According to Best-medical-schools, Thessaloniki has a major international airport, so almost all tourists from Russia arrive in the city by plane. The exception is those who come from other places in Greece by train, bus or ferry.
History
In Thessaloniki, Cyril and Methodius were born and began their activities, who contributed to the spread of the Christian faith, improved the Slavic literacy and invented the church language. Along with Constantinople, the city was the center of Christianity for a long time, until the Turks took possession of it in the 15th century and established their own rules, significantly influencing the course of local life. The final liberation from the Turkish yoke occurred only at the beginning of the 20th century. But despite such a long domination of the Turks, Thessaloniki managed to preserve a huge number of Christian churches and monasteries since the time of the Byzantine Empire.
The appearance of Thessaloniki has practically not undergone the encroachments of modern architecture, even now you will not find high-rise buildings here – they are all no more than three floors, and from the window of almost any house you can see the sea.
Oteli Thessaloniki
In Thessaloniki there are expensive luxury hotels, and simple hotels, and apartments, and youth hostels. The price of a double room in a modest hotel starts from 30 EUR, in a five-star hotel you can rent a room for 150-200 EUR per day. In hotels of an average price category (3-4 *), accommodation will cost 50-60 EUR. Approximately the same price rent apartments. For those who prefer a cheaper holiday, hostels are suitable at a price of 10 EUR per person, or the most affordable option is camping. For only 15 EUR, you can put up a tent on an equipped site and live in it for several travelers at once.
Transportation
There is no metro in Thessaloniki yet, but it is being built and planned to be launched. The main mode of transport is buses. A single trip costs 1 EUR, a ticket for 70 minutes with 1 transfer – 1.20 EUR, for 90 minutes with 2 transfers – 1.50 EUR and for 120 minutes with 3 transfers – 2 EUR, the routes cover the entire city. True, it must be borne in mind that some buses connect only the center and west, while the other part connects the center and east.
Most streets are one-way traffic, so it can be difficult for travelers to find out where to look for a bus in the opposite direction. It’s simple: he usually drives along a parallel street. In the center, almost all stops are equipped with an electronic scoreboard with numbers and time of arrival of transport.
For those who want to see the sights quickly, but are not ready to pay for a sightseeing tour, you can use bus number 50. The fare in it costs 2 EUR, the route passes through the entire historical center.
Where can I buy a ticket
Tickets are bought at special vending machines or kiosks, you can also pay for the fare from the driver, but by 0.1 EUR more. The ticket must be validated at the entrance to the bus. Multi-journey passes are composted at each transfer. More detailed information can be obtained at carrier’s website (in English).
Taxis
A taxi ride around the city costs from 3.5 EUR and does not exceed 30 EUR. Cars work on a meter and have a branded blue-and-white color; it is not customary to catch private traders in Thessaloniki.
Bike rent
Bicycle lovers can rent a bike, though there are few bike paths in the city: one of the best runs along the embankment, the rest are found in different places and, as a rule, end quickly. The rental price starts from 5 EUR per day and depends on the type of bike and the availability of equipment. In most cases, a deposit is asked for an “iron horse”.
Rent a Car
The most convenient way to move around the city and beyond is by rented car. You can rent it immediately upon arrival at the airport or numerous city centers. It is better to take care of this in advance in order to choose an inexpensive and good model. The simplest car can be taken for 25 EUR per day, a luxury car will cost 100 EUR. All major companies are in Thessaloniki: Hertz, Budget, Avis, Europcar, etc., as well as several local firms.
Communication and Wi-Fi
For those who plan to actively use the phone during the holidays, it makes sense to buy a local SIM card. The leading operators are Vodafone, Wind and Cosmote, all of which offer traveler-friendly rates. To purchase a number, you need a passport or any other proof of identity. It is best to choose prepaid tariffs: connection costs 20 EUR, of which 5 EUR remains on the balance. Later, you can top up your phone using special cards. Sim-cards are sold in communication salons in the city and at the airport.
For a conversation with Russia, 0.20-0.30 EUR per minute will be withdrawn from the account, for SMS – approximately 0.05 EUR. 50-60 Mb of mobile Internet are usually included in the price, then you can either buy a package or pay only for the spent megabytes.
Wi-Fi is available in almost all hotels and many restaurants. As a rule, the connection is free, but password protected. In some hotels, the Internet is paid, the cost usually does not exceed 25 EUR per week.
