I left Thessaloniki knowing that I hadn’t fully taken advantage of my two short stays there. I made a mental note to come back in the near future. While I don’t know exactly when that will be, I’ll let the ideas tumble around in my head until I can turn it into a concrete plan….
Ancient Pella and Aigai and the Acropolis of Thessaloniki – Sans Photos! Today, I will return to Thessaloniki for a couple of days. I finished the tedious chore of packing and then headed out to take one last walk around Sochos village. The contrast between the craziness of the Clean Monday festivities and this morning…
Sunday morning brought with it a bout of light drizzle. The overcast sky did not feel very “Carnival” to me. From within the church, the solemn tone of the priest’s chanting reminded all that now is a time for Christian worship. The Pagan revelry will come later. There were very few signs of life outside,…
Friday 28th February was a day of national strikes and a time to remember the 57 souls that were tragically lost during the Tempi rail disaster. Speak to any Greek and they will call it murder – most certainly not an accident. To show respect on the 2nd anniversary of this horrific event, all carnival…
I had dropped a small clue on where I would be spending the tail end of Carnival and Clean Monday in my video of the Thessaloniki parade – though ever so subtle. It was a pure coincidence that I was in Thessaloniki at the time of the parade. As magnificent as it was, this fairly…
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…
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…
4 week itinerary – This Northern Greece Carnival itinerary covers Florina, Edessa, Thessaloniki and Sochos by bus and train. Experience authentic Greek carnival traditions including the extraordinary Koudounophoroi bell-wearers of Sochos, Edessa’s spectacular waterfalls, Naoussa’s Genitsaroi carnival, and the thermal springs of Loutra Pozar. Best time: February-March. No car rental needed.
