Thessaloniki is a city that manages to maintain its quality at a high level. Competition plays its part in order to improve services and create pleasant experiences that are worth having again and again.
On the occasion of the LoveThess column, we tour the city every week, choosing places where you can experience moments that fulfil your expectations and at the same time allow Thessaloniki to remain an ever-interesting mosaic.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki
They say that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, but for the Hyatt Regency this has never been a problem. The first impression one gets when they see the hotel lobby is one that will stay in their mind forever.
An impressive, large, high-ceilinged space with comfortable sofas, where you can have a chat or a business meeting in an elegant setting or relax with a snack, a cup of coffee or a post-office cocktail, away from the city buzz.
13th km Thessaloniki – Peraia highway, +30 2310 401234
Lobbies traditionally reveal the identity and character of each hotel and in the case of the Hyatt Regency it instantly conveys a sense of comfort that permeates the entire hotel. Comfort is, after all, the greatest requirement of our time for any stay or visit to a hotel space or room. The Hyatt Regency lobby is one of the most beautiful spaces in Thessaloniki, which can add value and style to our everyday moments.
“We only serve signature cocktails and what we want is for the flavours and aromas to be reminiscent of Greece, we want to offer our guests a flavourful experience that reflects the spirit of Greece”, says Sakis Danis, F&B Manager of the Hyatt Regency, to travel.gr. Based on a study of Hyatt guests’ wishes, the F&B team created a menu of ten cocktails, four of which are alcohol-free, such as the popular Sobertime, with sour cherry juice, lemon juice, simple syrup and hibiscus.
All the ingredients with which the cocktails are made are Greek, namely cranberry liqueur, mastic, pomegranate juice, basil, mint, Cretan dittany, Olympus mountain tea, fennel, etc. Even the vodka and gin come from Drama and the Peloponnese respectively, while gin is made from at least 20 different herbs.
One of the most popular cocktails is the Stairway Hyatt with gin, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, which gives a sweet and sour taste; the result is light and refreshing. The number one cocktail served at the Hyatt bar is the Mai Tai which includes rum, mastic liqueur, cinnamon and orange.
Below, the ingredients and the method of preparation:
Ingredients:
30ml Greek Rum
20ml Mastiha Skinos
25ml Orange Curaçao
20ml Orgeat syrup (bitter almond)
20ml fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Method: Shaking / Fine staining
Glass: Double Old Fashioned
Garnish: orange slice, brown sugar & cinnamon stick
How to make: add the ingredients (except the angostura bitters) to a shaker with ice shake & strain into the glass, filled with ice. Pour the 2 angostura dashes & garnish.
Of course, especially on Tsiknopempti (part of the traditional Greek celebrations of the carnival; The celebration, normally translated as Smelly Thursday, Charred Thursday, or Smoky Thursday, centers on the consumption of large amounts of grilled and roasted meats), before or after cocktails in the Lobby, you can duly honour tradition by enjoying – accompanied by live music – the special menu prepared for the occasion at Ambrosia restaurant by Executive Chef Apostolos Altanis.
Regency Casino Thessaloniki
12th km Thessaloniki – Airport highway, +30 2310 491234
When you arrive at the entrance of the Regency Casino Thessaloniki you realize that you are entering a place where Covid-19 safety measures are a priority. This gave us the peace of mind that one needs in a place where a large number of people with a desire to have fun and gamble gather.
The second piece of good news on entry was the raffle ticket we received to enter the day’s draw – cash draws are held every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 21:30 and 23:30.
Also, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday up to €5,000 cash is drawn per draw. So, even a simple visit out of curiosity or a wander around the Casino’s impressive grounds can turn into a very lucky day.
Vergina Theatro
12th km Thessaloniki – Airport highway, +30 2310 491291
The partial return to normality and the return of music in entertainment venues bring to the fore Vergina Theatro, located next to the Regency Casino Thessaloniki. After a quality performance of favourite Greek songs by singer Melina Aslanidou and the sharp humour of actress Sofia Moutidou, a programme of selected performances follows.
On February 24, on Tsiknopempti, Vergina Theatro offers an experience unlike any other in Greece: fine meats, drinks and mantinades (Cretan folk songs) by musician Nikos Zoidakis, who will take us on a journey with the rhythms of the Cretan lyre. The ticket price includes a mixed grill dish and a glass of wine per person.
Finally, in March, Vergina Theatro welcomes the famous Greek singer Glykeria. The popular singer will present a delightful music show with hits from her long career and her collaborations with great artists. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Smyrna Catastrophe, the show will bear a strong emotional and ethnic character stretching from Izmir to Istanbul and the Bosphorus.. She will be accompanied by the beloved Greek-Turkish singer Dilek Koc.
The Garden Bar
16 Agiou Mina street, +30 2310 272818
A colourful and welcoming garden in the heart of Thessaloniki, an oasis reminiscent of tropical destinations, where from early morning you can enjoy aromatic coffee, freshly squeezed juice and morning snacks, a little later a rich brunch, at noon a delicious light lunch, and wine and signature cocktails in the evening.
Croque madame, scrambled eggs in crispy focaccia, sandwiches, burgers, bao buns with shrimps and fresh mango or chicken or mushrooms in the vegan version, pancakes with bougatsa cream or rich meringue, fresh cool salads, mini pizzas, juicy chicken fillet with quinoa tabbouleh and citrus sauce, lemon pie and more are on the menu of the urban colorful Garden Bar.
The Garden Bar is open daily and is located in the quiet pedestrian street of Agios Minas, one step above the busy Tsimiski Street. A welcoming space, dressed in the colours of nature, with green dominating the walls and exotic plant foliage designs.
Entopica Bakarelia
15 Kastritsiou street, +30 2310 301187
Entopica Bakaleria grocery store hosts on its shelves and refrigerators traditional products by small producers from all over Greece. It is located on Kastritsiou Street, a small alley that starts from Athonos Square, above Ermou and Karolou Dil, and ends at Agia Sophia Street.
“Our ambition is to source our products directly from the producers, without intermediaries. This is something we are working on, it’s not easy”, says to Travel.gr Adriana Nerantzaki who, together with her partner Kostas Xenopoulos, opened the store on 27 November 2021.
Adriana studied archaeology, but did not pursue her studies. She attended a seminar at the American Farm School on alternative tourism, met producers and so together with her partner, an agronomist and organizer of the summer music festival in Vlasti, Kozani, they decided to open a grocery store, the decoration of which bears the signature of Can Studio.
Floor made of vinyl tiles in green and brown colour and a wide variety of pasta, organic herbs from Peristera in Thessaloniki, bulk and packaged legumes from Voio in Kozani, free-range eggs, a variety of cheeses such as blue cheese produced in Neochorouda or Agonari cheese made from 100% Greek sheep’s pasteurized milk – classic, aged or with chilli flakes- which is produced in the foothills of Mount Olympus, tsipouro from Arta, meat packed in an airtight bag from an organic farm in Ioannina, cheese with black garlic, mustards, sweet pumpkin chutney, sauces, dried mushrooms, etc.
Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 09.30 – 18.00, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 09.30 – 21.00.
Choureal
7 Paleon Patron Germanou street, +30 2310 252766
At Choureal patisserie, you have the opportunity to enjoy tailor made profiteroles made right in front of you. On weekends, queues form on the pavement outside the shop, as people of all ages wait patiently to order the famous “à la minute” profiteroles.
Your fragrant choux are always freshly baked as they come out of the oven every hour. Immediately afterwards, they are filled with either velvety Madagascar vanilla cream or fresh handmade ice cream, while delicious chocolates – milk, dark, white, praline – top off the sweet creation.
In addition to profiteroles, Choureal also offers decadent choux, handmade ice cream, Paris-Brest filled with velvety cream or chocolate, and mouth-watering éclairs, classic or other flavours such as pistachio, mocha and lemon.
Opening hours: daily from 10.00 to 23.00, Sundays from 11.00 to 23.00.
Nea Diagonios
64A Themistokli Sofouli street, +30 2310 029085
Nea Diagonios now welcomes its customers in its new space serving its specialties, such as handmade soutzoukakia and a variety of fine meats, appetizers, salads and desserts. In a quiet location, Nea Diagonios with its large windows, minimalist decoration and of course the sea view is a guarantee of taste. After all, this is what has always been the restaurant’s hallmark for many years.
Classic, traditional and modern dishes are prepared by executive and award-winning chef Yannis Ηantakis, who grew up in the kitchen of their family restaurant (Diagonios has been operating in the center of Thessaloniki since 1976 by the parents of the current owner) and despite his studies in medical informatics he pursued a career in gastronomy.
Among the restaurant’s specialties are the juicy beef soutzoukakia served with saffron rice and chili flakes, the onion and parsley gyros, the handmade Olivier salad and the aubergine salad with garlic and parsley. You should also try the loukoumadakia (Greek-style doughnuts) with Chios mastelo, smoked Metsovo cheese and feta, Cretan tomato chutney and mastic mayonnaise, as well as the Nea Diagonios salad with lettuce, tomato, baby rocket, pomegranate and parmesan. The menu also includes beef liver, pork steak, beef fillet, as well as gluten-free dishes and delicious desserts. It should be noted that the chef is an expert in gluten-free cuisine and collaborates with the “Action for Celiac Disease” association. As for the outdoor area, you will have to wait until the weather warms up. Open daily from 13.00 to 24.00, except Mondays.
Free guided tours on the occasion of World Tour Guides’ Day
As every year, on the occasion of the International Tour Guide Day, the Association of Tour Guides of Thessaloniki & Northern Greece organizes free guided tours of the city. “In view of the celebration and because we would like to continue to show you our city through the eyes of a licensed guide, we are organizing free guided tours on Sunday, February 20,” said to Travel.gr the president of the Association of Guides of Thessaloniki & Northern Greece, Anastasia Gaitanou.
Lasting about two hours, the tours include thematic routes that have left their imprint on the history of Thessaloniki. For example, the so-called Jewish walk involves, among other things, the city’s administrative building – the current headquarters of the State Ministry of Macedonia & Thrace – built in 1891. Passing by several important Jewish buildings, it will end at Eleftherias Square at the Holocaust Memorial, a sculpture by the Glid brothers depicting the seven-light lamp and a grid of human bodies as flames. It should be noted that the Jewish community of Thessaloniki was not a minority community; on the contrary, it was once the largest community in the city in terms of population.
Another route that the qualified guides will take is the so-called Ottoman route, which covers monuments such as the Aladja Imaret building of 1484, the Yeni Hammam (Aigli), the Bezesteni, one of the most characteristic buildings of the Ottoman period of the city, dating back to the 15th century, with four entrances covered by six domes, etc. It was in 1430 when Sultan Murat II conquered Thessaloniki and the years of Ottoman rule lasted until the liberation of the city by the Greek army in 1912.
The route, which will focus on Thessaloniki’s late Roman era, will cover monuments such as the church of Agios Demetrios – patron saint of Thessaloniki – the Ancient Agora, the Rotunda, the triumphal arch of Galerius (Kamara) and the palace of the Roman emperor Galerius Maximianus in Navarino Square.
The route “One street – many faces” will include Achiropiitos – the first Christian church that was converted into a mosque immediately after the fall of Thessaloniki in 1430 – and along the route there will be a tour of the old buildings of the 1920s, the hotels that once existed, the pastry shops, the cinemas, etc.
Another route that the guides will carry out on Sunday 20 February is “Thessaloniki in the 1920s – The presence of the Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli in the city centre”. Registration: Friday 18 February, from 18.00 to 20. 00. Call +30 6944 411994 (for the Jewish walk and the Thessaloniki of the 1920s), +30 6972 356752 (for the route of late Roman Thessaloniki) and +30 6955 192844 (for the Ottoman walk and the “One street – many faces” route). Health protocols will be observed and the number of participants will not exceed 30 people.
