Home to about a million people, the city is deemed Greece‘s cultural capital for its abundance of festivals, events, and culture.
But its allure is rooted even further, as Thessaloniki is an ancient city with a 3,000-year history and a diverse collection of cultural and historical monuments from the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman eras, and from the previously strong Jewish population.
Many of its Byzantine churches and an entire area of the city have been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The central part of the city, within the walls of the Byzantine fortification, is the oldest section and is divided into two parts.
The city center has plenty of tourist attractions, activities, and entertainment. Ano Poli and Eptapyrgio (Upper Town and Seven Towers, respectively) are part of the heritage-listed old city and still exhibit signs of Byzantine and Ottoman heritage.
