Thessaloniki
Byzantine walls, a seafront promenade and the best street food in Greece.
Photo: Berthold Werner (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Moderate Wind warning · Area: East Sterea & Evvoia · From 2026-08-13T01:00:00+00:00 · until 2026-08-13T22:59:00+00:00
Moderate Wind warning · Area: Attiki · From 2026-08-13T01:00:00+00:00 · until 2026-08-13T22:59:00+00:00
Moderate Wind warning · Area: Kyklades · From 2026-08-13T04:00:00+00:00 · until 2026-08-13T08:00:00+00:00
Good to know
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Greece, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa…
Greece follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it might have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago…
The European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now being implemented across the Schengen area…
There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Greece. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty…
Exercise normal security precautions. Latest change: Entry and exit requirements section – updated information on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
Exercise normal security precautions. Latest change: Natural disasters and climate section – added information on wildfires.
Airport buses run to the centre in about 45 minutes, and the metro line covers the main axis of the city.
Ano Poli, the upper town, survived the 1917 fire. It is the oldest part of the city and the best sunset viewpoint.
Bougatsa for breakfast, koulouri from a street cart, and a long mezze dinner in Ladadika is the standard local day.
Halkidiki beaches are one to two hours away by bus or car for an easy day trip.
Local knowledge
Contributed by guides, operators and creators on the ground. Community advice, kept separate from official sources.
Take a bus up to the Byzantine walls, then walk down through the old town to the seafront. It is all viewpoints and no climbing.
Book an experience
Verified operators in Thessaloniki, booked direct through KLNK.
Frequently asked questions
Public buses take around 45 minutes for a low flat fare, and taxis take 20 to 30 minutes.
Two days for the seafront, Byzantine churches, Ano Poli and the food, plus a third for Halkidiki or Vergina.
It is smaller, cheaper and more relaxed with better street food. Athens has the major ancient sites.
Yes, seasonal ferries and short flights serve the Sporades and northern Aegean islands.
For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccines, see TravelHealthPro’s Greece guide. Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Greece. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
U.S. Department of State currently advises normal precautions (level 1 of 4). Advice differs slightly between governments, so check your own country's advisory before you travel.
Travel information last reviewed 18 August 2026. Compiled from European Commission Newsroom, IATA Timatic, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Open-Meteo and Tourpublish Travel Intelligence. Always confirm entry rules and safety guidance with official government sources before you travel.
Advisories, entry rules and alerts apply to Greece as a whole.
Aggregated from official sources. Content is never rewritten — always display the publisher, publication time and original source link.
Photography: Berthold Werner (CC BY-SA 3.0); Hermann Hammer (CC BY-SA 4.0); Daniel Tellman (UED14579) (CC BY 2.5).