Thessaloniki – Official Start

We rolled into Thessaloniki, dropped our bags at the hotel, and were swiftly swept into the city’s heartbeat by our guide, Emily. With a mix of bus rides and footwork, we began our journey through the layers of history that make this city so captivating.
Our first stop: the ruins of the ancient Agora, nestled beside the Jewish quarter. Thessaloniki’s Jewish heritage is both rich and deeply tragic—once home to over 70,000 Jews before the Holocaust reshaped its story forever.
Just steps away stands the Church of Saint Demetrius, built shortly after the Edict of Milan. It marks the site where Demetrius was martyred, and today it quietly watches over the Agora, a solemn reminder of faith and resilience.
We traced the ancient city walls, dating back to the 4th century AD, all the way to the upper city. From there, the view was nothing short of breathtaking, Mount Olympus loomed in the distance, rising over 3,000 meters and casting its mythic shadow over the port city below.
From our vantage point, we could see the legendary Via Egnatia, the very road Paul walked into Thessaloniki. Nearby, the Vlatadon Monastery stood quietly, believed by tradition to be the site of Jason’s house.
Descending into the lower city, we followed the path of the Via Egnatia, now marked by the Arch of Galerius. Built in 300 AD to celebrate Rome’s victory over Narseh, the seventh ruler of the Sassanid Empire, the arch still stands as a proud monument to ancient triumph.Read more