONSORED

HARITIDIS JEWELRY

Each piece of jewelry is truly unique, created using the most precious elements of nature presented in ideal combinations of beauty and artistry. Whether seen as intriguing artifacts of ancient civilizations or as treasured family heirlooms, jewels are timeless creations, retaining a distinct ornamental and sentimental value from one generation to the next. Haritidis Jewelry treats gold and precious stones with flawless craftsmanship and a unique sense of high design to offer you select items of the finest quality. At the store in the center of Thessaloniki, you can explore a world of elegance and sophisticated luxury and chose the most exquisite items for yourself and your loved ones… from the Haritidis Collection. 33 Proxenou Koromila, 54622, Thessaloniki Tel. (+30) 2310.770.780 • info@haritidis.gr • Mon, Wed, Sat: 10:00-16:00 • Tue, Thu, Fri: 10:00-21:00 •

•

THE BEST BURGERS IN TOWN

Brothers in Law is the best casual burger restaurant in Thessaloniki, featuring more than 25 chef-inspired burger creations, handcrafted signature sauces, homemade french fries, fresh salads and unique platters. Its two locations offer fast friendly service and the same vast selection of innovative recipes. • 30 Pavlou Mela 3 Komninon • Open: 12:30– 01:00 every day

•

ATTICA

Attica department store is a onestop shop for fashion lovers, with great variety of designer brands in womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, shoes, accessories and cosmetics. Whether in the city center location on Tsimiski Street, or at the store at Mediterranean Cosmos Shopping Mall, Attica showcases an extensive range of brands and offers a great store ambiance and a high-level of customer service. Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren, Moncler, Boss, Boggi, Diane von Furstenberg, Emporio Armani, Kenzo, Helmut Lang, Max Mara, Paul Smith, Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger, Tod’s, Hogan, Church’s and Kurt Geiger are just a few of the brands available in-store to satisfy your retail needs. And for non-EU residents, a tax-free service is available, making shopping an even more rewarding experience. • www.atticadps.gr • 48-50 Tsimiski, Thessaloniki, Tel. (+30) 2311.819.000 • Mediterranean Cosmos, Thessaloniki, • Tel. (+30) 2311.813.000

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HOTEL OLYMPIA

Hotel Olympia is an elegant city-break hotel in the center of Thessaloniki. Clean lines, natural and dynamic materials such as wood and granite, earthy colors, design furniture and impressive objects come together to create a picture of style and sophistication. This welcoming ambience, along with excellent service, makes the Hotel Olympia a suitable destination for the modern urban guest, be they travelling for leisure or business. •

www.hotelolympia.gr • 65 Olympou, Thessaloniki • Tel. (+30) 2310.366.466

SPONSORED

THE EXCELSIOR CELEBRATES 10 YEARS IN STYLE

To mark its 10th anniversary in 2019, The Excelsior is launching its “ExcelsiorGR10” campaign, featuring contests and special offers throughout the year. The campaign will focus on those responsible for the hotel’s successful first decade by featuring interviews with local personalities, behindthe-scenes stories from our staff, and the fondest memories from past guests, including celebrities. To top it all off, The Excelsior will be opening a brand-new ground-floor restaurant in collaboration with famous restaurateur Apostolos Trastelis and the two Michelin star chef Arnaud Bignon. The Charlie D. Brasserie, an authentic French brasserie, will feature a traditional (and affordable) menu served in a beautiful and relaxed environment. “2019 will be our biggest bet yet, and we’ll pull out all stops to celebrate our 10th anniversary with offers that Greece hasn’t seen before,” said Konstantinos Tornivoukas, President of TOR Hotel Group. • www.excelsiorhotel.gr

ANTIGON URBAN CHIC HOTEL

Antigon Urban Chic Hotel offers an inspiring haven in the historical city center that promises to live up to its reputation as a comfortable and stylish home away from home with impeccable service. Antigon features 38 impeccably designed guest rooms and suites that afford an unmatched blend of elegance and modern urban living. The hotel’s A Bistro, on the ground-floor level atrium atop ancient ruins of the Macedonian and Roman empires fully visible through glass floor panels, boasts a vibrant lobby culture showcasing appealing aspects of the city’s multicultural lifestyle. Enjoy the afternoon tea service, and treat yourself to an evening champagne while luxuriating in an open-air jacuzzi amidst delightful surroundings. • www.antigonhotel.com

• fb.com/theexcelsiorthessaloniki • Instagram: excelsior_thessaloniki

MARINA SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Honored with prestigious accolades including the Greek Toque d’Or and Gourmet awards, the famous Marina restaurant in Potidea is one of the best seafood restaurants in the country, promising every gourmet a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience. The menu features classics, such as divinely prepared lobster or shrimp pasta; fish carpaccio and tartare; and perfectly grilled fresh fish from the Greek sea. As far as drinks are concerned, the impressive wine list has something for every taste, including some of the most prominent wines from Greek vineyards. • •

Marina, Potidea, Halkidiki, Greece • Tel. (+30) 23730.415.70, (+30) 23730.418.25 info@marina-fish.gr • facebook.com/marinafishpotidea

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SPONSORED

NEW ELLINAIR BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: CHANGE OF POLICY FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2018 Ellinair will introduce a new free baggage-allowance policy on November 1, 2018. The new policy will entitle each passenger to carry one piece of luggage, up to 20kg, free of charge. Any additional weight will be subject to an excess baggage charge (€2/per kilo for domestic flights and €5/per kilo for international flights). Active military members and students will enjoy baggage allowances of 30kg total (one or two pieces of baggage). Seamen will be entitled to two luggage items up to 40kg. Infants will be allowed one bag of up to 10kg. •

en.ellinair.com

BLÉ DELIGHTS

Handmade bread baked on stone, rare varieties of select coffee roasted in-house and original meal ideas available in the seasonal buffet; Blé is about offering moments of everyday delight through its holistic bakery-bistro-café concept, open 24 hours a day, for a Thessaloniki that knows what it wants and seeks quality. Blé is constantly searching for the original, the traditional, the new and the forgotten. Its people travel across Greece and around the world to find and choose the best ingredients, insisting on purity and freshness so as to bring the most dynamic ingredients together in their recipes. And so, starting from the simple and the true, they create delightful products that are absolutely natural, without preservatives, artificial dyes or aromas. As their motto promises, “Blé, natural ingredients, nothing else.” •

19 Aghias Sofias • Tel. (+30) 2310.231.200

GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW TERMINAL LAUNCHES FRAPORT GREECE’S THESSALONIKI AIRPORT EXPANSION

At a groundbreaking ceremony held on September 19 and attended by representatives of central and local government, political parties, professional bodies, associations and other stakeholders from Thessaloniki and the wider Macedonia region, Fraport Greece presented the future look of Thessaloniki’s Makedonia Airport (SKG). The company is investing €100m, out of their €415m investment for all 14 regional airports, in contructing a new 34,000 sq.m. passenger terminal, refurbishing the old terminal, building a new fire station, reconstructing the runways and upgrading the wastewater biological treament unit, among other things. An increase in the number of check-in counters, baggage delivery belts, security lanes and terminal gates will increase operational capacity. The whole development program, which promises to herald a new era of growth for northern Greece, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. Fraport Chairman Dr Stefan Schulte said: “The region of Thessaloniki has an amazing heritage and a dynamic future, which requires an airport fit for the future.” • www.fraport-greece.com/eng

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SAVVIKOS SOUVLAKI

MARGONI JEWELRY

Margoni was founded in Thessaloniki by husband-and-wife jewelry artists Mary Margoni and Yannis Mandilakis. With a background in both the theory and practice of the craft, the two artists create through a process of free expression that results in unique, imaginative pieces which are eyecatching yet eminently wearable. The couple’s collections of handcrafted jewelry are bold, colorful and dramatic. Luxurious gold, platinum and silver settings are harmoniously combined with uplifting colors of precious and semi-precious stones, including diamonds, amethysts, green tourmaline, aquamarine, and orange citrine, either faceted or left in their rough natural form. With a passion for jewelry creation, the couple always achieves a natural composition of the materials. Margoni jewelry is the perfect gift for the special woman in your life. On show at trade fairs, the collections can also be viewed in-store at 1 P. Koromilia St. in Thessaloniki. • •

Tel. (+30) 2310.228.524 info@margoni.gr

The story of Grandpa Savvikos takes us back to 1947, when he roamed the city streets with his food cart selling the most delicious souvlaki in the city. Since then, a lot has changed, but not the Savvikos priorities: excellent quality, authentic traditional taste and respect for the customer. Honoring those values, his family continues to offer traditional recipes while also adding new elements to the menu. That’s why, for seven decades now, satisfied customers have sung the praises of the Savvikos family. •

www.savvikos.gr

THE ART OF HIGH GASTRONOMY

Grada Nuevo serves restructured Greek cuisine, expressed masterfully. Today, as gastronomy is finally being lauded as it should be, the Grada Nuevo team agrees with the famed epicure Jean Brillat-Savarin: “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of humankind than the discovery of a new star.” They’ve devoted themselves to picking the country’s finest ingredients, combining them in inspired ways to showcase their uniqueness and to respectfully offer them to all lovers of fine dining. At Grada Nuevo, high gastronomy meets pleasure in a sensual result that will leave you addicted to taste perfection. •

14 Kalapothaki • Tel. (+30) 2310.271.074

FANTOM TOYS

For all of you visiting Thessaloniki with your children, a stop at Fantom Toys is bound to earn you parent points, and you’ll have a pretty good time, too! The No.1 toy store in the city, with over 18,000 quality toys, Fantom Toys is a paradise for kids of all ages - and an adult’s easy solution for all birthdays and holidays. If you’re not sure what to get, the staff will be glad to help you pick out the perfect gift for any child, and for every occasion. Follow Fantom Toys on Facebook for updates and special offers. • •

16 Aristotelous • Tel. (+30) 2310.222.627 www.fantom.gr

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