With kids · Thessaloniki · Greece
Thessaloniki with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: XeresNelro, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Thessaloniki works well with children thanks to the flat, car-free seafront with playgrounds and bike lanes, the White Tower's rooftop, and day trips to Mount Olympus and Chalkidiki beaches. Late dinners are normal, and children are welcome in tavernas until late. Top picks: White Tower, Nea Paralia seafront and the Umbrellas and Kapani and Modiano markets. Families usually base themselves in White Tower and the eastern seafront.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- White Tower and the eastern seafront
- Rainy-day options
- 0
Best things to do with kids
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Landmark · White Tower and the eastern seafront
1.White Tower
The cylindrical Ottoman tower on the waterfront, built in the 15th century and once used as a prison, is the symbol of the city. Inside, six floors of displays tell the history of Thessaloniki, and the rooftop gives a 360-degree view of the seafront, the port and, on clear days, Mount Olympus across the gulf.
Climb it late in the afternoon for the light over the gulf, then walk the promenade towards the Umbrellas for sunset.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
Waterfront · White Tower and the eastern seafront
2.Nea Paralia seafront and the Umbrellas
The redesigned promenade east of the White Tower runs for several kilometres past 13 themed gardens, playgrounds and cycle lanes to the Concert Hall. Giorgos Zongolopoulos's Umbrellas sculpture, a cluster of steel umbrellas rising from the waterline, is the favourite sunset photo spot.
Rent a bike and ride the full length in the early evening, when locals come out for their walk.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- Photo spot
Market · City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
3.Kapani and Modiano markets
The Kapani (Vlali) market is a grid of lanes selling fish, olives, herbs, spices, cheese and loukoumi, and it has been the city's food market since Ottoman times. The covered Modiano Market next door, built in the 1920s, has been restored and now mixes food stalls with places to eat.
Go in the morning on a weekday, when the fishmongers are in full voice, and buy olives and spices to take home.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Ano Poli
4.Ano Poli, Heptapyrgion and the city walls
The Upper Town's lanes climb to the Heptapyrgion (Yedi Kule), a Byzantine and Ottoman fortress that served as a prison until 1989, and to stretches of the city walls. The Trigonion Tower next to the walls is the classic sunset viewpoint over the whole city and the gulf.
Take a taxi or bus up to the Heptapyrgion and walk downhill through Ano Poli to the centre.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
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Landmark · City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
5.Aristotelous Square
Designed by the French architect Ernest Hébrard after the 1917 fire, the city's grand square opens from Egnatia Street down to the sea between arcaded buildings full of cafés. It hosts concerts, protests and the Christmas tree, and the Olympion cinema on the square is home to the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
Order a frappé or freddo espresso on one of the arcade terraces and watch the evening volta, the city's promenade.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
- Architecture
Where families should stay
$$$ · 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
Family travel tips
- Rent bikes or a family quadricycle on the seafront and ride towards the Concert Hall.
- The Noesis science centre and planetarium in Thermi, near the airport, is a good rainy-day option for children.
- Plan sightseeing for the morning in summer and spend afternoons at a Chalkidiki or Perea beach.
- Strollers are easy on the waterfront but hard work on Ano Poli's cobbles and steps.
- Bougatsa and koulouri make easy breakfasts and snacks for fussy eaters.
Day trips for families
- Mount Olympus and Dion (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — Greece's highest mountain rises above the village of Litochoro, where the Enipeas gorge trail starts.
- Kassandra, Chalkidiki (About 1–1.5 hours by car) — The westernmost of Chalkidiki's three peninsulas has long sandy beaches, pine-backed coves and resort villages such as Kallithea and Pefkochori.
- Edessa waterfalls (About 1.5 hours by car or train) — The town of Edessa sits on a cliff edge where its river drops in a series of waterfalls, the largest about 70 metres high, with a park, walkways and caves behind the water.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September–October. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Thessaloniki good for kids?
Thessaloniki works well with children thanks to the flat, car-free seafront with playgrounds and bike lanes, the White Tower's rooftop, and day trips to Mount Olympus and Chalkidiki beaches. Late dinners are normal, and children are welcome in tavernas until late.
+What can kids do in Thessaloniki?
White Tower, Nea Paralia seafront and the Umbrellas, Kapani and Modiano markets, Ano Poli, Heptapyrgion and the city walls and Aristotelous Square.
+Where should families stay in Thessaloniki?
White Tower and the eastern seafront: Promenade gardens, museums and sea-view apartments east of the White Tower.