he city was founded in 315 BC by Cassander, in honor of his wife Thessaloniki, sister of Alexander the Great. Since then, and due to its strategic position, Thessaloniki has been a commercial and cultural crossroad that brought together people and ideas from all over the world. The signs of this uninterrupted urban activity for more than 2,300 years are evident in each corner of the city. Nowadays, Thessaloniki is a big, modern city, with a population of around one million, and an important administrative and financial center of the Balkans. Thessaloniki is surrounded by places of great natural and historic beauty such as Olympus National Park, Vergina, where the Royal tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great was found, the autonomous Mount Athos, which is forbidden to women and children, and Chalkidiki with its beautiful sandy beaches.

Climate

The city lies in a transitional climatic zone, so its climate displays characteristics of several climates. Winters are relatively dry, with common morning frost. Snowfalls occur sporadically more or less every winter and fog and wind are common. During spring, temperatures are still low in March and early April, but as of May, temperatures start to rise rapidly. Thessaloniki’s summers are hot and quite dry. Maximum temperatures usually rise above 30 °C (86 °F) and the maximum recorded temperature in the city was 44 °C (111 °F). Autumn is cool and rainy. A hot and rainy month, September is a romantic time of the year in Thessaloniki. Even though it may be autumn, temperatures rarely go below 16 degrees Celsius and the daily average floats around a comfortable 21 degrees.

 People & Life

Thessaloniki is a popular destination. You will certainly enjoy a pleasant and interesting stay in the city. People are friendly and happy to help with any questions. The atmosphere is unique during the day in the commercial and shopping center, but especially during the evening, in the wide variety of bars, restaurants and theatres for entertainment. Thessaloniki is renowned for its unique location, along the Thermaikos Gulf, its sunsets, its long history, its monuments and museums as well as its distinguished cuisine.