(SKG) Thessaloniki Airport Stopover – Things To Do!
So you’ve arrived at Thessaloniki airport and you have a 12-24 hour stopover. What to do? Where to stay?
Here are some ideas for your Thessaloniki airport stopover.
Thessaloniki Airport Stopover – 3 Things to Do
1.City Break
You want to do some shopping, you want to eat, you want to have a drink at night.
This is a no-brainer. You stay in Thessaloniki, as close to the centre as possible. This link is to a route on Google maps. We are not interested in the root. We are interested about what is inside the route. The route marks on the central district of Thessaloniki. For drinks, shopping at restaurants, you can’t go wrong with this area. The western side is more bars and restaurants and that blend into shopping on the Eastern side.
How to get to the city?
A taxi will set you back around 30 euro each way
There is an express bus from the airport.
And that’s about it.
You could hire a car but honestly, parking is a bit of a nightmare in the city. And the city centre is compact, you can get everywhere on foot.
2.History Buff
For archaeology buffs, there is plenty that can be squeezed in. This is a route on Google maps, which hits the main stops. Might be a bit of a squeeze for half a day.
It takes in Anopoli, the old city, start here. It’s on a hill so maybe get a taxi to here and walk the rest. It’s mostly downhill. You’ll see the old fortifications of the city, the Ottoman area, one church of the Patron Saint of Thessaloniki, the Roman Forum, the old market/bazar, the Venizelos Metro station which is built in to the roman ruins they found when building the metro. From here you can take the Metro to the Rotonda and follow the route down to the two main archaeology museums.
Again, I’d get a taxi in to Thessaloniki centre from SKG. And stay somewhere inside the route featured in the “city break” above.
3.Beach-Swimming-Tavernas
If you want to feel like you are on a Greek island, Perea is only 10 minutes from the airport. Taxi will be around 20 Euro each way. This route shows the main bar/taverna area which also has the beach and beach bars.
Where to stay?
I’d stay close to the route detailed above. Booking has a ton of options.
Quieter
If you want something quieter with a larger beach and arguably slightly nicer water. Nea Epivates is here. Whether you choose Perea or Nea Epivates, the beach is usually very clam, and you can walk out a long distance before it get’s deep. Perea has more bars, Epivates more beach.
This video covers Thessaloniki beaches from Perea up to around 40 minutes drive away.
