The beautiful and beloved Thessaloniki, which is the second largest city has an unrivaled charm and beauty, that can satisfy every kind of taste and desire. The city is worth visiting for many reasons.
The White Tower, the always full of life sea front which offers romantic walks and entertainment, the panoramic view from the Old Town.
Ideal for history lovers, as it has many museums and monuments. Moreover, it has lots to offer to all kind of entertainment from cafes, clubs and bouzoukia up to music halls, theaters and cinemas.
It is considered to be among the most romantic cities, because you can not fall in love with the beautiful Thessaloniki.
Plaza Hotel in Thessaloniki is located in the city center, opposite the port of Thessaloniki and just five minutes walk from the city center.
Port < 200m
Aristotle Square (Center of Thessaloniki)< 500m
White Tower < 2km
Convention Center Vellidis < 2,5km
Exhibition Centre HELEXPO < 2,5km
Railway station < 2km
Makedonia Airport < 15 km
Mediterranean Cosmos < 13 km
One Salonica Mall < 2km
The area of Ladadika is located near the Port of Thessaloniki and for centuries it had been one of the most important commercial centers of the city. The name Ladadika itself derives from the existence of several wholesale stores in the area who sold mainly olive oil.. In 1985, Ladadika is proclaimed as an area of cultural value from the Ministry of Culture of Greece.
The unique architectural style of 19th century buildings is still preserved and protected. Despite its small size, the importance of the area is that it gives the visitor a picture of how Thessaloniki was built before the fire outbreak in 1917 which leveled 70% of the city.
Today, having gone through restoration procedures during the 1980s, Ladadika is an entertainment district in Thessaloniki. Ladadika is located in the Morichovou square and the Petrakakis Square. The upper Ladadika is located in the Commerce Square with an exit to Politehniou Street.
Thessaloniki is a cosmopolitan city, but it is also the refugees’ and poor’s mother, the cradle of a 2,300 year history and the favorite town of students and professionals. It contains thousands aspects that are worth for you to see.
During your stay at HOTEL PLAZA, do not miss to visit the most important monuments and museums of Thessaloniki, which are within walking distance of the hotel.
The historical monuments of the city are many and date back to Hellenistic and Roman times, Byzantium, the Ottoman period, to the wars and struggles of modern Greek history. The most important of these are:
You can still visit:
White Tower
The White Tower, is the symbol of Thessaloniki. Built in 1535, it was the city’s fortress to the sea, but it was also used as a prison and part of torture. After the liberation of the city, the Tower was whitewashed to be cleaned from the blood and renamed “White Tower”. It has a cylindrical shape, the height is about 35 meters and consists of six floors, with central circular halls, where significant historical finds are exhibited. It is kept in excellent condition and the view from its top is magnificent.
Arch of Galerius or Kamara
It was built in 305 AD. to celebrate the triumph of Galerius against the Persians. From the original arch only 3 poles and part of the upper masonry have survived. The two main posts are covered with marble carved slabs. Through the main arch, access to the palace of Galerius and Rotonda was possible.
Rotonda
Rotonda was built in Caesar Galerius (around 306 AD), as the temple of Zeus or Kavir or others, as a Mausoleum of the same. Its circular shape also owes its name. It was linked to the Arch of Galerius and its palaces by a special street. He received many blows from earthquakes and wars, as well as numerous interventions over the centuries. It became a Christian temple, a mosque, a museum and a space for cultural events.
Ancient market
The ancient market was the center of the Roman city of Thessaloniki with public buildings, conservatory, galleries and entertainment venues. It stretched over an area of approximately 20 hectares between today’s Olympus and Philippos streets.
Archaeological Museum
Here are rich collections of the ancient, Hellenistic and Roman history of the place, wonderful sculptures, plenty of sarcophagi and gifts, precious and everyday objects, crowning the treasures of Vergina and Dervene.
Museum of Byzantine Culture
The Museum of Byzantine Culture hosts collections of sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, icons and inscriptions from the Byzantine era found in the area as the city of Thessaloniki was the most important center after Constantinople in the European section of the Byzantine Empire. The permanent exhibition of the museum includes exhibits presenting the various forms of Byzantine art from the time of acne until the period following the fall of Constantinople by the Turks.
Folklore and Ethnological Museum – Museum of Macedonian Struggle
The Folklore and Ethnology Museum – Museum of the Macedonian Struggle is considered one of the best of its kind and its exhibits include artifacts of recent history and architecture spread throughout the Balkans as well as exhibits from the battles that took place in early 19th century for the liberation of Thessaloniki. In addition, the museum houses costumes and objects of everyday life of the Greeks of the past 250 years.
Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, on Aghios Minas Street, has been operating since 2001 to record the Sephardic heritage of the Jews who moved to Greece after their persecution from Spain in the 15th century, bringing with them all the Renaissance western Mediterranean culture. What remains of the catastrophic fire of 1917 and the turmoil of the Second World War, such as tombstones, religious and ritual vessels, books, documents, costumes and utilitarian objects of everyday life, presents the history of the Jewish community in Thessaloniki from the 3rd century BC to the Holocaust, imprinted through a rich photographic material and informative texts.
Ataturk Museum
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the new Turkey, was born in Thessaloniki. In 1935, the city council of Thessaloniki granted the Kemal Ataturk home to the Turkish state, which turned into a museum devoted to him. The building, which dates back to 1870, has 3 floors and a courtyard. On the walls there are photos of Kemal from various periods of his life as well as all the documents related to Kemal’s school years.
Cinema Museum
Thessaloniki Museum of Cinematography is located in the harbor area. It began its operation in 1997, when Thessaloniki was the “Cultural Capital of Europe” and coincided with the 100th anniversary of the 100th anniversary of the Cinema. It is an independent part of the Thessaloniki Film Festival and aims at the gathering, rescue and museological promotion of the elements of Greece’s cinematographic life.
Museum of Photography
The Thessaloniki Museum of Photography is also home to the port, which aims to organize exhibitions of Greek and international photography and the presentation of its different uses and approaches. The exhibitions are divided into exhibition circles: “Glances in the City”, “Great Creators”, “Greeks of the Diaspora” and others. The Museum organizes Photobiennale, featuring artists from around the world.
Holy Temple of St. Demetrius
It was built in the middle of the 5th century (413), on the site of the martyrdom of Saint. Here was the “stadium” where dueling struggles took place. At this stage, the faithful disciple of Saint Demetrius, Nestor, was defeated, and he defeated Lyeus. The whole ground floor complex of the ancient bath, where the Saint was imprisoned, was preserved and converted into a crypt of the temple, which has been for centuries and remains a center of worship. The great fire of 1917 altered the historical Temple almost in ruins and the restoration works that restored it in its original form lasted until 1948. Since then it has been operating normally and is one of the most beautiful Christian monuments of the Greek East as an art monument.
Holy Temple of the Holy Savior God
One of the most important monuments of the city. It is located in the center, and together with Agios Dimitrios and Panagia Achiropiitos belong to the most important paleochristian monuments of Greece and of Orthodoxy.
Holy Temple of Our Lady of the Right
The temple of the Virgin of the Right in Thessaloniki was founded in 1954 in the place of the Byzantine church of Agios Ypatios, where the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary Eleousis was offered, a faithful copy of the homonymous image of the Kykkos of Cyprus, which the tradition wants to have decorated the Evangelist Luke. Tradition wants the image to be conveyed by a monk who had seen a vision coming from the eastern gate of the walls, offering the image to the first temple he would find on his right. Thus, the temple was named Virgin Right. Another tradition says that the name “Right” is due to the fact that Theotokos is portrayed holding Jesus in her right hand while her most common hagiography is to bring it to her left hand.
Paggaiou 5, Ladadika,
54625, Thessaloniki, Greece
+30 2310 592 100
sales@philianhotels.com
