The city of Thessaloniki
Gracing the far edges of Thermaikos Bay, the haunting city of Thessaloniki captures the heart of its visitors with its variety. Named after the daughter of King Phillip and wife of one of the Generals of Alexander the Great, the city of Thessaloniki was founded in 316 BC. As a cultural and commercial crossroad over the many centuries since then, it has survived and flourished as a host to visitors, conquerors and settlers.
The Byzantine architecture is evident throughout the city, not only in the Old City Walls, but even more in the many churches which, once entered, display their glory in their many distinctive wall painting and frescoes. In the Old City, the narrow winding streets provide a glimpse into another era.
Thessaloniki is well known, not only for the visual arts, but also as one of the early sources of rebetika music, the urban Greek blues that has dominated the twentieth century.
Today, Thessaloniki continues to be an important hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, a lead developmental pole in the peninsula of the Balkans & the Black Sea Countries and a linkage between Europe and Asia. Apart from its importance in commerce and the arts, Thessaloniki also hosts a significant university student population; young men and women who give special colour to the city and spice up its night life.
Transportation around the city
Public transportation around the city is carried out by a large fleet of buses run by the Organization of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki. The new telematics system installed in most buses and bus stops assists both locals and visitors in their travel. A billboard at the bus stop shows the buses arriving there and their due time, and inside the bus, the name of the next stop is both displayed and announced. Comprehensive information on all transportation details, such as bus routes or schedules, can be found at the website of Organization of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki.
