Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Immensely likable Thessaloniki (thess-ah-lo-
nee
-kih) has never been more fun, cultured
or affordable than it is right now. Greece's second city has excellent restaurants, mu-
seums and sights, plus an increasingly hip and inventive nightlife scene fleshed out by
many thousands of Greek and foreign university students. Thessaloniki's a great base, as
it provides easy connections by air, land and sea with numerous national and internation-
al destinations. And, as a safe and walkable small city, it has none of Athens' problems,
either.
Travellers always seem to return to Thessaloniki, and it's indeed outfitted with endur-
ing symbols of a glorious history; these include the White Tower on the cafe-lined water-
front, erstwhile Ottoman structures, and lengthy Byzantine walls culminating at the Ano
Poli (Upper Town), an enchanting neighbourhood of colourful old houses, where Byzan-
tine churches peek from winding alleyways. Grand structures include the 5th-century
Church of Agios Dimitrios, the enormous Roman Rotunda and Roman Emperor Galeri-
us' 3rd-century palace ruins.
Most recently, during digs for the long-awaited Metro, extensive portions of the 6th-
century central street and
tetraphylon
(monumental gate) were discovered, sparking fer-
vent debates over how to reconcile modern development with buried historical riches.
