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Whenever most people think of Greece, they imagine Athens, Santorini and Mykonos right?! But what about Thessaloniki?!

…You’d be surprised by the amount of things to do in Thessaloniki!

We’ve been to Greece 5 times now (we love it so much, if you can’t tell) and we weren’t sure about visiting Thessaloniki at first. When the opportunity presented itself to visit Thessaloniki, you bet we took it!

Matthew and I spent 3 days exploring the city, its landmarks and eating all the delicious Greek food. And we must say, Thessaloniki is totally underrated!

Here’s our guide of the best things to see, cool activities to do and our favorite spots to eat and drink. On top that, we’ve included interesting day trips to surrounding towns if you have more time to explore the greater area.

Why Visit Thessaloniki Greece?

Thessaloniki probably isn’t first on your Greece bucket list, right?

A lot of people wonder if they should visit Thessaloniki vs. Athens. Thessaloniki has surprises around every corner for the off-the-beaten-path traveler.

If you want to see the daily lives of Greek locals and get a deeper understanding of the culture – Thessaloniki is a great place to do that!

Thessaloniki is Greece’s second largest city filled with history, culture and excellent cuisine. There’s something for everyone in Thessaloniki!

Whether you are going for a history tour, a culinary tour or if you simply want a change of scenery for the weekend – Thessaloniki is worth visiting!

Before you make a beeline for the Greek islands, you might just want to give this ancient city another look.

14 Things To Do In Thessaloniki: Must-Visit Attractions, Activities & Restaurants

Thessaloniki is the perfect city size for a 3-day trip or weekend getaway.

But what to do in Thessaloniki, exactly?

From the historical monuments, the many UNESO World Heritage Sites and the wonderful restaurants – you won’t get bored visiting Thessaloniki.

Use this guide to help form your own itinerary in Thessaloniki as we share highlights from our trip.

Let’s get started!

1. White Tower Of Thessaloniki

The White Tower of Thessaloniki is the most iconic landmark. You can’t miss it!

The White Tower was built during the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century which replaced a older Byzantine tower. It acted as a defensive structure back in the day but today it’s a beautiful attraction located on the seafront promenade.

Travelers can visit the White Tower and pay to walk the 6 floors to the top. The view is absolutely spectacular from above!

The price to visit the White Tower during high season is €6.00. If you plan on visiting the Rotunda, Archaeological Museum and the Byzantine Museum – buy the combo package instead for €15 which is valid for 3 days.

2. See The Roman Rotunda

The first stop on your history tour of Thessaloniki is the Roman Rotunda. This landmark was built as a house of worship for the Romans in the early 300s.

The opening hours are from 8:30am – 3:30pm which means it’ll be perfect to visit after your morning coffee. We recommend Shed Coffee which is nearby!

You can enter the Roman Rotunda for €6 or buy the combo ticket for €15 which includes 3 more attractions.

If you want to learn more about the history of the building and look at the beautiful mosaics it’s famous for – it’s worth the entry fee!

But before you enter the Roman Rotunda, make sure to walk all around it! It’s such a beautiful and interesting building with intricate details.

3. Stroll Around The Arch Galerius

After spending some time at the Roman Rotunda, stroll down to the Arch of Galerius.

We took this exact route and I have to be honest if you don’t look up the history it might not mean much.

The Arch of Galerius, constructed in the early 4th century, was built to celebrate Emperor Galerius’ triumph over the Persians.

Constructed in the early 4th century, the Arch of Galerius was built to celebrate Emperor Galerius’ triumph over the Persians.

You can stare at all the small details of the arch but honestly, that’s about it!

4. Visit All The Museums

The history is rich in Thessaloniki!

If you’re a history buff, there are plenty more museums to see in this ancient city:

• Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
• Museum of Byzantine Culture
• Museum of the Roman Forum of Thessaloniki
• War Museum of Thessaloniki
• Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki
• and so much more!

You can spend hours learning and soaking in the culture of the past!

You can buy tickets to each individual museum. Make sure to check out the combo ticket first before purchasing to save some cash!

5. Walk Along The Waterfront Promenade

The waterfront promenade also known as Nea Paralia, is one of the most beautiful areas in all of Thessaloniki.

This scenic coastal stretches around 3 miles (5 km) of the city’s coastline. You can start walking from the White Tower to the Thessaloniki Concert Hall which takes less than an hour to walk along.

We visited this seafront promenade in the morning, ate some gyros for lunch by the ocean and watched the sunset from there. Totally our favorite spot in Thessaloniki!

6. Go On A Boat Tour

While you’re by the Waterfront Promenade, you will notice this huge pirate ship on the ocean.

The pirate ship is called Arbella and it sails along the promenade for 30 minutes, every 1.5 hours.

This cruise is free however the cost for drinks (€8-€10 for 1 cup) is higher than most places. It’s best to think of the drink as your ticket to the cruise!

7. Eat Delicious Bougatsa

One of the most important things to do in Thessaloniki is…

…eat bougatsa!

This pastry originated in Thessaloniki so it’s a must-try least once.

Bougatsa is a filo pastry with custard inside that just melts in your mouth. Locals like to have bougatsa for breakfast and it’s just perfect with a Greek coffee in hand.

Where to try it? The best place is Bougatsa Giannis!

Make sure to go early, we arrived around 10:30am and there were barely any seats left. You can also get Greek bakery classics like spanakopita, burek and more here.

8. Shop At The Markets

Once you’re finished with your Greek breakfast, it’s time to hit the markets!

The Agora Modiano Market where you can shop to your heart’s content. There are more than 75 shops inside this market and it’s a great place to shop, buy some souvenirs and soak up the local culture. You can buy all sorts of things here from olive oil to jewelry – the options are endless!

9. Eat & Drink At The Best Restaurants

The food in Thessaloniki is totally underrated! We found so many good restaurants to try but not enough time to eat at them all.

Here’s our top restaurants in Thessaloniki:

• The Greek (💰💰 / ⭐️4.5 / 5,000+ reviews)
• The Rouga (💰💰 / ⭐️4.7 / 6,000+ reviews)
• Διαγώνιος 1977 (💰💰 / ⭐️4.5 / 2,000+ reviews)
• Full tou Meze (💰💰 / ⭐️4.4 / 2,000+ reviews)
• Kitchen Bar (💰💰💰 / ⭐️4.3 / 12,000+ reviews)
• PSISOU Barbecue (💰 / ⭐️4.1 / 1,000+ reviews)

We enjoyed dining at The Greek! It’s a very popular restaurant close to the White Tower.

We suggest arriving earlier to get a table because it gets full quick! We arrived at 6:45pm and only waited about 15 minutes. Certainly worth the wait for the delicious lamb chops and traditional Greek salad!

Our Favorite Coffee Shops In Thessaloniki

Now, it wouldn’t be a Two Tickets Anywhere post without specialty coffee recommendations.

Here’s our coffee recommendations in Thessaloniki:

• Shed Specialty Coffee Shop
• Cho Ban Coffee Roasters
• Dekaepta Cafe

If you know us, you know that we love coffee, like LOVE coffee. We write about favorite coffee spots in Lisbon, Athens and more!

10. Shop Around Aristotelous Square

You can continue to stroll the waterfront promenade and you’ll reach Aristotelous Square and the shopping district in Thessaloniki.

The most popular shopping street is called Tsimiki Street. You have your usual stores like Zara, H&M, Adidas and more.

Once you’ve finished shopping, walk to Aristotelous Square. A beautiful plaza surrounded by mansions and neo-classical buildings. There’s plenty of cafes and restaurants to eat, drink and relax.

11. Meze Dinner Or Dining By The Water

Greeks love to sit for a while, chat and enjoy their meal. People sit for literally hours!

A meze dinner is a traditional style of restaurants where you’re served small plates (like tapas). You get to try many different dishes and share it with everyone. Full tou Meze is a great option for a meze dinner in Thessaloniki.

Looking for a restaurant by the water? Kitchen Bar is highly rated with over 12,000 reviews. This restaurant offers delicious food, great atmosphere and a unique location on the promenade.

Day Trips Around Thessaloniki

12. Beaches Of Halkidiki Pensinsula

This peninsula is only located 1-hour drive from Thessaloniki. You can choose from 3 different ‘fingers’:

1. Kassandra
2. Sithonia and
3. Athos

Tourists can visit the first two – Kassandra and Sithonia.

Sithonia is a family-friendly option for those looking to chill out and relax. The beaches are clear, blue and there’s barely any crowds around you!

The most popular 'finger' is Kassandra, known for its vibrant nightlife! Kassandra is very popular in the summer for younger tourists.

If you want to explore Kassandra, Afytos specifically has a great mix of restaurants, cafes and beaches to enjoy!

13. Meteora, The Magical Monastery

This UNESCO Heritage Site is honestly out of this world.

The interesting rock formations make it look like it defies gravity! It honestly doesn't make sense how the rocks formed that way. On top of the rock, the fact that monasteries sit on top of them is a whole other thing to wrap your mind around.

If you're staying in Thessaloniki, Meteora is a 4-hour drive away. A lot of people only visit Meteora on a day trip, making Thessaloniki a good base to see this majestic place.

We recommend booking a day-trip tour that takes you to Meteora and back, especially if you're short on time. It's much more convenient for you!

14. Visit Nearby Towns

Don't want to go too far? You don't have to!

There are cute Greek towns just 1-2 hours away filled with history, ruins, and Greek culture.

Pella

Pella is located about 45 minutes away from Thessaloniki, making it the perfect (short) day trip! What makes this town worth visiting?

If you're a history lover - Pella is one of the capitals of the Ancient Kingdom of Macedonia. You can visit royal tombs and look at the beautiful ancient mosaics at this archaeological site.

Kavala

My friend, Neil, messaged me while we were in Thessaloniki and told me to visit the town of Kavala! Unfortunately, we were on our last day in Thessaloniki so we couldn't make it.

But you can go and see it for us instead (at least till we return).

Kavala is a beautiful, charming port city located along a bay. The Byzantine fortress sits atop a hill overlooking the entire city, making it a great viewpoint! It's a very small town with lots of charm and a beautiful port to walk around!

How Many Days To Spend In Thessaloniki?

3 days is the perfect amount of time to explore Thessaloniki. Matthew and I spent 3 days exploring Thessaloniki. We remember feeling like it was just the right amount of time.

We took a minivan from Skopje to Thessaloniki and made the most of our little getaway.

If you stay in the city center, we think 3 days is the perfect amount to explore Thessaloniki and tick all the things to do off your list.

Here's the thing:

You can definitely stay longer in Thessaloniki. A week is a great amount of time if you want to explore the surrounding towns or visit the famous Meteora.

Enjoy All The Things To Do In Thessaloniki

Are there a lot of things to do in Thessaloniki?

Yes!! As you can see, there's so much to do in the city center and the surrounding towns.

Matthew and I enjoyed our time in Greece's second-largest city. Before our visit, we didn't really see why we would visit Thessaloniki. But it's totally underrated!

We think Thessaloniki is worth a visit if you've already been to Greece a few times. It gave us a deeper perspective and understanding of this beautiful country, the culture and its people!

We hope this guide was helpful and you have the best time exploring Thessaloniki!

Frequently Asked Questions