As long as I can remember people have always said to visit northern Greece, especially the Macedonian city of Thessaloniki. Since moving to Athens and finally settling in, I decided to take a road trip up north.
First stop was Thessaloniki. The 5 hour 30 minute drive is fairly easy, once you make it out of Athens. There really isnt a speed limit in Greece (from what I could tell), so if you have a lead foot you can make it to Thessaloniki in around 4.5 hours. Along the you will do the toll procession. This will cost you a total of €38 per direction. As the drive is mainland, its not very scenic, its mostly a view of forgotten areas of Greece. There are plenty of services along the way so you can stop fill your car up order a coffee and grab a bite to eat.
First thing to do when arriving in Thessaloniki is park your car in a car park. Parking in the streets is non existent! The car parks are cheap, €12 for 24 hours. Once parked, the next thing to do is head out to eat and drink. The city is renowned for its food as its flavours and cooking techniques differ from the islands and southern Greece.
Thessaloniki was a hub between the Balkans and Asia Minor over the centuries, and the influences from these regions have been left behind on the food. From the pastries to the spices used in dishes, the food is definitely the best in Greece.
FOOD & DRINK
For a relaxed meal try the Agora Ouzeria. It is the centre of the city, not too far from the main square. It has a great selection of mezze plates, seafood and meat dishes along with some of the best tasting raki and tsipouro I have head.
Terkenlis the best bakery in Greece. Their tsoureki (a Greek version of brioche) is unbelievably good. It worth just hunting this place down for it. The bakery also has all the usual suspects, tiropita, spanakopita and all types of bread and sweets (baklava anyone?!?!)
For more food and drinks the old red light district of Thessaloniki, Ladadika has never ending restaurants and bars. Make sure to grab a gryo while in this area as it differs from the Athenian styled gyros. The amount of sauces, the size of the gyros and the different spices takes this Greek street food up a level.
SIGHTS
Besides the fantastic seashore, there really isn’t much to see in Thessaloniki. Theirs the old White Tower, and a few statues of Alexander the Great and some other war heroes but thats about it. Its best just sit by the sea and drink a Freddo cappuccino and people watch.
If you fancy a walk, about 25 minutes from the promenade, you can walk up the mountain to the ancient wall. The walk isn’t too strenuous, and once up on the mountain top there is a great view looking down to the city. Further up from the wall are the old prison cells. They are worth the walk up since you are there, and you will find more of the ancient wall and the cells that once surrounded the city. Of course the usual graffiti can been seen wherever direction you walk.
TRIKALA & METEORA
While visiting the north of Greece, it is a must to visit Meteora. Meteora (the main image of this post) is an area where monks built their monasteries on top of mountain peaks to hide from the Turkish invasion. It said that the monasteries were built by the monks with wooden ladders and pulley systems to get the materials to the top. Over the years a walkway has been cut in to the side of the mountain for easy access. To enter the monasteries its cost €3 per person. There are only 6 left with the Holy Trinity monastery having the best view of them all.
After visiting the sacred mountain tops, a quick drive down the mountain, you enter the town of Kalabaka. It’s a tiny village with a few eateries that look straight up to the monasteries. Its a really nice spot to grab a bite to eat.
If you are wanting to stay in the surrounding areas, Trikala is the place to stay. Its a 20 minute drive from Kalabaka, and its a great little village with some of the best food I have tasted in Greece (their souvla gyros was a highlight). The great thing about this village is that it has a river running through the town centre, sort of a poor mans Amsterdam if you like. The town has a cute charm to it with some nice winding back streets. The walk down the river bank is beautiful, especially in spring with all of the trees blooming. Accommodation is cheap (€40 a night for a 3 bed apartment), the food is great and the main square is a thriving hot spot to have some raki and people watch.
The drive back from Trikala to Athens is 4 hours. Again the drive is an easy one, but be wary went entering Athens. You realise you are back in the city once the chaotic drivers start beeping at you.
If you are planning a trip to Thessaloniki, my tip would be to plan to visit a few more towns while travelling around the north to make the most of your road trip. There are plenty of small beautiful towns to visit especially along the coast of Greece.
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