Where to stay · Thessaloniki · Greece
Where to stay in Thessaloniki
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Konstantinos Stampoulis ( el:User:Geraki ), CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in City Centre (Aristotelous Square). Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets. Best alternatives — families: White Tower and the eastern seafront; budget: Kamara and Navarinou; nightlife: Ladadika.
Key facts
- First visit
- City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
- Families
- White Tower and the eastern seafront
- Budget
- Kamara and Navarinou
- Nightlife
- Ladadika
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | City Centre (Aristotelous Square) | Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets |
| Families | White Tower and the eastern seafront | Promenade gardens, museums and sea-view apartments east of the White Tower |
| Couples | City Centre (Aristotelous Square) | Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets |
| Budget | Kamara and Navarinou | Roman monuments, student cafés and cheap eats near the university |
| Nightlife | Ladadika | Restored warehouse lanes of tavernas and meze bars beside the port |
| Food lovers | City Centre (Aristotelous Square) | Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets |
| Solo travellers | Kamara and Navarinou | Roman monuments, student cafés and cheap eats near the university |
| Shopping | City Centre (Aristotelous Square) | Hébrard's grand square, Tsimiski shopping street and the markets |
| Quiet stays | Ano Poli | Steep lanes, Ottoman-era houses and the city walls above the centre |
Thessaloniki neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, food lovers and couples
City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
The grid laid out after the great fire of 1917 runs inland from Aristotelous Square, the city's ceremonial plaza opening onto the sea. Tsimiski and Ermou streets hold the main shops, the Kapani and Modiano markets are a few blocks up, and the waterfront, Ladadika and the Roman Forum are all within 10 minutes on foot.
- Good
- Walkable to almost every sight; Wide choice of hotels; Close to the metro on Egnatia
- Watch out
- Traffic noise on Egnatia and Tsimiski; Rooms facing the main streets can be loud
- Nearby
- Aristotelous Square, Modiano Market, Panagia Chalkeon, Roman Forum
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers and couples
Ladadika
The former olive-oil and trading quarter between the port and Aristotelous Square was restored in the 1980s and 1990s, and its pedestrian lanes such as Katouni and Egyptou are now lined with tavernas, ouzeri and bars. Hotels here put you a short walk from the waterfront and the ferry and cruise port, but the area stays loud until the early hours at weekends.
- Good
- Dense choice of tavernas; Waterfront on the doorstep; Characterful restored buildings
- Watch out
- Noisy late at night; Restaurants on the main lanes can be touristy
- Nearby
- Thessaloniki Port, Aristotelous Square, Kapani Market
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and culture
Ano Poli
The Upper Town was spared by the 1917 fire, so its cobbled alleys still hold timber-framed houses, small churches and stretches of the Byzantine walls. It is the quietest place to stay in the city, with views over the gulf from the Trigonion Tower and Vlatadon Monastery, but it is a steep 20–30-minute walk or a short taxi ride down to the waterfront.
- Good
- Views over the gulf; Traditional houses and calm evenings; Good-value guesthouses
- Watch out
- Steep hills and steps; Fewer restaurants and shops
- Nearby
- Heptapyrgion, Vlatadon Monastery, Trigonion Tower, Hagios Demetrios
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers, nightlife and culture
Kamara and Navarinou
Around the Arch of Galerius and Navarinou Square, the city's Roman palace complex sits among student cafés, souvlaki shops and bars serving Aristotle University. It is central, good value and well placed for the Rotunda, the Archaeological Museum and the White Tower, all within about 10 minutes on foot.
- Good
- Good-value food and drink; Roman monuments next door; Young, lively atmosphere
- Watch out
- Can be noisy at night; Older, simpler hotels
- Nearby
- Arch of Galerius, Rotunda, Archaeological Museum, White Tower
$$ · Best for nightlife and solo travellers
Valaoritou
The block of streets around Valaoritou and Syngrou, between Egnatia and the port, used to be full of fabric and hardware wholesalers. Many of those shopfronts are now bars and small clubs, busiest after midnight at weekends. A handful of design hotels have opened here, and Ladadika and Aristotelous Square are a few minutes away.
- Good
- The city's main late-night bar cluster; Central and walkable
- Watch out
- Loud until very late at weekends; Gritty by day
- Nearby
- Ladadika, Kapani Market, Aristotelous Square
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and couples
White Tower and the eastern seafront
East of the White Tower, the redesigned Nea Paralia waterfront has themed gardens, cycle paths and Zongolopoulos's Umbrellas sculpture, with the Museum of Byzantine Culture, the Archaeological Museum and the Concert Hall nearby. It is calmer than the old centre and suits families who want space to walk and cycle along the sea.
- Good
- Sea views and promenade walks; Near the main museums; Calmer evenings
- Watch out
- Fewer tavernas than the centre; Sea-view rooms are priced higher
- Nearby
- White Tower, Museum of Byzantine Culture, Archaeological Museum, Umbrellas sculpture
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and food lovers
Kalamaria
Kalamaria, south-east of the centre, was largely settled by refugees from Asia Minor in the 1920s and is now a prosperous suburb with a seafront of cafés, the Aretsou marina and fish tavernas popular with locals at weekends. It is about 20 minutes from the centre by bus or taxi and closer to the airport.
- Good
- Local seaside atmosphere; Closer to the airport; Good fish tavernas
- Watch out
- A bus or taxi ride from the sights; Few hotels
- Nearby
- Aretsou, Kalamaria seafront, Noesis science centre
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre (Aristotelous Square) | $$$ | Aristotelous Square, Modiano Market, Panagia Chalkeon, Roman Forum |
| Ladadika | $$$ | Thessaloniki Port, Aristotelous Square, Kapani Market |
| Ano Poli | $$ | Heptapyrgion, Vlatadon Monastery, Trigonion Tower, Hagios Demetrios |
| Kamara and Navarinou | $$ | Arch of Galerius, Rotunda, Archaeological Museum, White Tower |
| Valaoritou | $$ | Ladadika, Kapani Market, Aristotelous Square |
| White Tower and the eastern seafront | $$$ | White Tower, Museum of Byzantine Culture, Archaeological Museum, Umbrellas sculpture |
| Kalamaria | $$ | Aretsou, Kalamaria seafront, Noesis science centre |
Getting to your hotel
Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia is about 15 km south-east of the centre. OASTh buses run between the airport, the city centre and the coach station, taking about 40–50 minutes depending on traffic. A taxi to the centre takes about 20–30 minutes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Thessaloniki for first-time visitors?
City Centre (Aristotelous Square). The grid laid out after the great fire of 1917 runs inland from Aristotelous Square, the city's ceremonial plaza opening onto the sea.
+Where should families stay in Thessaloniki?
White Tower and the eastern seafront: Sea views and promenade walks.
+Which area of Thessaloniki is best for a budget stay?
Kamara and Navarinou ($$): Roman monuments, student cafés and cheap eats near the university.