Travel tips · Thessaloniki · Greece
Thessaloniki travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Thessaloniki is a relaxed, sociable student city with a strong sense of its own identity, shaped by Byzantine Orthodoxy, five centuries of Ottoman rule, a large Sephardic Jewish community and the refugees who arrived from Asia Minor in the 1920s. Long café sessions, late dinners and the evening walk along the seafront set the rhythm of the day.
Key facts
- Language
- Greek
- Currency
- EUR
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated and generally considered safe to drink in the city…
- Emergency
- 112 (European emergency number)
Things to know
- Greet people with 'Kalimera' (good morning) or 'Kalispera' (good evening) when entering shops and tavernas.
- Cover shoulders and knees in churches and monasteries, and keep quiet during services.
- Expect meals to be unhurried; the bill comes when you ask for it.
- Avoid photographing worshippers or icons during services without asking.
- Sharing dishes is normal; ordering one main course each is the visitor's habit, not the local one.
- Most of the UNESCO-listed churches, including Hagios Demetrios and Hagia Sophia, are free to enter.
Tipping
Service is not always included. Leaving 5–10% in a taverna or rounding up at a café is appreciated but not expected; taxi drivers are usually just rounded up.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kalimera | Good morning |
| Kalispera | Good evening |
| Efcharistó | Thank you |
| Parakaló | Please / you're welcome |
| To logariasmó, parakaló | The bill, please |
| Yamas | Cheers |
What to wear
Casual clothes are fine in the city, but bring a layer that covers shoulders and knees for churches and monasteries, and comfortable shoes for the steep lanes of Ano Poli.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water is treated and generally considered safe to drink in the city, though many locals prefer bottled water.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Phone and internet
- Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés and hotels; EU roaming applies to European SIMs, and eSIMs and local SIM cards are easy to get.
- Time zone
- Europe/Athens
Thessaloniki is generally relaxed for visitors. Watch for pickpockets on crowded buses and in busy markets, and take care crossing the fast traffic on Egnatia and Tsimiski. In summer, heat is the main issue, so carry water and avoid walking at midday.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Greece's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Thessaloniki?
Service is not always included. Leaving 5–10% in a taverna or rounding up at a café is appreciated but not expected; taxi drivers are usually just rounded up.
+Can you drink the tap water in Thessaloniki?
Tap water is treated and generally considered safe to drink in the city, though many locals prefer bottled water.
+What plugs are used in Thessaloniki?
Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Thessaloniki?
Greek.