Thessaloniki

On Tuesday I left Arachova and drove for about 4.5 hours to Thessalinki. The second largest city in Greece, I have now done the three largest cities in Greece. Athens and Patras being first and third. I was staying in Sykies which was developed and built with the settling of refugees that arrived in 1922, mostly from Anatolia. It was about a 30 minute walk away from the city centre and sights. It was a decent sized apartment and it had a washing machine! Which was great as I was ready to wash some clothes again. I can’t remember if I planned it when I booked places or not but I really did book places with washing machines at the best times.

I did my usual check in, go for walk, eat dinner, pick up some food, and then went back and washed my clothes. I also started to research what I might do the next day. I decided that stopping by at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki was a good place to start. When I went there the next day they offered a multi ticket pass that included some other places I had flagged for checking out. The museum on it’s own was going to be €8, but for €15 I could get a pass to four locations. So I went for that deal especially as you had three days to use the pass and individually they each cost between €6 – €8.

The museum was really well laid out and gave me a history lesson. Clearing up why on this side Macedonia was being referred to a lot. When in Southern Greece I was reading about Macedonia I was just thinking about the Republic of North Macedonia now I have some perspective on things a bit more. It’s been good getting to learn and understand a lot more about the history of places and the world. Sure I know a bit broadly about some aspects, but I never really studied geography and history at school. It’s been interesting combining the stories and the parts I have been drawn to and have looked into with what else was going on and surrounding that, and how all these pieces fit in together. Even just clicking a lot more with placing things in a timeline in my mind. Rather than it happened in some time. Which is where I kind of have things placed. Getting into all the years is just a stretch for my brain but I feel that I am starting to grasp time references better.

Thessaloniki was also great for snapping graff shots. I realised how handy the art is for helping me find my way around the streets. Walking into the city and back along different routes I got used to the street art I was seeing and by the last day I wasn’t needing to look at my maps as much anymore. I was remembering where to turn and had graffiti markers to look out for.

On my walk to the museum I passed the Roman Forum of Thessaliniki site. It’s currently under reconstruction so could only see it from the above looking point. Which I really enjoyed the graff that was on the wall fence thing around the site (as seen in the header image).

After the museum I just headed back to my home in Thessaliniki and chilled out for the evening. The next day I was just working and ended up staying in. I went to get ready to go out and visit some of the sights I had tickets for but I didn’t. I got up about twice to psych myself up and go out but in the end a day of working and couch chilling won. It was quite good actually. The next day was Friday and as the last day to use my sight tickets so I got up, ready and went and saw them all. I think having the day off the previous day was good and it had me excited to go explore Thessaloniki for my last day in town and really make the most of it.

I made my way towards The White Tower which in current form was built by the Ottomans in 1430 and was a notorious prison and scene of mass executions. Inside it now is a bit of a museum but everything is written in Greek so it was interesting to look at the pictures and things and try to make sense but really the view from the top was what made the visit worth it. I’m not sure that paying €6 for just the view though on it’s own would of been. I am glad that I purchased the ticket at the museum that got me a good deal on visiting these places, and it was good to have something that helped me plan my last day.

After the tower I made my way to the Museum of Byzantine Culture. I think I was the youngest person I saw visiting the museum. There was a French tour group there at the same time of folks in their 70’s I would guess. It was good to get a bit of a different history lesson as most of the things I have been looking at and focussing on have been BC.

Next and final on the list was the Rotonda. A pretty impressive structure especially considering that the dude that built it intended for it to be his grave. It was hosting an exhibition about the refugees to Thessaloniki during the 20’s which was interesting to find out about as this was the people’s that also established the area I was currently staying in.

I explored a bit more of Thessaloniki, snapping street art shots before heading back to my apartment for my last night.