From Italians to Maltese to Serbians, and now Greeks – this has been an interesting adventure… Thessaloniki is a considerable change from Belgrade, so it’s taking time to acclimate and get comfortable. A few apartment issues are in the process of being “sorted” out The apartment itself is remodeled, but the building, well, that’s another story.
Apartment & Location
Greece made major changes to short-term apartment rental regulations in 2025, mostly addressing safety issues. Each violation could result in a minimum 5K Euro ($5.7K) fine. When the owner, who lives in Berlin, gave me grief about addressing the fact that the front door entrance lock was almost impossible to open, the stairway was a blackout with zero lighting, and there were no fire extinguishers or smoke detectors – I emailed a link with the new regulations. Amazingly, within one day, almost everything was addressed, and the non-existent stairway lighting is next. 😊
Flights from Belgrade to Thessaloniki were uneventful, except for another marathon run between Istanbul terminals (hate that) to reach the Thessaloniki connecting flight on time… I arrived in Thessaloniki late Saturday night. My apartment is in the city center on a short side street with no automobile access – only motorcycles – and poor street lighting.
After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to find and access the keys via a lockbox and get inside a pitch-dark building. My iPhone battery was almost dead, and the charger wasn’t easily accessible – scream. The person renting the apartment next door helped me get inside. Long-term travel with constantly changing locations is a test of patience and more importantly self-reliance. Although travel can be humbling, it makes you stronger… 😵💫
Foreign accommodations are always an unknown, as short-term apartment rentals are usually overpriced and misrepresented in photos and reviews. Each year I travel, this seems to get worse. Safe, comfortable accommodation is an important part of extended travel, and even with a rental broker – Booking.com, Airbnb, etc. – there may be unexpected issues. When you’re staying a month or longer in one place, it’s not as easy “putting up with” things that should have been addressed before renting an apartment – good luck getting most owners to make necessary repairs, especially if you’ve paid in advance.
Ancient Ruins, College Students, Orthodox Churches
So far, I haven’t created an itinerary of day trips or places to explore, but will do that soon. Mount Chortiatis, Meteora Thessaly, Loutra Pozar, and Pella are a few places of interest. The beautiful Waterfront promenade is about five kilometers (3 miles) long and leads from the Concert Hall to the Port of Thessaloniki. I’m near many interesting restaurants and I’m looking forward to enjoying fresh, healthy Mediterranean food. In Greece, delicious olives and fresh fish take on new meaning. The city has interesting history. Aristotelous Square is nearby, and ancient ruins are visible from my apartment and throughout the city:
- Roman Forum (Ancient Agora)
- Rotunda of St. George (Agios Georgios)
- Arch of Galerius (Kamara)
- Galenian Complex (Navarino Square)
- Odeion of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is a “young” city. There are several universities, and lots of college students. I arrived on Saturday night in the midst of raucous partying that went on until 3 am (tavernas on both ends of the sidestreet) – almost joined them… Other than the Saturday night from hell, my time in Thessaloniki has been peaceful and quiet. I re-learned to never leave the apartment without a small flashlight and an iPhone charger in my day pack.
So far, I haven’t encountered any anti-American sentiment, actually, it’s been the opposite. The only locals I’ve had “in-depth” conversations with are taxi drivers and the electrician who installed a smoke detector and emergency exit light in my apartment – in case of a fire or power outage. Both were very candid in discussions of current political, economic, and social issues in their country. I was appreciative of their candor and learned more about Greece from the conversations.
I met a friendly Orthodox priest – Dorotheos – when walking through the neighborhood. He gave me his cell phone number and said he would take me on a tour of the city. I plan to call him when I’m more settled. There are gorgeous Greek Orthodox churches everywhere, and some are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I’m trying to educate myself on basic Orthodox principles, especially with the upcoming Easter holiday! I’ve grown a bit photo weary and for now, am using media shots.
Weather has been beautiful and in the mid to high 60s, but rain is expected for the next few days. Next week, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high 70s. More later…
