Kalispera, Thessaloniki.
Contributed by Jens Hoffmann.
It has been one year already since my last trip to Greece and I am still in love with nature, people and greek wines.
We travelled to the largest city in the region of Macedonia.
Saloniki was founded in the early years of the Hellenistic period, during Alexander the Great’s ecumenical empire. We checked in at the great Electra Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki.
The weather is starting to get warm, it’s time to go abroad. Thessaloniki is Greece’s second biggest city – with a large student population and a buzzy, vibrant atmosphere. Our hideaway is the heck Electra Palace, a luxury and extravagant affair, close to the bay and all the city’s best bits.
The Electra Palace having undergone a complete renovation and is a luxury trendy place with all international specifications.
It lives up to the philosophy of “modern living” and offers the visitor an ideal and unforgettable experience. The hotel was awarded the “Silver Morpheus” as a best city hotel, the unique architectural style towers over Aristotelous Square – which is Thessaloniki’s financial, cultural and commercial hub – a reference to the city’s rich byzantine history. It is located very near the most significant sights and monuments of Thessaloniki, just 300m from the White Tower and 800m from the Archaeological and Byzantine Museum, 1 km from the railway station, 15 km from the “Makedonia” international airport and a short distance from the city’s large exhibition centre. It offers 130 rooms, 4 Junior Suites, 2 Superior Suites and 2 Executive Suites, all decorated in the neoclassical style, with luxurious fabrics and furnishings. We stayed in a suite with sea view and a view to Aristotelous Square and the sea.
The city is entertaining and has always been and still a convergence point of many nationalities and cultures. It was also dominated by the Romans and later experienced the glories of the Byzantine era as the “co-reigning city” before succumbing to the ottoman onslaught. By nature and location, a commercial, transport and cultural crossway, Thessaloniki has always been multinational and this is obvious to visitors. The entire city incorporates many monuments of varying architectural styles and quarters representing the entire gamut of history, and offers “multinational” flavours. Today, it is host to many university students, large commercial and industry-specific exhibitions, excellent and affordable shopping, many dining and entertainment spots, the International Exhibition Centre, the International Film Festival, the International Book Exhibition, the Documentary Festival and many more major cultural events. However, Thessaloniki is dear to all Greeks, and always associated with the White Tower, the Kamara and the Castles, St. Dimitrios’ church, the Rotunda, the Thermaic, the Panorama, Hortiatis, the Seih Sou forest, its lively and friendly people and… the Ladadika!
If you feeling tired or looking for a nice refreshing experience you can use the fitness centre and spa, heated pool, sauna and steam bath. Just nice.
Things to do: Visit the statue of Alexander the Great on the waterfront at sunset. The Jewish Museum, off the main square, charts the history of Jewish settlers in Greece, a presence that has been traced back to the third century BC. A little further out of town is the archeological site of Vergina. The site has Aegean royal tombs that were discovered in 1977.
Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki is also famous for its beaches, tavernas, fortified city, and great ambience and it was once the gateway — depending on which direction you were headed — to Asia, the Balkans, and Athens and the Peloponnesus to the south.
Later we drove to the “Finger” Number 2.
For your meals, we recommend Chef Ilias Gkotsis resto, you will find it in the Hotel Exelsior in Thessaloniki city.
It is a boutique style place for those who appreciate great local cuisine in an exceptional environment.
Perfect choice for a special dinner or a drink. The regional food by Chef Ilias, prevailing flavours, innovative tasty combinations, are representative of the many cultural elements that have influenced Thessaloniki’s cuisine.
We enjoyed it very much.
The presstrip was suppported by Thessaloniki Marketing.
