Thessaloniki City Guide

Thessaloniki is Greece's second-largest city and the cultural, economic, and tourism gateway to the Balkans. Founded in 315 BC and named after Alexander the Great's half-sister, the city has been continuously inhabited for 2,300+ years — layering Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Jewish, and modern Greek heritage. The waterfront promenade along the Thermaic Gulf, the White Tower (Lefkos Pyrgos), and Ano Poli (the upper-town Byzantine quarter) anchor the city's identity. Population is 325,182 (city proper) / 815,000 (metro). Average property prices reached €2,325/m² in January 2026 (+7.39% YoY per Indomio), with Kalamaria (the premier coastal suburb) at €2,450/m² (+8.1% YoY). Rental yields exceed 7% in Ladadika and Kalamaria — among the strongest yields of any major Greek city, materially above central Athens. Thessaloniki captures a meaningful share of Greece's Golden Visa investment alongside Athens.