Birthday in Thessaloniki, Greece

Posted by krispaseva December 18, 2024

Birthday in Thessaloniki, Greece

This year, I decided to spend a few days in Thessaloniki for my birthday.

We departed from Varna, Bulgaria, by car. On our way there, we drove through central Bulgaria. There was no traffic, and the road was calm. At the border, there was only one car ahead of us, so we didn’t have to wait at all. We left around 1 PM and arrived in Thessaloniki around 11 PM.

The apartment where we stayed was in the downtown area, and I had to book it literally at the last minute because, while we were traveling, I received a call from the previous property saying that the entire electrical system had blown, and there was no power.

The apartment we stayed in can be found here: Thess Kamara Loft.

Thess Kamara Loft

The location was great, with everything nearby and within walking distance. Aristotelous Square and the White Tower were just a few minutes away. The street around the apartment had plenty of cafes and shops.

The only problem was parking—there was no parking space at all, and even stopping was difficult. We quickly dropped off our luggage and then parked the car in a nearby lot.

In the city, there’s a free public parking lot near the center where you can leave your car for an unlimited time. Here’s how to find the parking lot: Free Parking Directions.

Public Free Parking

While driving, I realized I hadn’t brought the vehicle’s large registration certificate, but fortunately, nobody asked for it at the border.

On the first evening, after parking the car, we took a walk through the city center and headed back to the hotel. Along the way, I stopped at an ATM to withdraw some cash. A little later, I got hungry and decided to order a shrimp Caesar salad from a restaurant. When it came time to pay, I realized my debit card was missing. I had forgotten it at the ATM where I withdrew cash earlier. Frustrated, I had to block the card. Luckily, I had other cards with me. We returned to the apartment, and I was still upset about losing my card.

The next morning was my birthday.

I woke up feeling quite unwell—I had gotten food poisoning from the shrimp and dressing in the salad. Despite this, we went out for a walk, though I could barely walk.

Just before Aristotelous Square, I felt very sick and ended up vomiting near some trash bins. Thankfully, it wasn’t on the main street. We continued our walk.

Aristotelous Square

Formerly known as Alexander the Great Square, it is the main square of Thessaloniki. Designed a year after the Great Fire of 1917, it resembles the shape of a bottle when viewed from above. This is where major celebrations take place in the city, and the square is surrounded by boutiques, shops, restaurants, and a statue of Aristotle himself. It is believed to bring good luck if you rub his thumb.

We used electric scooters to get around the city, which was the easiest and fastest option. The starting price was €0.50, and a 9-minute ride cost about €2. There’s also a taxi app, but when I tried to order one in the evening, it didn’t arrive even after 30 minutes. Weekends are very busy, so the wait might be longer than expected.

Other places we visited during the day:

The White Tower: The symbol of the city, located on the shore of Thessaloniki Bay. Built by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, it was originally red and called the Janissary Tower or the Bloody Tower due to the many rebels imprisoned and tortured there in the 19th century, including the famous Captain Petko Voyvoda.

Statue of Alexander the Great: Located a few meters from the White Tower along the same promenade as the illuminated umbrellas.

The Church of Saint Demetrius: The largest Orthodox church in Thessaloniki, built between 313–323 AD, housing the relics of Saint Demetrius, the city’s patron saint. Although we didn’t enter due to the crowd, it’s located just a few streets uphill from Aristotelous Square.

Arch and Rotunda of Galerius: The triumphal arch was built in honor of Emperor Galerius' victory over the Persians in 297 AD. The Rotunda, initially intended as a mausoleum, was later converted into a church, then a mosque, and today is a museum.

For the evening of my birthday, I had planned to visit a bouzouki club and had a few in mind, but since I felt unwell all day, I chose a closer option, Ifigenia. Guest performers for the night were Elli Kokkinou and Lefteris Pantazis. The entrance fee was €20 per person, which included one drink.

Other clubs I had considered were Vog Club, Pyli Axiou, and Scorpios.

Day Three

On the third day, we climbed to a higher point to see Thessaloniki from above and visited Eptapyrgio Castle. On the way, we also stopped by a church nearby.

Eptapyrgio, located at the top of Ano Poli (the old town), was part of the city’s acropolis. Despite its name meaning “Fortress of Seven Towers,” it actually has ten towers. Some parts date back to Roman times, while others were built in the 12th century. Later, it served as a Byzantine citadel and then a Turkish prison. Entrance costs €3 per person.