In the course of the next three, short days, Yiannis will introduce us to the charms of northern Greece and its unique musical community. Then, our eyes land on a young man sporting an “Arnold Guitars” t-shirt and holding a hand-written sign inscribed, “Welcome Thomas family!” It’s our friend and host Yiannis Gougourelas, the formidable guitarist known on YouTube as GreekFlatpicker. We survey our surroundings and see cars and motor scooters careening at frightening speeds down narrow cobble stone streets, the breathtakingly beautiful Aegean shoreline, and the city’s visual symbol, the remnants of the 2 nd century White Tower that the Ottomans used as a prison and site for mass executions.
But, has one of them ever gigged in a Greek bluegrass band?Īs my family and I step from the train after our six-hour journey from Athens to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, we peer out at the city founded in 315 BCE by King Cassander of Macedon and named for his wife, Thessalonike, the half sister of Alexander the Great. This piece lost out in its quest for in-print space to cover stories about such artists as the Avett Brothers, David Rawlings, Sam Bush, and Tim O’Brien. "If all you want for your vacation is to lie on a beach and listen to the waves, Halkidiki is your destination," my mom said.Here’s my report on “what I did on my summer vacation” from last summer. Plus, with so many local tavernas by the sea, you're sure to have a great meal of octopus, ouzo on the rocks, and some calamari. Halkidiki is near Thessaloniki, so it's also a great place to visit if you want to combine a city escape with a beach destination.
One summer my mom and uncle took me to a different beach every day, and she still loves to tell the story of how I gave all the Halkidiki beaches an "A++" because I loved them so much. The sand is soft and white, the water is warm, and the colors of the sea are the brightest blues you'll ever see. But if you're looking for an incredible beach vacation, you might be better off on the mainland.Įven as a kid, I remember being stunned by the beaches in Halkidiki. Sure, Santorini's got those gorgeous white buildings, and Mykonos has the wild nightlife. Pefkochori beach on Kasandra peninsula, Halkidiki, Greece. "Walk in the Thessaloniki promenade to enjoy a sunset and, if the sky is clear, a perfect view of Mount Olympus," she added. Try the bougasta - a Greek dessert of custard wrapped in phyllo - or koulouri, Greek sesame bread rings that were my mom's childhood favorite. Thessaloniki is also packed with so many delicious tavernas and restaurants that the city recently landed on Time Magazine's list of "The World's Greatest Places of 2022." My mom recommends visiting the Ladadika neighborhood at the city's center for dinner, or going to Aretsou for views of the water. The White Tower now has an exhibition on the city's history, and you can go up to the top for spectacular views from its balcony. But the most important landmark is the White Tower, which was built in the 15th century after Thessaloniki fell to the Ottomans. It's the second biggest city in the country after Athens and dates all the way back to 316 BC.Īncient ruins can be seen in the city's downtown area, along with the majestic Byzantine churches.
Most of my summers in Greece were spent in Thessaloniki, where both of my parents grew up.
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