Thessaloniki, a town with a story

Thessaloniki, a town with a story

Dear friends, today we would like to talk about a subject of the present: Thessaloniki, a town with a story.

All eyes are on Greece these days. But as we all gaze intrigued at the possible outcome of this “ postmodern Greek tragedy”, many are preparing for their holidays in Greece, unperturbed by the turmoil and the political unrest.

One of the most popular Greek destinations, as well as one of the most accessible, is Paralia-Katerini, close to the great port Thessaloniki, so many people coming to the region stop by the town for shopping and to admire the history and breathe in the atmosphere of quiet Greek life here.

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and the capital of the Greek Macedonia. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the world and has been a prominent European port for millennia. Founded around the year 315 BC by Macedonian king Cassander, the city derived its name from Thessalonike, the king’s wife and the daughter of Philip II (the father of Alexander the Great). After 168 BC, it became a free city during the Roman Republic.

Mentioned in the New Testament (as Paul the Apostle came here to prepare the city for its first Christian church), Thessaloniki was an important Christian center from the 1st century CE on.

During the Byzantine Era, Thessaloniki was regarded as the second city of the Empire after Constantinople. The age has left lasting effects on local the architecture and culture and the Greeks, as we know, are preponderantly Orthodox Christians.

Today, the town of Thessaloniki is a great cultural and economic center or Southern Europe. Among the main tourist attractions, we should mention the Church of Saint Demetrius, the Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Roman Forum.

Transportation can be ensured by Thessaloniki airport transfers.

Meredith Smith

Meredith Smith