Anchored by the ancient city centre, Downtown Thessaloniki offers visitors a fascinating blend of history, culture and cosmopolitan chic. Crumbling Byzantine walls encircle the historic town centre, which is laced with sights like the 4th century Arch of Galerius. The monument towers over the busy shopping street of Egnatia, with Thessaloniki’s iconic White Tower perched on the waterfront.
When the sun goes down, Thessaloniki’s waterfront cocktail bars, nightclubs and live music venues come to life. The downtown area serves up a high-energy party scene, which makes it a mecca for locals, international students and backpackers alike. So much so that it’s celebrated as one of the best party cities on the planet.
The city itself is wonderfully walkable, which means the best way to soak up the atmosphere of the downtown area is on foot. Thessaloniki Airport serves as the major gateway to the city, as well as wider Central Macedonia. It’s located 16 kilometres from the downtown centre, with the drive taking around 25 minutes.
Thessaloniki is renowned as Greece's cultural capital. It hosts a colourful calendar of festivals and events and has a history dating back more than 3,000 years. Today, it’s home to a string of fascinating Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman relics, with some parts of its downtown core included in UNESCO's World Heritage list.