The Border
If you are researching Northern Greece Thessaloniki travel, here is what nobody tells you: the moment you land changes everything.
There is a moment when you cross from one country into another and everything shifts. The airport looks the same. The signs look the same. However something changes the moment you enter Greece.
We flew out of Belgrade and touched down in Thessaloniki. When we stepped off the plane, I felt it. The air. The light. Something that is hard to put into words but impossible to miss if you have ever made that crossing yourself.
Our first stop was Thessaloniki. Fittingly, before we even reached the city center, we found ourselves in a town just east of it, because that is exactly where the airport is. A town called Thermi.
Thermi, Where the Hot Springs Are
Thermi is located about 14 kilometers east of central Thessaloniki. Macedonia International Airport, Thessaloniki’s main airport, is also located here.
Thermi means hot springs in Greek. The name comes from the ancient Greek word thermos, meaning warm or hot. People have been coming to these springs since ancient times. The therapeutic waters have drawn visitors for thousands of years.
My father-in-law Yonnie knew this town well. He and Zahari visited the hot springs regularly. So of course we went too.
The water was hot. Very hot. It made me feel heavy, thick and sluggish. I got out and got dressed as quickly as I could. However later that day, I felt better than I had in a long time. Maybe Yonnie and Zahari knew something we did not.
Thermi is also a town of narrow streets. Very narrow. So narrow that even a small car has to pull over to one side to let oncoming traffic pass. I remember watching a man navigate a 1957 Chevy through those streets, wheels up on the sidewalk just to fit through. Classic American car. Ancient Greek town. Some things you cannot plan for.
Thessaloniki, Greece’s Second City
Thessaloniki is Greece’s second largest city and the capital of Northern Greece. Macedonia International Airport serves the city and the wider region.
After Thermi we drove into Thessaloniki. The city is busy, alive, and full of energy. It sits at the head of the Thermaic Gulf and has been an important city since 315 BC when King Cassander founded it, naming it after his wife Thessalonike, the half-sister of Alexander the Great.
We wandered into a jewelry store. Gold earrings, watches, bracelets, all beautiful. Greek gold craftsmanship is something you have to see in person to fully appreciate. The detail, the weight, the warmth of it. We looked for a long time.
I decided my shopping spree should start right there. I bought a small pair of earrings on the spot. I knew that once I left this city I might not see it again. I had to have a souvenir. I am still happy with those earrings today.
Then we ate. And that is where Thessaloniki truly surprised me.
The spanakopita, spinach pie, was the best I have ever tasted in my life. Fresh phyllo pastry, crispy and golden. Spinach and feta filling that was generous and perfectly seasoned. Thessaloniki is known for its food and after one bite I understood why completely.
Diavata, West of Thessaloniki
Diavata is a town west of Thessaloniki, within the greater Thessaloniki metropolitan area.
From Thessaloniki we headed west to Diavata. This is where things got memorable in a way I did not expect.
Someone offered me a donkey ride. I said yes. There was no saddle. Just a thick colorful blanket thrown over the donkey’s back. I was wearing a skirt.
I slid right off.
Some experiences you cannot plan for no matter how hard you try. That was one of them. I laughed. Everyone laughed. Greece has a way of surprising you when you least expect it.
Up in the Mountains, A View Worth Everything
Mount Chortiatis sits east of Thessaloniki and offers sweeping views down toward the Thermaic Gulf and the coastline below.
Before we left the Thessaloniki area we drove up into the mountains. Mount Chortiatis rises just east of the city and the view from up there is something I have never forgotten.
We sat at a café on the mountain. Far below us we could see the beach. The water. The gulf stretching out toward the horizon. From up there the whole world looked calm and ordered and beautiful.
We ordered hot goat milk chocolate. Fresh bread and butter arrived with it. The chocolate was rich and warming. The bread was soft. The butter was cold. The view was endless.
I did not want to leave.
Northern Greece Thessaloniki Travel: What You Should Know
If you are planning a trip to Greece, most people fly straight to Athens. However Northern Greece Thessaloniki travel deserves your attention. Thessaloniki has its own airport, Macedonia International Airport, with direct flights from many European cities.
From Thessaloniki you can easily explore:
East of Thessaloniki: Thermi, Serres, Kavala, Xanthi, Komotini, Alexandroupolis
West of Thessaloniki: Diavata, Veroia, Edessa, Kozani, Florina, Kastoria
Each of these areas has its own character, food, and history. When it comes to Northern Greece Thessaloniki travel, this region is not just a stop on the way to Athens. It is a destination worth your full attention.
Greek Words for This Journey
Here are a few Greek words from this part of your trip:
| Greek | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Θέρμη (Thermi) | Hot springs | THER-mi |
| Θερμός (Thermos) | Warm / Hot | THER-mos |
| Σπανακόπιτα (Spanakopita) | Spinach pie | spah-nah-KOH-pee-tah |
| Γάιδαρος (Gaidaros) | Donkey | GAH-tha-ros |
| Βουνό (Vouno) | Mountain | voo-NO |
| Λεωφορείο (Leoforeio) | Bus | le-o-fo-REI-o |
| Τρένο (Treno) | Train | TRE-no |
| Τι ώρα έρχεται το λεωφορείο/τρένο; | What time does the bus/train come? | Ti O-ra ER-he-te to le-o-fo-REI-o/TRE-no? |
Northern Greece surprised me at every turn. The hot springs of Thermi. The gold of Thessaloniki. A donkey in Diavata. Hot goat milk chocolate on a mountain with the beach far below.
None of it was in any guidebook I had read. All of it was real.
That is the Greece most people never see. And it is worth every moment of the journey to get there.
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