Thessaloniki Travel Diary
Beautiful details in some of the buildings in Thessaloniki
The Kastro of Thessaloniki
The city of Thessaloniki from above
The famous umbrellas of Thessaloniki in Paralia
Morning strolls seeing the White Tower (Lefkos Pyrgos)
Piping hot koulourgia and pites
Alexander the Great, the loving Hero of Thessaloniki
Agia Sofia’s Byzantine architecture
The candles of Agios Demetrios
The unique architecture of Agios Demetrios
The old and new in Thessaloniki
Plateia Aristolous
Smack in the heart of Thessaloniki is the Electra Palace Hotel
MamaLuca is a cool restaurant that modernises traditional Greek cuisine
The ladadika district was originally full of Oil merchants, now a thriving food district
Keftedes (Greek meatballs)
Bifteki with potatoes and tomato salad
Keftedes (or keftedakia) are a staple in most Greek kitchens (especially mine!). I can safely say I make these at least once a week. The Greek Taverna’s mainly serve these as a meze whilst the larger version – bifteki- generally cooked on charcoals and is served as the main.
Even though we have them at home so often, every time we are on our Greek holidays, we alway order them for meze.
You can have them stuffed with feta - bifteki stuffed with feta is so tasty! You can have them cooked in a tomato based sauce, served with spaghetti or rice. You can simply enjoy them plain.
There are many variations even with what meats you use. Pork, veal, lamb or beef, even combine pork and veal for a nice combination, I prefer to make mine with beef. And most regions have there own way of cooking them, with different herbs, some with spices.
This is my mums recipe and I assure you, you will love!
Ingredients
1 kilo beef mince
4 slices of stale bread soaked in milk
1 onion (large) super finely chopped,
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
1 cup shredded continental parsley
Salt and Pepper
Olive for frying
Makes about 40 small or 20 large keftedes
Instructions
Drain excess milk from the bread and put in a food processor to crumb
In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly until all combined
Roll the mince mixture in little balls and fry, turning them over frequently until they have cooked through
Ready to serve
I serve these with a Greek salad, lemony roasted potatoes and bread. Greek food is simple to make and so tasty to eat!
Historical visit of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki from above
We had four full days in Thessaloniki and we wanted to do a lot of things and in the midst of all that we wanted to spend quality time with family.
With a day spent visiting family in the villages, a day spent visiting more family in Thessaloniki, a day sneaking a beach visit to Pefkohori in Chalkidiki, it left us one day to do a few touristy things in town.
After breakfast, we headed off for a short stroll to the White Tower. A tower so full of tragedy and triumph, the beacon of Thessaloniki. There, they have an interactive exhibit of the history and culture of this beautiful city.
The White Tower of Thessaloniki
Further down along the paralia you will see statue of Alexander the Great. Thessaloniki, was named after the half-sister of Alexander the Great, the hero of the city.
From there, you have to go to see the beautiful art installation of the umbrellas… simply gorgeous and if you go during sunset even better!
The umbrellas have become such a popular site for Thessaloniki
Our touristy day took us next to Agia Sofia. One of the oldest churches in Greece, built in its current structure in the 8th century and is based on the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Spiritually, artistically and culturally, an amazing church to visit with historical icons, frescos and mosaics adorning its walls.
The simplicity of the outside belies the beautiful icons, mosaics and frescos inside Agia Sofia, Thessaloniki
We continued our walk to another great church (we did more than visit churches I promise!), the church of Agios Demetrios, patron saint of Thessaloniki. Agios Demetrios was a Christian martyr who died at the hands of the Romans. He is revered as a military saint on horseback, credited with many miraculous interventions protecting Thessaloniki. The first church believed to have been built on this site in the 4th century AD, replacing Roman Bath where Agio Demetrios’ body is said to have been dropped, after his execution. The church has gone through many transformations since originally constructed.
The unique architecture of Agios Demetrios, Thessaloniki
Okay enough with the churches for now!!!
We wanted to see the whole city from above, at which point we caught a taxi and went to the Kastra (castle). These Byzantine Walls were built in the late 4th century to protect the town, its churches and timber-framed houses from sieges. The walls stood there until the 19th century when the Ottomans demolished large sections. From here you can enjoy the most panoramic views over the city.
Thessaloniki from above, at the Kastro
As it was still lunch time (3pm is lunch time in the Mediterranean countries), we couldn’t find a cab for the trip back and we decided to walk down, in the heat – not a good idea!
Pit stop to the arch of Galerius (or Kamara) and the Rotunda. Two very impressive neighbouring structures commissioned by Roman Emperor Galerius in the 4th century. The Rotunda has been a Roman monument, Christian church, Mosque and now a historical building, UNESCO heritage site, it is the oldest church in Thessaloniki and there are claims it is the oldest Christian church in the world.
The old and the new, the Arch of Galerius (Kamara) next to the ‘70 apartments
Almost to our hotel, we stopped for a much-needed frappe and bougatsa!
Although we spent a full day walking (24,000 steps!), we literally just skimmed the surface of this culturally rich & complex city.
The narrow streets of Thessaloniki
Where we stayed
Where we ate
Ladadika disctrict – Loved the food Necroponte, traditional Greek cuisine) and Mamalouka for more modern Greek cuisine.
Important tip
Wear comfortable shoes as you will be doing a lot of walking. And you must try the bougatsa, flaky filled filo pastry, whether sweet or savoury, it is amazing!
Food guide - Naousa Paros
Where to eat in Naousa, Paros
Having visited Naousa, Paros in the past, I never considered it a foodie hub. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be - with so much fresh produce, fish and amazing wine - but it was never at the top of my mind. But the last time we stayed here, for our Greek holidays in summer of 2018, the manager of our hotel, Mr & Mrs White, gave us a list of places to try. And boy, it was a good list - the man knows his food! Forget the beaches, now I want to go to Naoussa just to eat!
Image via Statheros
The first place he said we MUST try was Statheros Restaurant. Located just off the seafront in the narrow streets of Naousa, the food is mainly authentic Greek share food (meze) and it's amazing! The friendly owner, watched on lovingly by her Papou (grandpa), told us the must-have food of the day and we just went along and enjoyed every morsel. We had keftedes with tzatziki, roughly cut, crispy potatoes, dakos salad with home-made myzithra (a type of Greek cheese), the cod with skordalia (potato and garlic dip) and it was all so so good. The piece-de-resistance was the saganaki of prawns (compliments of the house), with a hint of chilli and abundance of lemon juice - I could just eat that all day every day. Please take the time to find this hidden gem, it is so worth it!
Stuffed eggplant with onion & feta
The next place recommended to us was Kafenio, in Palia Agora (old shops) Naousa. You will easily find this tiny restaurant because of the queue waiting for a table. But it is definitely well worth the wait! Without even realising it, everything we ordered was either vegetarian or vegan and was out of this world! We ordered kolokithokeftedes (zucchini fritters), stuffed eggplant, dolmades, chickpea casserole and, of course, a horiatiki salad (Greek salad). The food kept on coming and I was in foodie heaven.
The meze at Yemeni
Other honourable mentions are of course Barbarossa right on the water, with its fabulous views! Yemeni Taverna, which has great moussaka.
There are a plethora of places to eat in Naousa, some with beach views others with views of the little side streets, all you need to know is that the food is fresh, in most cases local and the people are so inviting.
Our beautiful suite at Mr & Mrs White
Where we stayed
Mr & Mrs White, a brisk 15-minute walk into Naoussa town. We stayed in the two-floor residence, a stylish space with your laid-back Cycladic minimal interiors. This chic hotel offers two pool areas, a great buffet breakfast and wonderful staff.
Highlights
The food! In amongst all the shops and hidden in little lanes, some of the tastiest, freshest food I have ever eaten!
Important tip
There is a great local winery called Moraitis just on the outskirts of Naousa that has been making wine since 1910. It's well worth popping in and sampling their wines but if you don't get a chance, many restaurants and tavernas around town offer it on their menus.
Saganaki
Each time we go on our Greek holiday, my husband Jim and I always make a pact - we always tell each other, this time we will go easy with food. No saganaki, no ordering mezedes, cut the bread, no fried zucchini, skip the buffet breakfasts. No saganaki. No saganaki. NO SAGANAKI!
The sentiment doesn’t last long. Our first night in Greece we order zucchini, saganaki, horiatiki salata (Greek salad), , souvlaki kalamaki, a glass of rosé (for me), a bottle of Mythos beer (for him). The standard ‘we-are-now-in-Greece’ order!
The word saganaki means small vesse/fry pan (the ‘aki’ in the word means small) that this heavenly meze is fried in. And yes its fried - fried cheese. All crispy on the outside and warm and oozy in the centre. Squeeze some lemon on top and it’s just amazing.
There are many varieties to choose from. Some are wrapped in filo pastry, fried golden and drizzled with honey and sesame seeds. Others use different cheese - kefalotiri, keflograviera, manouri, haloumi, feta - but they all taste amazing.
In Greece, other dishes cooked in saganaki style include prawns, peppers, eggs - so make sure you order correctly!
One of my very favourite saganaki cheese’s is from Yialo Yialo at Platys Gialos in Mykonos. There’s is coated, then drizzled with honey and sesame seeds. So tasty!
Cheese Saganaki Recipe
- 250 grams kefalograviera (or similar)
- Flour for dusting
- Olive oil for the pan
- Lemon to squeeze on top when finished
Cut the cheese into a 2 centimetre thick slice, dust with flour and pan fry in hot oil. After a couple minutes, squeeze some lemon on top and serve with crusty bread - and most importantly enjoy!
Kefalonia
Kefalonia isn’t the first Ionian Island I have visited. In 2016, on the way to the seaside town of Parga, we stopped by Lefkada for the day. I was so amazed by the crystal clear, turquoise blue waters of its beaches and I knew I wanted to see more of these lesser known islands on the west side of Greece.
On this trip, we decided to spend a few days at Kefalonia. I didn’t know much about Kefalonia apart from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - the book and movie based there in World War Two.
We based ourselves in the capital of Argostoli, hired a car and spent the whole time driving to beautiful beaches and pretty towns. Kefalonia is one of Greece’s biggest islands, so I can’t recommend hiring a car enough.
While I have swum at many beaches, I have to say the THE most beautiful beach I have ever seen is Myrtos Beach. The whitest tiny pebbles make the water so blue, it is beyond words. It literally looked photoshopped. The drive to Myrtos was interesting to say the least - we drove through very windy, mountainous rounds and along the way we saw so many goats laying on the road. It was wonderful.
We were there late June, so the tourist season hadn’t really kicked in yet. It was a great time to be there as it was still very warm and the water was beautiful but we could enjoy the beach without fighting for a spot to sit.
Not far from Myrtos is a gorgeous fishing village called Assos. All pastel-coloured buildings and pretty boats on a little harbour - so picturesque. Assos has been dubbed an “Instagram famous” towns because of its charm and I can see why.
About 40km out from Argostoli is Xi Beach. With white cliffs and red sand, Xi beach is unique to say the least! A popular tourist destination, this is a well organised resort area with sun beds and umbrellas for hire along with many accommodation options. Although we drove here, we opted to return to Argostoli on the ferry for something a bit different!
Another highlight for me was visiting the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos, the patron saint of the island. I had the opportunity of going to a Sunday morning service which was quite a spiritual experience.
Kefalonia has many beaches and pretty towns. While we stayed for five days, we could have easily stayed for another five and still not have seen everything. Most beaches are well organised with food, sunbeds and umbrellas. There are various accommodations options to suit most budgets and tastes. The food was so tasty and fresh again with numerous tavernas and cafes. I can see why so many people recommended Kefalonia for us to visit!
WHERE WE STAYED:
Kefalonia Grand Hotel, Argostoli - Loved the interiors of this hotel, all soft linens, greys and white, as an interior designer its inspiring. It was very close to everything in town, but the best thing about the hotel was its amazing staff - they went out of their way to make sure we were happy. Oh and the breakfast was pretty amazing as well!
HIGHLIGHT:
Without a shadow of a doubt - Myrtos Beach. I could have gone back again and again and again. That water is beyond anything I have seen.
IMPORTANT TIP:
Make sure you book a car, Kefalonia is big and you really need to drive to be able to enjoy it!
Why Greece?
WHY GREECE?
I get asked this so many times. Why Greece? Why do I go to Greece so often? What’s so special about Greece?
And then I get started…
THE PEOPLE
Φιλοξενία (filoxenia) translates to friend a stranger. But for Greeks it holds a far greater cultural significance. The generous practice of welcoming and looking after strangers, originates back to Ancient Greece. Zeus, king of the Gods on Mount Olympus was also know as Zeus Xenios, the patron of hospitality and guests, avenger of wrongs done to guests. To the Ancient Greeks, hospitality was a high-ranking virtue.
So I guess the kind-heartedness and the warm welcoming you receive is in the Greek DNA.
THE HISTORY
As you come into Athens, there perched high above the city is the Parthenon. It is quite overwhelming seeing it for the first time. Looking over Athens like a protective beacon it holds so much history. It has seen so many wars, occupations, fires, destructions and peace. So many people - ancient politicians, playwrights and philosophers - have made history on the majestic marble and limestone steps. In modern times, the world’s biggest dictators, movie stars, fashion designers and peacekeepers have followed in their footsteps.
But there is so much more to Greece than just the Parthenon. Everywhere you go you, everywhere you look there is history.
To the north, you will find the beautiful city of Thessaloniki, which for several centuries was the second-most important city of the Byzantium. In Thessaloniki and its outskirts there are 15 monuments that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here you will find many notable Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Jewish structures, showcasing what a cultural melting pot this great city was - and to some extent - still is.
To the south you will find Delphi, the site of the the mystical oracle (Pythia) who, in ancient times, was consulted about all the most important decisions. Who to marry, who to battle, who to vote for - everyone went to Delphi. It is why it was called the ‘navel’ (centre) of the universe.
A three hour drive south through the Greek countryside and you will find Olympia - the birthplace of the Olympic Games. You too can run through the arena, which dates back to 776BC.
Two hours east and you will reach the site of the Ancient Mycenae, which was once ruled by the famed King Agamemnon, made famous by Homer’s Iliad. There, you can admire the Lion’s Gate - the only known monument from the Bronze Age of Greece. Perched upon a hill which seems eerily out-of-place, one can only imagine what life would have been like in 1600BC.
While all these places are definitely worth a visit - you will find ruins and antiquities in almost every town and every city in Greece.
THE WEATHER
Athens has 350 days of sunshine per year. Yes, you read right - 350! It means only 15 days of rain. Imagine - a whole summer of beautiful weather. Hard to believe when you live in Melbourne!
When I think of Greece’s weather, I think of balmy evenings sitting outside a family-run tavern eating fried zucchini and sipping rosè, or laying on a sunbed by the sea. I never have to worry about the summer weather in Greece, or the Mediterranean as a whole, because it’s always amazing.
THE ISLANDS
There are 6000 islands in Greece, of which 227 are inhabited. These islands are amongst the most picturesque and unique in the world - they are world renowned for their beauty.
On the west side of Greece you have the Ionian Islands - Corfu (Kerkyra), Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Ithaki, Paxos (Paxi), Kythira (although a lot further down) are known as the Eptanisa (Seven Islands).
The waters here are the most crystal-clear, turquoise blue I have ever seen. Along with the lush vegetation, colourful buildings and fresh produce, these islands are the perfect holiday destination. There are many more smaller islands in the Ionian like Antipaxi, Othoni and Meganisi - these are growing to become more popular with tourists as well.
On the east side of Greece you have the Aegean Islands - the deep blue seas juxtaposed against the whitewashed, sugar-cube houses make these islands famous around the world.
The Aegean Islands comprise of seven groups: the North Aegean, the West Aegean, the Sporades (of Mama Mia fame), the Cyclades (Mykonos and Santorini to name the most famous), the Saronic (Hydra - one of my faves), the Dodecanese Islands (Rhodes), and Crete.
Both the Ionian and Aegean offer their own beautiful landscape.
THE FOOD
You cannot think of Greece without thinking of the food. This is the homeland of the souvlaki, dolmades, tzatziki, feta, yoghurt and honey, Kalamata olives, taramosalata. Frappè instead of latte. Dinner at midnight. Breakfast comprising of cakes and pastries - bougatsa and tiropita to name my favourites. Where you’re likely to find spanakopita and koulouria on the menus of the finest restaurants and sold on the side of the street. Greece is where the streets smell of oregano and lemon, roast isn’t reserved for Sunday and there are zaharoplastias (sweet shops) on every corner. Produce is picked from the back garden and the calamari, the octopus and the fresh fish come straight off the boat.
HOME
I can’t describe the feeling I have when my plane lands in Greece. I hear everyone speaking Greek, the yiayia’s (grandmothers) cooing over their grandchildren, kids running through the airport, the priests in flowing robes chatting by the baggage carousel. I feel like home. I feel my parents, my grandparents, my family, my roots, my history. I feel Greek. Although I have lived in Australia for over 45 years as soon as I arrive in Greece I feel come home.
I could easily list another 20 reasons I visit Greece but what fun would that be - you need to discover Greece for yourself!