Thessaloniki is a Greek port city on the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea. It is the 2nd largest city in Greece (around 1.100.000 inhabitants). Much of its center was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1917. Evidence of its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history remains, especially around Ano Poli, the upper town. The rebuilt 20th-century city has a modern European layout, and is a hub for international trade and culture.

Thessaloniki is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political center, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe. Its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and the southeastern European hinterland. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually. Thessaloniki is the 2014 European Youth Capital.

The city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedon. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures.

Rich in history, culture and beauty, Thessaloniki is one of those destinations that once you visit, you will keep returning to. Fascinating museums, endless monuments from all historical periods, an intricate culinary scene, a vibrant nightlife and an amazing promenade along the sea all make this city easy to fall in love with. The city has also a renowned Jewish museum is there too - Thessaloniki had a large Jewish community from the 15th century onwards, up until the Second World War. To the northwest lies the main shopping district of the city center. Designer shops and main street brands can be found here, along with posh department stores and unique boutiques. Following the sea front promenade, conveniently passing just below Aristotelous Square, towards the southeast, you can easily get to the White Tower, Thessaloniki's hallmark: part of the city's fortification in byzantine and ottoman times, it is now a museum and a vantage point from which to enjoy the views.

Around Aristotelous Square a series of monuments testify to the city's continuous history since its founding in 315 BC: the Kamara (Arch) of Galerius, built during roman times, the Rotunda, a 4th century building converted to a church, the Agia Sofia, an 8th century byzantine church and dozens of neo-classical, art nouveau and art deco public and private buildings - among which the famous Modiano market, the city's original produce market. Additional sights worth visiting are the Archeological and the Byzantine Museums, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Walls of the Ano Polis, the Museum of Contemporary Art.