What to see in Thessaloniki and its surroundings in 1-3 days of rest?

Where to visit and what to visit in Thessaloniki in 1, 2 or 3 days on your own? We have selected all the best sights that you should definitely see with your own eyes, found out the prices for excursions with a Russian-speaking guide to interesting places and surroundings, made a route for an independent walk and a map with the location of objects.

Thessaloniki is the northern capital of Greece, which is more than 2500 years old. The city is literally permeated with antiquity and monumentality.

The cultural heritage of these lands never ceases to amaze with a variety of archaeological excavations to this day.

For several thousand years, Thessaloniki hosted the Hellenistic, Roman Byzantine and Ottoman empires on their lands, which was reflected in the architecture.

Although most of the city has been lost, there is still a fairly large number of Greek sights that tourists will be able to appreciate.

What to see in Thessaloniki and the surrounding area is it necessary?

Within the city limits are concentrated sights that are stunning in their splendor, which are worth seeing and include in the tourist route when you travel to Greece on your own.

• White Tower

The building dates back to the 15th century and is an interesting structure. Although the tower is called white, its color is closer to a buffalo skin tone. The monument surprises with its external simplicity, but it is still the main symbol of the city.Once the building stood guard over the tranquility of local citizens and was used as a defensive structure. You can enter the building free of charge at any time of the day.

• Aristotle square

What to visit in Thessaloniki first of all? Of course, the central part of the city. The whole life of the Greeks is concentrated here. A stunningly beautiful place and an incredible view of the Thermakois Bay will make you stay in the square all day. You can get to the place by regular buses following to the center.

• Temple of Hagia Sophia

The building was erected in the 7th century, taking into account all the canons and embodies the iconoclastic period. The cross-dome structure is under the protection of UNESCO. For some time the temple belonged to the Turks and served as an Islamic mosque. The doors of Hagia Sophia are open until 7 pm, admission is free. You can get there by bus routes 16, 24 and 50.

• Arch of Gallery

The only small part that has survived from the burial complex of the great Roman emperor. Brickwork is of interest to vacationers, even just because the building is dated to the fourth century. Today you can listen to concerts of street musicians and watch performances.

• Panagia Chalkeon Church

A stunning structure that is listed as a cultural heritage. Dome vaults, marble columns and stained glass bunk windows are striking in their beauty. Inside, the church also boasts rich decoration. You can get there by bus number 22, getting off at the Filippov stop. The gates of the church are open until seven in the evening

• Roman forum

In ancient times, this ancient agora was a real business center. Merchants and noble men gathered here, various performances were held, important issues were discussed. The multi-tiered structure was secretly divided into an upper and a lower city.

The forum is located in the central part of the city, where anyone can get inside for 2 €.

• Railway museum

What you can see in Thessaloniki besides ancient architecture is the museums. Within the walls of the building, built by an Italian master, exhibits related to the railway are collected. Guests will be able to view old maps, photographs, tickets, uniforms and much more. The entrance here is absolutely free, although you can only get there on Wednesdays and Thursdays until one o'clock in the afternoon.

• Archaeological Museum

We recommend another interesting place for viewing. A very extensive collection, which includes interesting exhibits from excavations inside and outside the city. Tourists will be able to see household items of ordinary citizens, women's and men's jewelry, funeral items and so on. You can get to the museum until eight in the evening for 8 €, the building is located in the central part of the city.

• Church of St. Panteleimon

The old building is also part of the cultural heritage. The church has undergone minor external changes and now it contains some elements from the Ottoman Empire. In fact, this is only a small part of the large-scale monastic complex that has survived. The construction of the church dates back to the sixth century. You can go inside absolutely free of charge from early morning until seven in the evening.

• Church of the Holy Apostles

The Basilica is considered to be a wonderful embodiment of Byzantine culture. The domed building strikes first of all with its scale and, of course, architecture. The majestic temple was erected in honor of the twelve apostles. Until now, on the walls inside the building, you can see the striking beauty of the frescoes, which have been successfully preserved after the Ottomans.

The building is located in the central part, the entrance is free for everyone.

• Lake Koronia

What to see in Thessaloniki and its surroundings on your own? If you take a short drive outside the city, you can reach a beautiful lake. It got its name in honor of the local god of healing. According to local residents, the waters of the lake have medicinal properties, thanks to which a lot of visitors flock here. You can get from Thessaloniki by regular bus in just 40 minutes.

• Doiran lake

An amazing body of water that arose as a result of tectonics. Mountain ranges extending beyond the horizon, clear waters and the purest fine sand will give you the opportunity to have plenty of rest and breathe in the crystal air that has life-giving power. In order to get to the place, you must first get to the city of Kukush and from there keep your way by bus or train to the lake.

Interesting excursions in Russian

All tourists are divided into two types. Some dream of developing a route on their own and only using it to see all the planned sights, while others tend to trust a professional and not think about such trifles as, for example, renting a vehicle.

There are a lot of excursions in Thessaloniki in Russian, from individual tours to group programs. Some of the most popular are the following:

1. overview;
2. on Orthodox shrines;
3. upper city.

Where we recommend to visit first of all:

• Where to go on excursions in Thessaloniki? In this case, we recommend a classic sightseeing trip that will show guests of the capital the most popular places for only 60 €.
• A huge number of Orthodox churches are concentrated in Thessaloniki, which will be best introduced to by a knowledgeable guide and held an exciting event. The approximate cost of the excursion is 84 €.
• For a long time the city was under the Byzantine people, which left a certain imprint on the local architecture. Hiking in Ano Poli or the Upper Town will help guests better understand and feel the everyday life of the ancients. The cost of such an excursion will cost 70 €.

We also recommend booking food tours, here you will learn about spices and traditional cuisine.

• Well, an obligatory recreation program is an excursion from Thessaloniki to Meteora, the most popular tour according to the booking statistics of our readers.The cost of the trip (370 €) is more expensive than in local travel agencies, but for this money you will get an amazing route, an enthusiastic guide with deep knowledge, and completely different emotions from what you see.

Where to go with children?

Now we will select the most interesting places in Thessaloniki for the child, where you can unwind with the benefit of the parents.

The mild Greek climate and stunning nature dispose parents to bring even the smallest children with them on vacation. For young travelers, Thessaloniki "will be able" to organize a real cultural program.

Fascinating places of the city:

• One of the most peculiar places that is located in the city is digital planetarium... For only 5 €, the child will be able to enjoy a stunning view of the cosmic galaxies and listen to the tour with wireless headphones in two languages. Here the child will be able to visit cosmotheatre for 5 € and watch the usual 3D films in an unusual virtual reality simulator.
• For boys, a trip to technological museum... On the vast territory you can see exhibitions of vintage cars, interesting exhibits using ancient Greek technologies and a special park where you can touch and feel everything.
• Amusement park, zoo and aquapark will help children get acquainted with the local flora and fauna, get adrenaline at the rides and fly off the slide right into the pool.

What to see in Thessaloniki in 1-3 days on your own?

Independent tourists who are going to visit the ancient city in just 1, 2 or 3 days can use the following route.

• The first day

Walk along the embankment - visit the White Tower - Royal Theater - Archaeological Museum - Telephone Service Tower - Macedonian Museum of Modern Art.

• Second day

The central square of Aristotle - Monument to Philip II - Camara - Rotunda of St. George - Basilica of St. Demetrius - Evening walk through the Upper Town.

• Day three

The last day is better to devote to exploring the surroundings. An excursion to Meteora from Thessaloniki will definitely leave an incredible bouquet of emotions. The complex of monasteries, located on the rocks, seems to be floating in the air. The rocks of Meteora are about 60 million years old.

Where to visit in Thessaloniki in winter or on New Year's? There are thermal springs on the territory of the city that will help improve your health. Since winter does not spoil too much frost, then at this time you can also devote to sightseeing.

Discount housing in the city

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