We've not really done Thessaloniki justice. We arrived late on Monday; on Tuesday we just had a half-day's exploration, as we had to catch up with some jobs; and we've done two side trips that have taken us out of the city. You just can't do everything...

But it's a fascinating city, with layers and layers of history, and a relaxed vibe despite its hectic traffic. We'll just have to come back another time...

This, be it noted, is a city with a ton of literary connections. But it's not one that specializes in statues to writers, or other overt forms of recognition. Next time, when I've read a bit more, I'll know better where to ferret out the literary scenes.

Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BCE by King Cassander of Macedonia. It became an important trade centre under the Romans, and then, in the first century AD, one of the early centres of Christianity (Paul's second and third missionary journeys brought him here). During the Byzantine era, Thessaloniki became the second most important city after Constantinople. In the 13th century, during the fourth crusade, it briefly became a kingdom in its own right. By 1430 it was in the hands of the Ottomans, which is where it stayed until 1912, when the city was surrendered to the Greeks during the First Balkan War.

Traces of all these phases are easy to find.

We began the day at another bougatsa joint (delicious again):


And then we just followed our noses. You can't go far wrong:




The Rotunda was erected by Emperor Galerius somewhere around the year 300, although we're not totally sure for what purpose. It subsequently served as a place of worship for polytheists, Christians, and Muslims. We were initially dubious about going in, but it turned out to be gob-smacking, and at EUR 3 per person it would be really silly to miss it:










Also courtesy of Galerius, we have this triumphal arch (built to commemorate his victories over the Persians):






We were a bit distracted at this point by our first glimpse of Mt Olympus across the water:


But then we were off again, to Hagia Sophia, another place of worship that went from Christian to Muslim and back again:




Aside from all the antiquity, there's an interesting range of architecture to observe in Thessaloniki. Here are just a couple of examples, out of many:



We popped out again this evening for another lap of the waterfront. The citizens of Thessaloniki were out in droves, enjoying drinks in the many cafes that face the sea, watching the daylight recede and the evening arrive (all in a blaze of colour), and keeping an eye on the passers-by.




The weather is going to change, we're told. It has been quite mild here (cool in the mornings, but rapidly warming as the sun gets going). Tomorrow, the day we're scheduled to move on, is going to be cold, wet, and windy...