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Thessaloniki is a city full of beautiful Byzantine churches, many of which are included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Some of churches which should be seen by passers through are the Church of Saint Demetrios, the church of Agia Sophia and the Church of Saint Nicolaos Orfanos. The Byzantines are among the many peoples who have lived in Thessaloniki, including the Romans and the Ottomans, throughout 3,000 years of history. One reminder of Roman occupation is the Rotunda within the old city, a temple built to the God Zeus. The Ottomans also made their mark there with Bezesteni (Turkish public baths) and a closed market which sells jewellery and precious materials. With a large Jewish community taking route, Thessaloniki was given the nickname the 'Mother of Israel'. However many of these Jews were sent to Auschwitz during the war. Today more than 1 million residents live in Thessaloniki. The city's major landmark is the White Tower of Thessaloniki, an impressive castle by the seafront which is well worth seeing. This fortified tower dates back to 16 A.D. You can also head into the old town for great views out across the bay. Within the old town youll see some incredible buildings such as a Byzantine citadel. There are many retail opportunities in Thessaloniki. Clothes shoppers may wish to head to Egnatia Street for reasonably priced stuff or check out the most fashionable items at Proxenou Koromila. If you want to pick up fresh local produce or buy small gifts and souvenirs there are many stalls between Venizelou Street and Aristotelis Square. Venizelou Street also has plenty of stores which have the famous local pastries on offer such as Baklava. Try Chatzis.for an all round collection of Greek sweets. Meanwhile eating the local specialties of Souvlaki washed down with ouzo in the tavernas of Thessaloniki is a good way to get a feel for the city atmosphere. It is possible to drive to Thessaloniki from the Greek capital Athens in about five hours along the highway, while Thessaloniki is also close to other major cities in Eastern Europe such as Belgrade and Istanbul. Having a car saves you from using the train station of Thessaloniki, which limits you to certain times, or the taxis which are surprisingly expensive. Although the people of Thessaloniki don't necessarily obey parking laws in the city, you may not get away with it as a tourist. Parking is fairly scarce and if you do find a good spot parking is relatively expensive. Visitors who like museums can go to the Folklore and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace, the State Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki, the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art (Thessaloniki is in fact in Central Macedonia) and the Museum of Cinematography in Thessaloniki among many other options. If you go to Thessaloniki in November you will see a film festival which is great fun and full of young people. Thessaloniki is a university town and there are lots of places to go out drinking with the crowd including Bit Pazar and Athonos Square. If you are in Thessaloniki on holiday and want to have some fun, dont miss the citys raucous nightlife. Aristotelous Square is always a good point for any night out as it is packed with good restaurants and bars. Thessaloniki international Airport is also called 'Makedonia airport' and you can fly to most major cities in Europe from there. There are routes to the cities of Zurich, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow and many more. The most popular routes are to Athens though with the Greek carriers Aegean Airlines and Olympic Airlines. No matter what your budget you will find places to stay in Thessaloniki. There are budget apartments in the city centre by the name of Easyflat, mid range accommodation like the Queen Olga Hotel.in east Thessaloniki and El Greco Hotel on Egnatia Street.
Article Source: http://www.bharatbhasha.net Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.net/travel.php/158523 Article Added on Monday, August 24, 2009
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