Day 2 in Thessaloniki was a wash out. So was half of day 3 and the whole of day 4. Anyway, on day 2, the day after the carnival, I headed out into the expansive city of Thessaloniki to see what I could see. Thessaloniki is named after the daughter of King Philip II of…
During the bus journey from Edessa to Thessaloniki, just as we approached the city, from my window seat I saw something from the corner of my eye. Although the bus was going at a pace, I could see a collection of old trains set back from the roadside. I could also see people there, which…
On Sunday morning I left Edessa on the 11am bus to Thessaloniki armed with a bag of snacks from my lovely host Maria. The journey took 1 hour and 45 minutes and I arrived back at Thessaloniki Intercity Bus Station where my journey had almost begun. There was a ready waiting queue of taxis outside…
I can quite honestly say that Edessa has more than exceeded my expectations. Edessa hadn’t been on my bucket list – unlike Florina which I chose because of its reputation as being the coldest place in Greece. I saw Edessa as a stopping-off point on the way back to Thessaloniki and would see what I…
During my five days in Edessa I’d more or less exhausted all the key attractions so yesterday I decided to visit the neighbouring town of Naoussa. Naoussa is famous for its vineyards and winemaking. In the past it also had a thriving wool industry and many households in Greece would have had a blanket made…
One of the most popular places to visit in this region is Loutra Pozar, a thermal spa located in the foothills of Mount Kaimaktsalan/Voras. It is less than 40 km from Edessa and after enquiring at the bus station I have a plan for how to get there (and back!). The bus from Edessa departs…
Can you pack it all in on one day in Edessa? Well, even though I’m here for 5 (possibly 6) nights, I decided to throw everything at it, allowing me to pace myself for the rest of the stay. After a good night’s sleep in yet another fabulously comfortable bed, I was up early, ready…
My time in Florina came to an end way too soon. It was time to move on to the next destination. It’s a shame that I wasn’t able to explore further than Florina town. In this blog, I try to show that you can travel almost anywhere in Greece using public transport. A car may…
The day started with a little drizzle. The forecast did say there would be a possibility of snow – whatever happens, I’ve come prepared with a waterproof coat and plenty of layers so I’m sorted for ‘most’ eventualities. Autopilot took me straight towards the river. By now I’ve been up and down its length many…
Bloody hell – what a last couple of days they have been! The day after my little ‘episode’ I awoke with a bruised arm and chest and a lump on my head. I had no idea that I’d hit my head when I passed out but I’d probably bashed it on the edge of the…
Despite my exhaustion, sleep was very fractured. You know when people say obstreperous toddlers won’t sleep because they’re over-tired. I think this was me. According to my Fitbit, I did fall into some kind of deep sleep before dawn. At around 0930 I was rudely awakened by my phone ringing off the hook. It was…
Yes, the journey. Having made it to my first destination of the trip, I can look back and say that it was quite the journey. Had I not been recovering from a nasty virus I could have easily taken this in my stride but in hindsight, I should have broken this journey up. At this…