Thessaloniki

A journey to the heart of its history

Welcome to Thessaloniki, a city that has been bustling with life for over 2,300 years! Its unique location, as a crossroads of civilizations and a Mediterranean port, has shaped its cosmopolitan, lively, and deeply historical character.

• Birth in Antiquity: The city was founded in 316 BC by Cassander, king of Macedonia, who named it after his wife Thessaloniki, half-sister of Alexander the Great. It quickly became one of the most important urban centers of the Hellenistic world.

• Roman Metropolis: During the Roman period, Thessaloniki emerged as the metropolis of Macedonia. The construction of the Via Egnatia, the ancient highway that connected Rome with Constantinople, boosted its strategic and commercial importance. Emblematic monuments from this period, such as the Arch of Galerius (Kamara) and the Rotunda, have survived to this day.

• Byzantine Grandeur: As the “co-capital” of Byzantium, second in importance only to Constantinople, Thessaloniki experienced a golden age. It was a center of Orthodoxy, culture, and learning. Its Byzantine walls and churches, many of which are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites, bear witness to its wealth and power. Its patron saint, Saint Demetrius, is a symbol of the city’s faith and endurance.

• Ottoman Rule and Multinational Composition: The Ottoman conquest in 1430 marked a new era. The city became a bustling, multinational port, where Greeks, Turks, and a thriving Sephardic Jewish community lived together peacefully, making the city known as “the Jerusalem of the Balkans.”

• Liberation and Modern Greece: On October 26, 1912, Thessaloniki was liberated and became part of the Greek state. After the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922, it welcomed thousands of refugees, acquiring its current identity. Today, Thessaloniki is a lively, youthful capital that perfectly combines its historical heritage with the modern pulse of entertainment and gastronomy. Welcome to our city! Welcome to the Vespa Club of Thessaloniki!