After the fire of 1917, the city was rebuilt in the 1920s and today Thessaloniki is a lively modern city bustling with life and movement. Large avenues, parks and squares, lines of trees that frame some commercial streets with showy shop windows. Old houses, neoclassical buildings, stand side by side with modern dwellings which makes a walk through any section of the city an interesting journey. The past and present merge at old taverns, "ouzeries", restaurants next to hotels and luxury bars, "bouzouki halls", modern cinema and music halls, theaters and sidewalk cafes on street pavements and squares. Small family run taverns and basement pastry shops offer a delicious variety of famous Macedonian specialties, next to stalls of ice-cream sellers for busy pedestrians.  

The main squares are Platia Elefterias and Platia Aristotelous, both on the waterfront and alive with cafes and restaurants, children playing or people just strolling. The Lefkos Pyrgos or White Tower is the symbol of the city and is close to the University area with its clubs and bars, and the International Trade fairgrounds are located nearby as is the excellent archaeology museum. The White Tower itself is also a museum of art and history. It was built in the 15th Century and was at one time a prison.

Above the lively city is he world of the Epimenidou or Kastra, an area of old neighbourhoods with narrow streets and lovely small gardens with children playing in front of wide open doors. Popular songs from old gramophones fill the air along with the sweet smell of flowers that emit their incredibly beautiful aromas at night. This is the old Turkish quarter of the city and is the remains of 19th century Thessaloniki and the walls that surrounded the city are still standing, waiting for you to walk on alongside them.

Every year in September the INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR is held in Thessaloniki, exhibiting Greek and foreign products of every description. After the International Trade is over the GREEK SONG FESTIVAL takes place as well as the very popular Thessaloniki FILM  FESTIVAL. During the year, trade fairs for special interest groups  are organized by the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair administration.Saint Demetrios, the patron of Thessaloniki has his name day  celebrated throughout the city on October 26th.  Almost all of the major hotels have convention facilities.   

If you have a few days to spare, there are a number of things to do in Thessaloniki. Take a 50 km visit to Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, or  80 km  to Stagira, the birth place of Aristotle. Visit the nearby beaches or wander around the city and see the Archaeology museum which is according to Frommer's, one of the best in the world. But be sure to save enough time to the cafes, restaurants, bars and ouzeries of the city where you will really feel the flavour of life in what is surely one of the most interesting and hippest places in Europe.Night life starts after 10pm.

Thessaloniki is the university city of Greece and of South Eastern Europe. It has three universities, many colleges and over 100,000 students who fill the city with life day and night.

Friendliness, hospitality and “filotimo” characterise of the proud citizens of Thessaloniki. 

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