Thessaloniki – the second city of Greece. But it if only to compare them to Athens on scale, number of cars and inhabitants. As to a family tree, here Thessaloniki a little than concedes to the capital (the city is about 3000 years old). And on the extent of national love they at all will give it odds. «The sacred city», «the blessed capital», «the city to which sing praise» – here epithets with which award Thessaloniki in national songs.
At the different moments of the history Thessaloniki was the favourite city for Romans, Byzantines and the Turk. Now it is the main point on the map of Greece for pilgrims and shopaholics. The first go through the city to shrines of Athos, the second – behind the well-known fur coats to Kastoriya (this region is considered the center of the Greek fur industry).
Despite old age, Thessaloniki look beyond the years it is young-looking and modern. «A youth secret» – a terrible fire of 1917 in which disappeared more than a half of the old city. To restore the ashes charged fashionable at the beginning of the XX century to architect Ernest Ebrar. The Frenchman not only that restored the city from ashes, and returned to it lost there was a shape of the European city. All marks of Ottoman Turkish sovereignty were without remainder etched. And remains of the antique and Byzantian periods on the contrary, are underlined and entered in new "French" shape of the seaside city.
The view of the sea, ancient Byzantian basilicas and the boulevards which have been "in a Parisian way" set with harmonous avenues, is not the only thing of that for the sake of it is necessary to appear in Thessaloniki. Local – Macedonian – the kitchen is famous all over the country. Dishes here much more variously also are more tasty, than in other Greece, and the prices – are much more honest, than in tourist areas like Athens or Santorini – to make profit of pilgrims here it is not accepted.
In Greece Thessaloniki has a reputation for the gourmet capital. The local food more various and is more tasty, than in other regions of the country. About 100 years ago the local rural kitchen was improved strongly by the Greeks running from Istanbul from Turkish slaughter. The most interesting version of local restaurants – ouzeri, something like bars (the name in honor of local anisic moonshine of "Ouse"). In them it is possible nourishingly and to have a bite cheaply bean salad, seafood on a grill or a ragout from vegetables in sauce from cottage cheese.
Except food Thessaloniki is famous still for pubs (they are considered almost as the most cheerful in Greece). The majority of the fashionable bars calculated on purses of tourists, are registered in Nikis Embankment vicinities, a reference point – the White tower. It is simpler than a tavern, where have generally a rest local, it is necessary to look for in Kastr's regions (the old city) or Krini (the city East). Beer here costs on the average €4-6, a glass of Ouse or whisky – €7-10.