Greece's Second-Largest City Is A Historic Gem With Vibrant Culture & Scenic Coastal Views

Step aside, Athens — Thessaloniki is quietly stealing the spotlight. While historical sites like the Acropolis in Athens tend to get the most tourist attention, Greece's second-largest city has much to behold. With the energy of a student hub, the flavor of a culinary capital, and the layered history of an old port that's seen empires come and go, it's big enough to feel exciting but small enough to take in at an easy pace. Best of all, the sea is never far from view. Getting to the city is convenient, with frequent buses heading from the airport to the city center for just a few euros. From the center, your best bet is to navigate the city on foot.

History anchors everything in Thessaloniki. The White Tower looms over the waterfront, a 15th-century fort that later became a prison and now offers sweeping views across rooftops and sea. A short walk away, the Rotunda of Galerius tells a different story: Built in the 4th century, transformed into a Christian church, then an Ottoman mosque, and finally re-purposed into a museum in 1917, each layer still lingers in its stones and mosaics. Farther uphill, the Heptapyrgion Castle overlooks the city, its walls once used for defense and later, like the White Tower, as a prison. The museum is forgettable, but the walk through cobbled lanes and bougainvillea-draped balconies of the Ano Poli neighborhood makes the climb worthwhile. When your feet need a break, Thessaloniki's boardwalk is waiting — over 4 miles of waterfront, perfect for a sunset run, a long stroll, or seaside drinks at one of the many cafes.

With waters that remain swimmable from May to November, it makes sense to map out your beach days first, then fit everything else in between. Several seaside escapes are easily reachable by bus from central Thessaloniki. While bus may not be the most romantic way to travel, in the area surrounding Thessaloniki they're efficient, cheap, and offer large windows for languidly watching the coast pass by. The closest major beach is Perea (about an hour by bus), always buzzing with locals. Seaside cafés spill onto the sand, rows of loungers stretch along the shore, and the whole place hums with energy — convenient, if a little commercial. 

Keep riding about another 15 minutes and the coast softens: Hidden Beach is exactly what it sounds like. With little alcoves carved into the cliffs, you can float in peace and feel like you've found your own corner of the sea. Go a bit farther and you'll stumble onto Surfer's Beach, with broad, calm waters that make it a top spot for windsurfing. You'll see boards and foils stacked up right at the shoreline, lessons ready if you want them, music from the surf school keeping the ambiance lively. 

If you visit any of these beaches, locals will tell you to venture to the real treasure further along the coast: Halkidiki. Known for its three "fingers"– large peninsulas — Halkidiki boasts Maldives-like clear waters and soft sand beaches. The city's great bus transport system won't take you over to this beach paradise, but it's just over an hour by car from Thessaloniki, or you can take a bus through the KTEL Chalkidikis (about 90 minutes for $12).

Food and nightlife aren't separate in Thessaloniki; they flow into each other until the evening becomes one long, social stretch. Taverns here aren't just restaurants — they're gatherings, the kind of authentic, local-approved taverna restaurants tourists will love. At Palati, music fills the room and the night feels more like a party than a dinner.

Mornings are for something quick in hand. Mary Berry Health Bar does fresh smoothie and granola bowls, while Μπουγάτσα Άρτος και Γλυκό (translating to "Bread and Sweets") is known for warm, flaky pastries whipped up from scratch. Both are just a few minute's walk from the boardwalk, perfect for grabbing breakfast and eating on the steps down to the water, watching the city wake up.

When the sun sets, options unfold: Open-air cinemas where films play under the stars, rooftop terraces with decadent cocktails, or clubs that keep live music rolling until dawn. But Thessaloniki is just as good when you keep it simple — sipping wine at a taverna, drifting along the waterfront, or staying up late just because night here is often more bustling than day. Looks like it's time to get packing for your next trip to Greece.