My all-time favorite place in Greece to have a meal or drink or coffee (especially on a weekend) is in a revamped old area near the port in Thessaloniki called Ladadika.
The Church of St. Demetrios is the most important church in Thessaloniki and part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listing.
The Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika are a group of 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites built between the 3rd and 14th centuries. 13 of them are churches or monasteries. They’re all located within walking distance of other important sites in Thessaloniki, Greece.
After being conquered in 1430, Thessaloniki endured 482 years of Ottoman occupation. Very few of these important structures that shaped the history and landscape of the city during that era, such as the Lefkos Pyrgos (White Tower), survive to this day.
The Rotunda of Galerius, part of Thessaloniki’s UNESCO World Heritage listing of Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika, was originally built in 306 AD as a Roman temple by Emperor Galerius. The structure may have been intended as his mausoleum.
What’s left of ancient Thessaloniki mostly dates back to Roman times and Emperor Galerius. The city center is home to a few interesting ancient sites.
Other than the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listed churches there are several other beautiful post-Byzantine churches in Thessaloniki, Greece. They’re scattered around the city center. Many of these churches, which don’t look like much from the outside, are adorned with vivid frescoes and priceless icons.
A great place to start a tour of Thessaloniki is with an iconic symbol of the city, the White Tower, or Lefkos Pyrgos (Λευκός Πύργος), an important Ottoman monument.
The modern city center of Thessaloniki is the area near the sea. There are plenty of interesting things to find, including ancient ruins, Byzantine churches, post-Byzantine churches, and Ottoman buildings, but this post will focus on a few of the other places to visit.
Thessaloniki is the culinary capital of Greece, but where can you eat? There are plenty of options in the city center for every budget and taste. My favorite place to eat and be entertained is at Ladadika, which is covered in a separate post.