Daily I am reminded how lucky I am to have some extra time in Thessaloniki. It would be so easy to settle down here long term. The city has everything; from the sparkling waterfront, countless archaeological sites scattered throughout, the byzantine walls hugging the city outskirts, museums, cafes, bars, nightclubs and the best street food scene we have found in our travels so far. Thessalonians are friendly, beautiful and relaxed people… in true Greek fashion want you fed well and happy. Our afternoon walks consist of hiking the 208 stairs to the top of the wall where the Trigonion Tower resides, offering the best views of the Gulf of Thermaikos. The tower was built by the Ottomans during their reign in the 15th century, it was used as an artillery tower and armory. There are some amazing cafes and bars nearby offering some incredible views of the city below, particularly at night.

We spent an evening at Castra Terrace Bar, boasting one of the best views of Thessaloniki. Although the weather is chilly after the sun goes down (around 10c), they have the upstairs terrace closed in and run heaters at night. Sadly the plastic canopy interferes with the view a bit, regardless it is a cozy atmosphere dimly lit with jazz music playing in the background. For first round of McFarland Red Ales we were offered complimentary cheese, homemade biscuits, chips and nuts; our second round a small charcuterie with sesame sticks. If you order a drink in this town you will be offered complimentary snacks, at the very least some popcorn, a local favorite.

On the opposite side of the upper walls hides a special gem, Akrolithos Bar. A local drinking spot with an incredible vibe. The owner has carefully curated the music personally, we heard everything from big band, classic rock, new wave, 90s alt rock and hip hop. It is a drinks only pub, but that did not stop our host from showering us with snacks throughout our time there. The beers are inexpensive and ice cold. The walk along the walls and down the stairs to our place is a beautiful sight at night.

There are infinite places to eat in Thessaloniki, our very favorite is easily Salento Wood Fired Street Food. We ate here once a week during our stay, mostly so we could eat as much of their menu as possible. They have the best pizza in town, arguably some of the best I have eaten period. Salento also serves one of the greatest sandwiches as well, the Salentina. It consists of a wood fired pita stuffed with pulled pork and coleslaw, or pesto with cheese and greens, mushrooms with truffle cream cheese, spicy salami with salad… the list goes on. Another specialty is their wood fired lasagna with bolognese topped with ricotta. They offer it as a special some days, we were lucky enough to try one afternoon when it was being pulled fresh from the wood fired oven. Paired with a Caesar salad and an Alpha lager it remains one of the unmatched meals we have had in our travels so far.

If you are looking for a perfect night out, the Eight Ball Club is a great place to get a local vibe. The space consists of two levels, a larger downstairs venue which had a list of metal bands playing the night we visited. Since we had seen an incredible metal-a-thon in Athens we opted for the upstairs offering, a night of shoegaze featuring Once Upon A Winter, Sediment Bruise, and Phase. The upstairs is an intimate show experience with the perfect amount of people. The opening band Once Upon A Winter was our pick of the night, although all three were amazing. Both openers are from Thessaloniki, it was great to hear and support some truly local music. I was even able to pick up a t-shirt from the band after the show for 10€.

The first Sundays of the month are free to historical sites and museums, we opted for an afternoon at the Byzantine Art Museum which is full of ancient pottery, jewelry, mosaic and religious paintings. Be prepared to spend a few hours here, it is a huge catalog of artifacts spanning from 300 AD to the 1700s. Despite the free day the museum was not overcrowded, we could take our time perusing the endless cases of artifacts. The museum closes at 3pm on this day so be sure you arrive with enough time to enjoy this incredible diverse collection.

In the heart of the city you can find some of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture, the Rotunda and the Arch of Galerius. Both were built in fourth century AD by the Roman Emperor Galerius. The structures are constructed in similar fashion with a masonry core, the Arch has been faced with marble sculptured panels celebrating the victory over Narses, a Persian emperor in 299 AD. The Rotunda is a massive circular structure with an oculus, similar to the Pantheon in Rome. Originally the structure was thought to be the future mausoleum of Galerius, instead it has been used as a polytheist temple, a basilica, mosque and archaeological site. The minaret on the side has been preserved from when it was utilized as a mosque. The Rotunda is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, having been completed in approximately 306 AD.

Nostalgia washes over me when I reminisce about the time spent in Thessaloniki; it is a magical city full of history, culture, amazing people, food and fun. I will miss the late night slices from Art of Pizza, Casa Nova, and Pizza Roma for 1.5€. A very special shout out to Simon Bolivar, our beloved metal bar, where you can listen to great music and drink coffee or cheap dark beers with friends. And to Nostos, a family style tavern with the best Greek food imaginable. I can’t wait to return to this special place and have time to explore more of Greece in the future.