Considered as the city’s landmark, the White Tower is clearly one of the best places to see in Thessaloniki. Built in 1535, the tower was originally surrounded by heavy walls, as it was used as a prison during the Ottoman occupation of Greece. There, many prisoners were tortured and executed, and the Tower acquired its nickname: “The Tower of Blood”, or “The Red Tower”. It was renamed “the White Tower” in 1890, after a prisoner entirely repainted it in white in exchange of his liberty. Another version of the story says that it was renamed by the Greeks in 1913, 1 year after they reconquered the city. The 34-meter high tower is now hosting the White Tower Museum, dedicated to Thessaloniki’s History from the Roman Era to the present day. Enjoy some free time around this lovely area of Thessaloniki at water front.

The Monastery of Vlatadon was built in 1351. Nowadays, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the monastery, you will enjoy one of the most beautiful views over the city.

Aristotle Square in Thessaloniki: Aristotle (or Aristotelous) Square is the most famous and popular square of Thessaloniki Greece. This is an ample, paved square surrounded by Neoclassical buildings, with a green park in the middle. Many cafeterias are found there and in a walking distance, there is the White Tower and the paved promenade of the town, where people stroll around by the sea. Enjoy free time to walk around in the main square of Thessaloniki and taste some delicious local food or do some shopping. You will certainly fall in love with this amazing place.

The Church of Agios Dimitrios is dedicated to the town’s patron, Saint Dimitrios, a Roman soldier who was executed at this site in the year 306. At that time, it was a Roman bathhouse, and the murder was ordered by Emperor Galerius who was ruthless in his persecution of Christians. Spiritual pilgrims and tourists alike marvel over the church’s glorious interior. The richly embellished sanctuary is 43 meters long, the largest in Greece. Adornments include finely carved capitals on the varicolored marble columns, a dazzling chandelier in the central aisle, and exquisite gilded mosaics of the early Byzantine Empire that have been beautifully restored. Today, the Church of Saint Demetrius (Agios Dimitrios) is the town’s main church. Tourists may visit the church, which is open daily free of charge. If you prefer to visit something else instead of this church, please feel free to do it. Just inform the driver what your preferences are, as this trip is flexible. 

Walking from Egnatia Street towards Thessaloniki’s city center, visitors will come across the Arch of Galerius (Apsída Galeríou), an ancient Roman monument dating to around AD 297. This arch was the ancient town’s main entrance gate. Of the original structure, three piers of the west side remain. Two of the surviving piers, linked by an arch, feature a marble facade decorated with elaborate reliefs. The reliefs, separated by garlands, depict battle scenes from Emperor Galerius’ Persian, Mesopotamian, and Armenian campaigns of the third and fourth centuries. These ornately carved reliefs are among the finest of their kind. Be sure to notice the animated scenes on the south pier. 

The upper town of Thessaloniki, with all its vivid and colourful glory, phases in and out of the 4th-century Byzantine era to the 15th-century touch of the Ottomans, with a fair amount of glimpse of a modern city. Traditionally called Ano Poli, this neighbourhood in the Northern side of Thessaloniki was the favourite of the elites throughout the history of the city. As a result, the urban fabric is weaved with numerous Roman and Ottoman architecture, peeking out from between contemporary houses and cafes. The stone-paved streets and the high city walls along the old acropolis make it really hard to believe which century you are standing in. Ano Poli in Thessaloniki is not the main city centre; it is way up north and has beautifully preserved medieval times like a scent in a bottle. The eclectic mix of East-European and Turkish culture that is spread across the whole country of Greece can be felt way more evidently in Ano Poli, where time has almost not passed since those days.

• Flexible itinerary;
• Please note there is no guide in addition to the driver.