Ready to dive into Thessaloniki with a morning walk, a leisurely lunch, and then an afternoon in one of the best museums in Greece? Along the way, you’ll see Roman ruins, Byzantine churches, and contemporary sculpture — all while enjoying a city founded by the ancient Macedonians. This one-day itinerary will carry you through the best of Thessaloniki’s history on your own walking tour.

A Morning Walking Tour

Start your day at Thessaloniki’s grand Aristotelous Square — the first stop on this walking tour (here’s a map so you can follow the route).

This square is one of the best-known locales in Thessaloniki, famous for its political rallies, festivals, and events (you may even see courts set up for beach volleyball). It’s also emblematic of the shifts in the city that took place after the Great Fire of 1917, which burned down 9,500 houses and destroyed the city’s central area of chaotic Ottoman streets. The new city center, designed by French architect Ernest Hébrard, included an urban grid, wider streets, and this central square with neoclassical buildings on the water.

Promenade Highlights: Sea Views and Tall Landmarks

Hébrard’s city plan also included a waterfront promenade, which has become one of the most popular walking spots in the city. It is a true center of urban life.

You’ll want to walk along the water’s edge until you reach the renowned White Tower of Thessaloniki.

This tower has become an iconic city landmark, and I must say that I don’t understand why. It’s short, it’s squat, and its history is one of horrific violence. Built in the 15th century, it became a prison under the Ottomans, and they tortured and executed so many people there that it became known as the “Red Tower.” But it is now a museum and major tourist attraction.

I much prefer two of the other landmarks along the promenade, one that looks back in time and the other that looks forward. You’ll first reach the Monument of Alexander the Great, sometimes called the “horseman statue.”

Alexander gets a statue because the city was named after his half-sister, Thessalonike. I wish she had a statue here as well, but she doesn’t have the same record of military accomplishments and empire-building (she also lacks the mighty Bucephalus, one of the most famous horses in all of antiquity).

For a more modern look at what the city has to offer — and one of the most photographed locales in all of Thessaloniki — head down the promenade to The Umbrellas by Zongolopoulos.

This installation was developed in 1997, the year in which Thessaloniki was the European Capital of Culture. It’s even more fun up close …

… and it’s also a good place to look back down the promenade from which you’ve come.

Imperial Rome: Ruins and Remains

Now it’s time to turn inland, for a roughly fifteen-minute walk to see what’s left of the Palace of Galerius.

Galerius Valerius Maximianus was the Emperor of Rome for only seven short years, but he made an outsized mark on Thessaloniki. He chose the city as the eastern capital of his empire, and this required a massive building project. First of all, he needed a palace — and while what’s left of that edifice has mostly crumbled into ruins, it’s still worth a look.

Much better preserved is the nearby Arch of Galerius — known locally as Kamara — which Emperor Galerius commissioned to celebrate his victories against the Persians. It’s now one of the few remaining examples of Roman imperial relief art in Greece.

Part pomp, part propaganda, the arch is primarily important today for its stacked reliefs depicting military campaigns, ceremonies, and imperial rituals.

It’s worth spending some time seeing what you can identify as you study the panels (I was excited to find an elephant).

Just up the block is the Rotunda of Galerius, which was once joined with the arch in a grand triumphal complex. Today, the Arch and the Rotunda are united as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Historians surmise that Galerius intended the Rotunda to be his mausoleum (but he ended up being buried at a separate palatial and temple complex in modern-day Serbia).

The Byzantine Era: Majestic Churches

As Roman rule shifted to Constantinople, the Rotunda was converted to a church, the Rotunda of Saint George — claimed by some to be the oldest Christian church in the world (though other churches elsewhere make the same assertion). In the late fourth and early fifth centuries, Byzantine church leaders had the Rotunda’s vast cupola and upper vaults covered in spectacular mosaics (if you pay to go inside, you can see the glittering fragments that remain of that endeavor).

Soon after, the Byzantines embarked on a grand church-building endeavor in Thessaloniki. One of the oldest still standing today is the Hagia Sophia.

Built in the seventh century in the shape of a Greek cross with a dome on top, the church is an excellent example of Byzantine church architecture.

Thessaloniki’s Hagia Sophia is modeled on — and shares a name with -— the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now Istanbul). You can see that masterpiece — and much more — in my three-day Istanbul itinerary.

A 1920s Diversion

While you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth wandering a couple of blocks down Ermou Street to marvel at the beautiful buildings.

This kind of grand structure reflects Thessaloniki’s architectural styles in the years after the Great Fire of 1917. Neoclassical architecture became all the rage (think symmetry, columns, and arches), as was Art Deco (think vertical lines and tall windows). This post-fire era was also a time of trying out new things, such as the eclectic architecture you can see in the 1926 Loggou Mansion — also known simply as the Red House.

Administrators and Gladiators: The Roman Forum

Now we’re moving back in time again — in this case, nearly two centuries. It’s not on every tourist map, but make sure to stop by for a look at the Roman Forum of Thessaloniki. This was the administrative and public heart of the ancient city, an area of shops and baths and a small theater. It is now the largest archaeological site in town.

If you love Roman ruins, you might also enjoy my post on nearby Ancient Philippi.

A Byzantine Church & Jewish Tombstones: Hagios Demetrios

The largest of all of Thessaloniki’s Byzantine churches was the seventh-century Church of Saint Demetrius, or Hagios Demetrios.

The main sanctuary of the church is dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the patron saint of the city.

What you see today is significantly different from what you might have encountered hundreds of years ago. Mosaics were lost during the four centuries that the church served as a mosque during Ottoman control, and the church was badly damaged in the Great Fire of 1917 (hence the very modern-looking facade).

In a complicated piece of history, tombstones from the city’s Jewish cemetery, which had been destroyed by the Nazis, were used in church rebuilding efforts in the 1940s. I stumbled on one of these grave markers languishing in the grass behind the church.

Lunch Break

You can have lunch almost anywhere — Thessaloniki is a foodie town. Here are a few recommendations.

• Traditional Greek fare at Kanoula (you’re looking at fava, dakos, and a small bottle of pine-sap-infused wine called retsina).
• Something slightly more adventurous — but still very Greek — at Akratos Oinos.
• An upscale meal at Clochard, right near Aristotelous Square.

Just know that lunch always starts late, usually after 1:00. If you’re used to an earlier mealtime, you might want to set aside time for a mid-morning snack during your walk.

An Afternoon at the Museum

A 19th-Century Cathedral Diversion

Head out for an air-conditioned museum afternoon — but first, if it’s on your way, make sure to stop by the Metropolitan Cathedral of Thessaloniki, also known as the Metropolitan Church of Saint Gregory Palamas.

The church was designed in the late 1800s by a famous German architect, Ernst Ziller, and it was the first church in Thessaloniki built with a dome since the Byzantine era. It’s an interesting church because it’s an example of the ways in which Greece was trying to find its identity as it moved toward becoming an independent state — architecturally, it’s a wild mix of neo-Byzantine, neo-Renaissance, neo-Romanesque, and neoclassical styles. If you want to see a model of modern Greek churches, this is it: an octagonal church with a dome.

Macedonian Treasures: The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

After a morning of seeing ruins all around town, it’s time to dig more deeply into the world of ancient Macedonia at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. This is one of the largest and finest museums in all of Greece, and it boasts everything from life-size statuary to golden ornaments from tombs of old.

This museum is so impressive that I’ve writtenan entire post about it — make sure to give it a read.

Bonus Stops for a Longer Day

• If you have the energy before lunch, stop at one of Thessaloniki’s famous markets. Either Modiano Market or Kapani Market will add great food and atmosphere to your morning.
• If you have time for another museum, the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki offers a glimpse into an important and often-forgotten part of Thessaloniki’s history.
• Pop into any bakery and grab a tiny popsicle! They’re the perfect-sized treat for a hot day.

Finally, while many itineraries recommend a visit up the hill to the old town of Ano Poli, it’s a long, steep climb — and not all of it is charming. While you will find cobblestones and crumbling houses, you’ll also find a lot of graffiti and tough living. But it is a good place for views out over different parts of the city.

Street Art Everywhere

You’ll find street art on nearly every block in Thessaloniki, ranging from basic tags to elaborate murals. Keep an eye out for beautiful examples of what local — and sometimes international — artists can create.

Traveling north along the coast from Thessaloniki? Don’t miss the ruins at Ancient Philippi or the charming Old Town of Kavala.