Thessaloniki

yabadabado

Hi has anyone here been to Thessaloniki?I am going to be there for 3 days in June after the Irish game in skopje and was wondering has anyone here got any recommendations for things to do?there will be 4 of us ,mid 20's.

yabadabado

Anyone?

melimelo

Yabadabado, I know Thessaloniki like the back of my hand, but you need to specify a bit what type of holidays you and your friends are looking for.

yabadabado

melimelo wrote: »

Yabadabado, I know Thessaloniki like the back of my hand, but you need to specify a bit what type of holidays you and your friends are looking for.

We will be arriving in Thessaloniki midday on a sunday and have until tuesday in the city.We are staying beside Aristotle Uni. can you recommend bars and clubs to visit and is there anywhere along the beach or in the city where we can drink out doors during the day?We have noted the main attractions and sites to visit but just need some advice on the rest.

irish_goat

*bump*

yabadabado - There's 7 of us doing the exact same thing, leaving Skopje mid-Sunday and driving down to Thessaloniki for 2 days before going to Sofia for Tuesday night. We're booking into a place about 15mins from the university though, afaik.

Any recommendations for pubs and clubs would be great.

yabadabado

irish_goat wrote: »

*bump*

yabadabado - There's 7 of us doing the exact same thing, leaving Skopje mid-Sunday and driving down to Thessaloniki for 2 days before going to Sofia for Tuesday night. We're booking into a place about 15mins from the university though, afaik.

Any recommendations for pubs and clubs would be great.

I sent you a PM with a little info I found out.

there seems to be 2 main areas to go at night:Bit Bazaar and Athonos square.

gunnerfitzy

I've been to thessaloniki a number a times folks. Best advice is to keep away from the sea front bars and those on the main square. Seriously expensive. Try find some student bars further back into the city. There is a small square in the city centre with a number of Greek restaurants. Very nice there.

Train from Skopje is quite slow. Be ready for a long wait at the border. Public transport in the city is excellent. Buses are cheap and frequent. Best avoid discussions with Greeks on Macedonia. Touchy subject for some. Very high chance of affending Greeks if you call the Republic of Macedonia 'Macedonia' and also you will offend Macedonians by calling the country anything but.

Two different but very enjoyable countries. Enjoy!!

yabadabado

gunnerfitzy wrote: »

I've been to thessaloniki a number a times folks. Best advice is to keep away from the sea front bars and those on the main square. Seriously expensive. Try find some student bars further back into the city. There is a small square in the city centre with a number of Greek restaurants. Very nice there.

Train from Skopje is quite slow. !

do you know the name of the square ?We are staying beside the university so it shouldnt be too hard find the student bars.

Trains no longer run between Thessaloniki and Skopje.

gunnerfitzy

yabadabado wrote: »

do you know the name of the square ?We are staying beside the university so it shouldnt be too hard find the student bars.

Trains no longer run between Thessaloniki and Skopje.

I copy and pasted this location out of google maps

Κατούνη 5-9
54625‎ Thessalonika
Greece

Very surprised that train line is no longer running. It's an old line that runs to Belgrade and was an beautiful way to travel through that part of Europe.

yabadabado

gunnerfitzy wrote: »

I copy and pasted this location out of google maps

Κατούνη 5-9
54625‎ Thessalonika
Greece

Very surprised that train line is no longer running. It's an old line that runs to Belgrade and was an beautiful way to travel through that part of Europe.

Thanks for that address.
The trains stopped in Jan/Feb due to cut backs in Greece ,not sure if or when they will be resumed

gunnerfitzy

yabadabado wrote: »

Thanks for that address.
The trains stopped in Jan/Feb due to cut backs in Greece ,not sure if or when they will be resumed

No bother at all. It's a small, intimate square, more like an intersection of streets really. Enjoy!

melimelo

Sorry about the delay in reply but didn't have time to log in boards at all these days. It's very hard to suggest places, as you still haven't told me what you're looking for and Thessaloniki has so many many many places that it's quite impossible to make suggestions without knowing what the other person likes, but I'll give it a shot, mainly naming the places where coffee places and bars are hugely located.

First of all, regarding your accommodation, the university (assuming that you mean the Aristotle University as there is also the Macedonian University - yes, both Greek) is very centrally located, kind of like Trinity in Dublin which means that you will have to use minimum if none at all means of transport other than your feet, depending on which side of the university campus you are (north, south, east, west). There are lots of hotels (I mean LOTS) on Egnatia Avenue (where the main entrance to the University is), however many of those would be low budget and not necessarily good. Some good and few quite good of course exist too on that road and I hope you won't be disappointed.


Cafeterias/Bars (using mainly the university as a landmark):

Just across the university's west side (towards city centre) there is a road named Melenikou ("o" and "u" together pronounced as "oo") where there are quite a few coffee places where the population is nearly exclusively students. Also, just behind that road (basically in front of the main entrance of the church that is near the end of that road) there are also many other cafe places, both in front of the church entrance and on the pedestrian road if you turn right (Rotonta Square). Nothing special as I think you need to have a sense of a specific aspect of the student culture in Greece in order to like these places, but they're there for you to check and are worth it.

Just straight south from the university on Aggelaki Street there are 3 big cafeterias on your left hand side as you go towards the sea, a couple if you continue straight down just as you meet the other main avenue, Tsimiski, and then lots smaller ones if you turn right on the first road walking down south from the university (Alexandrou Svolou Street, called Svolou to keep it short). Now, my personal preferences, as I do like a few on Svolou, such as Zogia, Verdi, Mikro Cafe, may not be the best option for a group of guys looking for some craic. Still, they're there for you to check.

Those places would be in the absolute immediacy of the university.

Then, if you go down Gounari pedestrian road (among locals we call it Navarinou, however the actual Navarinou Square is just a part of the pedestrian road of Gounari) you absolutely have to try crepes (among the best ones in Greece, and yeah, crepes are French but I yet have to find better ones than the ones made on Navarinou!). Tivoli, Valentino and another one across Tivoli are the most well known places for crepes. Also, if you turn right half way through the pedestrian road you will see a bunch of ancient ruins (more than the ones you'd see as you're walking down the road) and there is Navarinou Square. There are coffee places there too, as well on the little sidestreets of Gounari if you continue going straight. Navarinou also has a couple of taverns to eat, 2 of them would be quite good (the names are going to kill you, but sure I'll write them anyway: "Dia Heiros kai stin Ladokola" (!!!) and "Ta Aderfia"). Also, there is a wonderful coffee place where you can enjoy truly good Greek coffee (very similar to turkish coffee) that they make on "hovoli" (it's basically heated sand) if you turn right on the last sidestreet (Isavron street) as you're walking down Gounari towards the sea called "Loxias" (it's on your right hand-side) - it is a bit of a quirky place, you can sit and read books or just stare at the ancient ruins, listen to classical music or admire the various shadow-theatre figures that are traditional to Greek culture, however it might not be your taste (a very quiet place).

Another pedestrian road where coffee places and bars are located is Iktinou and the little road just next to it, Zefxidos. Basically, the triangle, or Diagonios, that Iktinou, Pavlou Mela and Paleon Patron Germanou streets form (I sincerely feel sorry for you trying to read, not to mention pronounce these names) is full of coffee places and bars. Spirto, Local, De Facto, Azucar, Friends are just a few of those.

Kouskoura square (it's hardly a square, used to be and the name stayed) is just straight down from Iktinou and you can grab great souvlaki and gyros (kebabs) at Derlicatessen. Lively bar/coffeeplace on that corner too (Social). Staight down that road (Kouskoura, which changes name after 50 meters and turns into Vogatsikou) you are in the 'paralia' zone and from that point onwards there are about hundrends of coffee places and bars. It's impossible to suggest without knowing your style (you will find that bars and coffee places can vary significantly in Greece depending on their 'target group', music is different, ambient is different, the way people dress is different, etc etc). There is a little street just before you hit 'paralia' (this is basically the avenue by the sea, official name Leoforos Nikis = Nikis (Victory) Avenue) called Proxenou Koromila and if you turn right as you go down Kouskoura/Vogatsikou and walk a bit you will find many coffee places and bars, huge crowds although small bars, loud music, people on the streets etc. They're not clubs in any way, but the volume of the music might make you think some of them are...

A bit further to your right is Aristotelous Square, big beautiful square with quite a few coffee places (e.g. Olympion, Mojo, Le Nouveau, Aeras etc - mind you the names may have changed over the years). Aside from Olympion, the rest are basically big, kind of posh, coffee places, you can sit outside and watch people walk by. The younger crowds stay on the coffee places on the left hand side of the square, older crowds would go on the right hand side. Don't ask me why, probably something to do with the kind of coffee places each side has!

Then, across Paralia, i.e. Leoforos Nikis, there are one next to the other coffee places and bars, some of them nice (e.g. "35", "On the Road" - personal preferences) some of them not so nice. It's worth grabing a coffee there as the view is quite nice and quite distinct of Thessaloniki with the view of the White Tower and the sea and the parade and the port.

On Aristotelous square you will also find as you walk down from Egnatia avenue towards the sea on your left hand side half way through the square, Athonos square that you mentioned. Now, Athonos square is mainly if not exclusively taverns, targeting hugely to student population but not solely. The food is NOT good on MOST of the places there and if you want to grab a drink along with a little bit to eat just to get a bit of the vibe that's grand, but other than that I would only eat on very specific places on that square and I'm afraid I don't remember the names of those two to suggest them to you (by all means avoid the "Epi Pinaki").

If instead of turning left to find Athonos square on Aristotelous, you turn right you will find Stoa Modiano, where it's a type of food market that also has taverns and they usually get crazy whenever there is a bank holiday in Greece. If you don't mind the smell of fresh fish and meat, venture a walk in there.

Further to the west from Aristotelous, you will find Valaoritou Street and the bars there are the last 2 years new "place to be". It's a very different place to what it used to be (underground and off the beaten track), now is mainstream pop with crowds out on the streets.

Now, continuing west from Aristotelous and closer to the sea you will find Plateia Katouni (Katouni Square that gunnerfitzi mentioned), or commonly named Ladadika. Lots of places there, bars, tavers, clubs etc, some nice some really not nice. Crowds can vary hugely there, it's definitely worth taking a walk and checking it.

In Stoa Rogkoti you will find great soutzoukakia to eat and quite close from there there are two more little archways (stoa) on Ionos Dragoumi street one with bars the other with tavers and koutoukia (typical small Greek tavern). Haven is a bar on the first stoa, Ouzou Melathron a tavern on the second.

From Aristotelous square if you go north (your back facing the sea and cross Egnatia avenue, further up) is Bit Bazaar square with a lot of taverns as well, hugely but not exclusively student population (of course I mean university students). Bit Bazzar, Oinopoleio are among some of the worthy places to sit there. Worth to check.

Big clubs are a bit further out, if you continue walking towards the west part of the city from Ladadika - but I would suggest grabbing a taxi. Now, given that you'll be there on Sunday and Monday night I wouldn't even bother going to a big club, as clubs in Greece are quite distinct to bars, they might have you pay entrance, you may need to be nicely dressed, and more importantly they would mainly attract people on Friday-Saturday (unlike the other places) and holidays. The area where most of the clubs are located is named Fix and Mylos site is also there, a multi-entertainment place, mainly underground and kind of intellectual, playing jazz in some of its small stages, hosting exhibitions and weird drama plays. I love it, but not everyone's taste.

A few other places: there are a couple of bars/restaurants in and around the port (e.g. the Kitchen Bar). Also, caffeterias/bars/restaurants just across the White Tower (Ilios, The Bar, Taxidiotis, Flou, Oval, among the few there) - you will find them either on the two little squares opposite the Tower or in the side streets just across.

In a nutshell, there are a gazillion places to go out in this city and I am not exaggerating (places I've named so far are just in the city centre!). Given that your time there is very limited, I would suggest that you just walk in the centre (it's small, compact, very doable if you want to get a sense of the city centre to walk the whole thing in a day) and just have a drink wherever you fancy. Places stay up late and you can find something to eat anytime of the day. Also, coffee places in Greece don't close at 6, but have the same hours as bars.

Regarding prices, yes, coffee is more expensive in Greece than what it is in Ireland and most european cities. Then again, if you were to hang out with Greeks you would see that coffee concerns far more the social aspect rather than the actual drinking of coffee and people would generally sit for a coffee for a couple of hours..! I guess coffee places have to charge a bit more if the customer turn-around per table is one couple/group every two hours. Also, you will see that in every coffee place they serve biscuits or little muffins of cakes or or or to accompany your coffee (no charge).

Drinking in public places, squares, etc is not illegal in Greece so as long as you're not causing any trouble, trashing the place, screaming, etc you can grab your beers and enjoy them! Go sit by the sea on any point on the parade near the White Tower (worth walking the parade as much of it as possible, it would take you from the port all the way to the Music Hall - maybe 4-5 klm, but you don't have to do the whole bit). Unfortunately, this city totally lacks green places and parks, so the parade and the park next to it would be my suggestion on a nice sunny day.

Last, yes, for several Greeks the issue of the naming (still pending) of FYROM, commonly called Macedonia, might be a sensitive issue and you calling it like that might not bring out great responses (it's kind of like calling the Northern Ireland here England 15 years ago, not an accurate analogy but similar to the reaction you might get). So, my suggestion would be to stick with the official name which is FYROM (Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia) and no one will object to it.

I hope this is of some help to you and if you want to ask something more specific, sure, let me know.

irish_goat

Excellent post, already looking forward to a coffee. Think I'll just print that all off and bring it with me. Cheers lad!

With regards to calling Macedonia the 'Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia' do people actually say that whole mouthful or do they just say "fyrom" ?

yabadabado

Great post melimelo.thanks for all the info

melimelo

irish_goat wrote: »

Excellent post, already looking forward to a coffee. Think I'll just print that all off and bring it with me. Cheers lad!

With regards to calling Macedonia the 'Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia' do people actually say that whole mouthful or do they just say "fyrom" ?

Not the whole bit, that's for sure! The ''politically-correct'' people would say the abbreviation as you read it [FYROM] and quite a few others would call it by its capital, Skopje.


Glad people think the post is helpful. I found it quite hard to make specific suggestions.

One last thing, make sure you guys have for breakfast ''mpougatsa''. It's totally traditional, totally tasty and comes in various types so could serve all the palates [cream filled - with cinnamon on top, cheese filled, etc]. Best mpougatsa would be in Vasilisis Olgas Str [called ''Athina'' I think] but it's a bit far from the centre so you may as well grab one from somewhere near [maybe ''Chantzis'' bakery/caffeteria would serve and it's located near the university, just behind the ''Camara'' - that big arch from the roman times - on Egnatia avenue].

Also, ''Terkenlis'' artisan bakery makes the best tsourekia [kind of like brioche, but really remotely kind of] in Greece. You can find them at the corner of Aristotelous and Tsimiski [the tantalising hard-to-resist smell would guide you anyway], and in Agias Sofias Str. opposite the church. Oh thinking of what great food you could have in that city I feel like jumping on the plane with you!

unseen

Hi ,

Just to add a suggestion to melimelo's excellent post. If you have time you can also go at night to Kalamaria (aretsou). Its a place full of bars,cafeterias,restaurants etc. Usually most of the people in Thessaloniki prefer to go there in summer months. My favorite bar is "Mistral"

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=40.568198,22.956727&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=16&sll=40.567513,22.959473&sspn=0.010318,0.022724&ie=UTF8&z=16

irish_goat

Just a few more questions, where would the cheaper areas be? I've read that the restaurants and cafes beside the sea tend to be quite expensive so we'd be looking to avoid those. I'm assuming the places around the university are priced with students in mind.

And I know it's a longshot but do you know of any brewpubs there(pubs that make and sell their own beer)?

unseen

irish_goat wrote: »

Just a few more questions, where would the cheaper areas be? I've read that the restaurants and cafes beside the sea tend to be quite expensive so we'd be looking to avoid those. I'm assuming the places around the university are priced with students in mind.

And I know it's a longshot but do you know of any brewpubs there(pubs that make and sell their own beer)?

Hi ,

As melimelo said you should try the fast food shops in navarinou. 2.5euro is more than enough to fill your belly Places around university are not priced because students.....dont have money!

About the brew pubs, you can try the beer academy. LinkThey also have their own beers.
Its a little bit expensive but i think it worths it. Google maps

And here is a short video of Thessaloniki.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tALS0WZqi_Y

Have fun

melimelo

Nice suggestion by unseen regarding Beer Academy. It offers a huge variety on beers, lagers, ales etc. However, as it is located in Kalamaria and the days you have to spend in the city are very limited, I'm not quite sure that I would venture a ride there myself. Don't get me wrong, Thessaloniki is not a huge place and grabbing a cab/bus [no. 5 or 6] from the centre you would be there in 20 minutes depending on traffic. It could be a nice afternoon walk by the marina, especially if you plan to eat there as there are great taverns and restaurants, particularly with fish and seafood [Hamodrakas and Miami come to mind, bear in mind that the second one is quite expensive but guaranteed excellent fish]. I wouldn't bother going there for night life, even though it is very lively and has some, a few, nice places. Mistral as previously mentioned is nice, however last time I visited it I was 19 so can't really comment on it anymore! Shark, bar/club/restaurant, in Karampournaki [still Kalamaria area, just different sea-side location] is quite popular and nice, a bit posh and maybe a bit expensive.

In the city centre Kourdisto Gourouni [Clockwork Pig!] has a relatively big variety of beers. Used to be located in Agias Sofias Str. and Ermou Str, however come to think about it I'm not quite sure it still exists. Also, there is another place on Svolou street - the name elludes me right now - that has a big selection of beers, mainly German and Belgian I think, to accompany their, mainly German/Belgian I think, cuisine. I don't know whether the food there is good or not. You'll find it on your left hand side just as you cross Ethnikis Aminis Street walking towards city centre.

Also, Zythos tavern/restaurant has a considerable selection of beers. One place is located opposite the white tower right next to Oval caffeteria and the other one is located in Ladadika, Katouni square. I prefer the one in the White Tower area. I would also suggest that you eat there too [lovely recipes from Poli, i.e. Constantinople/Istanbul].

Then Oval caffeteria/bar, even though I really don't like it as it has the worst owners in the world and I have spent many hours there as a close friend of mine used to work there [yes, I am biased!], has some beers that are nice. Not that they brew them, but could offer some that you wouldn't be able to find elseplace [Dorelei comes to mind, lovely].

May I also suggest, if you like red beer to try McFarland [you'll find it in most places]. It's actually Irish, but nowhere to be found in Ireland! When I first moved here all my friends were commenting on how many McFarlands I'd be drinking, but little had I known that Murphy's brewery only exports this one and saves nothing for the islanders!

As for prices, as I wrote previously, I don't think there are huge differences from one place to the other. As a general rule all coffee places and eateries north of Egnatia avenue, i.e. going towards the Kastra=walled city, are more economical and most places south of Egnatia, i.e. towards the sea, are more expensive; but even in that 'rule' there are so many exceptions that disqualify the rule. I think you will be able to judge for yourself by looking at the places and the people that sit in them; if they look posh chances are the place is a bit pricey. Again, don't take this too literate. I guess given that you'll be there for 2 days and you're used to Irish prices, you should be fine and no need to worry so much. Especially food, is much much cheaper and million times better. It's not like you'll get ripped off or something and if you're unsure check the catalogue/menu and if you find it pricey just walk away [that is before you order of course!].

I think at this stage you can consider yourself prepared, relax and enjoy your trip! It's such an easy city that you don't actually need so many suggestions, just have a rough sense of the outlay of the centre, walk by the locations I mentioned on my first post and go with the flow. This city is famous for it's laid-back atmosphere so you wouldn't fit in being stressed to see everything and know everything anyway!

unseen

How was your trip?