Leave the city centre for a while and head through the beautiful Ano Poli district to the heights where the old fortification with the Trigonion tower stands.
You'll also enjoy the best views of Thessaloniki and the Aegean Sea.
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The well-preserved city fortifications can be admired for over 1 km, with the Trigonion tower being the highlight with the best view. The entire city walls of Thessaloniki are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Walls from Antiquity to Byzantium
The strategic location of Thessaloniki required a thorough fortification of the city, which was particularly vulnerable from the northern slopes. That is why massive fortifications were built in the hills north of the centre as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries during the Roman Empire, which became even stronger after the conquest of Thessaloniki by the Turks.
At the height of the fortifications' glory - around the 16th century, when the Ottoman Empire was fortifying itself massively - they were up to 7 km long and consisted of walls up to 10 metres thick with many towers.
It was only after the 19th century, when housing construction began to expand more massively, that the length of the walls was reduced to the current approximately 1 km of very well-preserved fortifications, on which you can still see parts of the ancient times.
Even further north of the continuous belt of walls with the Trigonion tower you will find the equally interesting Heptapyrgion fortress.
Visit the walls today
Nowadays, Thessaloniki's walls are one of the more unpretty yet relatively little-visited attractions.
Along much of it, you can stroll through a pleasant park and enjoy breathtaking views of the city at the Trgionion Tower, along with refreshments at one of several pleasant restaurants and cafes.
You can't climb the walls, but that's okay, there are no trees or tall buildings obstructing the view from the official vantage point below the Trigionion. Entrance to the area around the walls is free, they are not fenced in any way.
The best-preserved kilometre-long section at the Trigonion is followed by several other sections of more or less well-preserved walls, which stretch along the northern edge of the centre almost to the main station.
How to get to the walls?
Due to the really high elevation you have to climb from the centre, we recommend taking the city bus number 23 to the walls.
This runs once every 20 minutes from the central bus stop between Aristotle Square and the harbour (see map).
You can easily find out where to get off on your own. The bus passes directly through one of the gates through the walls and the bus stop is just beyond this passage.
Walk back to the centre through the Romantic Quarter. Ano Poli with its narrow streets and old buildings.
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Thessaloniki.
