Stand aside Athens.

With a powerful good-times vibe (despite invasions, natural disasters and economic crises 😳 ), Thessaloniki is friendlier and more upbeat than the capital.

You’ve still got the ancient goodies, but there’s neon bits lighting up the city at night too.

The Arch of Galerius, the White Tower and the statue of Alex the Great are your heavy hitters.

You’d be a fool to skip ‘em.

Once that’s did, it’s time to get weird with a train graveyard and a 2,000 year old clay dildo (discovered in an ancient brothel in 1997).

Those Greeks sure know how to cook...

Try Thessaloniki’s fave ‘pita gyro’ sandwich at Diavasi - it’s a kind of flatbread wrap filled with fresh veg, beefy meatballs and chips.

Locals love Ouzerie Lola for its mezze, seafood and (of course) deadly ouzo spirit.

Try the shrimp pasta with garlic and tomato sauce. Everything’s available in big or mini portions so you can have a taster of it all.

Iktinou au Trottoir has a cocktail list that’s 80 drinks long. Should keep you going for a little while…

For afters, go for dingy (Nick Cave-approved) rock at Berlin Bar or faded dive bar glamour at Koukouvagia.

Thessaloniki brings the old and the new, the classic and the... very weird. Plus, it stays warm all through October 👌