PacktriciaPlan my trip
Menu
Byzantine walls above Thessaloniki and the Thermaic Gulf
Thessaloniki · Views and outdoors

Ano Poli in Thessaloniki: walls, viewpoints and a downhill walk

Reach the upper town first, then choose a manageable downhill route. This gives you time for the walls and neighbourhood streets without making a long climb the price of every viewpoint.

01

Start high and spend energy on the neighbourhood

Use a confirmed bus connection or taxi to reach the Trigonion Tower area. Do not rely on an old bus number copied from a guide: check OASTH for the travel date and direction. Begin with the walls and the view across the city to the gulf, then decide how far you want to walk. Carry water before starting the descent.

Mobile data for your trip. Check what your current plan includes for roaming. If you need another option for maps, messages and booking details, compare NXTL eSIM coverage and rates. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, and check coverage for every stop. Download important maps and confirmations for offline use too.

02

Read the defensive line

Connect the tower surroundings with Anna Palaiologina Gate. Look along the masonry and compare the height and shape of the surviving defences with the streets below. The route is interesting from public areas; an interior ticket is not compulsory. Leave Heptapyrgion as a separate, checked extension if fortifications and prison history are your main interest.

03

Choose a quiet descent, without calling it a secret

Use the official Ano Poli route to connect the lanes towards Vlatadon Monastery if its current visitor access suits the day. It remains a religious place, so dress appropriately and respect any restricted areas. The attraction here is the changing relationship between houses, walls and views, not a claim that you have discovered an unknown neighbourhood.

04

Know when to shorten the walk

Ano Poli has slopes, steps and uneven surfaces. After one viewpoint and a lane section, you can return by confirmed transport instead of committing to a full descent. Wet paving and summer heat both change the effort. Discuss the specific route if mobility is a concern; a taxi to the top does not make every subsequent lane step-free.

05

A distinct food finish back in the centre

Save a booked tasting at Olicatessen for after you return to Ano Ladadika. The Greek olive-oil session gives the second part of the day a different pace, with a clear subject to explore. Confirm the time and dietary needs before booking, and leave a generous gap after the hill walk. For a shorter outing, stop after the walls and keep the tasting for another day.

Check before you go

Opening arrangements and visitor rules can change. Check the official information before your trip.

Put it into your travel plans

Open the Thessaloniki city guide →

Keep reading

Thessaloniki’s upper-town streets and coastline seen from above
Weekend plan · Thessaloniki

A first weekend in Thessaloniki: markets, Roman sights and Ano Poli

Use Saturday for the centre and waterfront, then give the upper town a separate Sunday outing. The plan leaves room for a meal and one substantial museum instead of packing every historical period into the same morning.

The Rotunda’s domed brick exterior and surviving minaret in Thessaloniki
Art and heritage · Thessaloniki

Roman Thessaloniki: Rotunda, Kamara and the Galerius route

Connect three nearby Roman anchors instead of trying to absorb the whole city at once. The Rotunda’s interior, the arch’s carved panels and the palace remains each reveal something different.

Aristotelous Square and its arcaded buildings in Thessaloniki
Food and neighbourhoods · Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki’s market morning: Kapani, Modiano and Greek olive oil

Compare the traditional market streets with Modiano’s restored hall, then choose a focused tasting. This is a route for looking, asking and trying a few things, rather than assuming every stop supplies a full meal.

White Tower beside Thessaloniki’s waterfront promenade
City walk · Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki’s waterfront: the White Tower and a museum choice

Start with the White Tower’s story of the city, then walk the seafront at an easy pace. A nearby museum gives you a useful alternative when wind, rain or heat makes a long promenade less appealing.

Chania’s harbour buildings at dusk
Weekend plan · Chania

A first weekend in Chania: harbour, old-town food and one museum

Give Saturday to the harbour and old town, then choose a museum for Sunday. Keep the closed market and ongoing paving repairs visible in the plan without letting either become a required stop.

Venetian bastions and the cityscape of Heraklion
Weekend plan · Heraklion

A first weekend in Heraklion

Give Minoan history one day and Heraklion’s own streets another. Knossos, a city museum and the harbour make a workable weekend when you leave time for transport, meals and a weather alternative.

Browse all travel guides →

Photo: Maris Uuetoa / Pexels