Nightlife

Thessaloniki offers all kinds of entertainment and is renowned for its good food and "mezedes" (dishes of food accompanying drinks).

The youthful spirit of the city, which hosts many elegant restaurants and a multitude of "ouzeries" and taverns, is to be found both in the city and the suburbs. The student community of some 60,000 contributes to the creation of a very vivid and vibrant atmosphere. The waterfront cafes of Leoforos Nikis and the bars of the city centre district are among the main poles of attraction. Among the most popular areas to drink a coffee or a beer are:

Aristotle Square (Aristotelous)
The most popular tourist cafes and bars lie round the central square of the city and street of the same name. One can find quiet cafes or noisy ones, according to your preferences.

Proxenou Koromila Street
Parallel to Nikis Avenue is Pr. Koromila Street with various cafes and bars.

Iktinou pedestrian precinct
Another place in the city with cafes and bars and a couple of restaurants

Ladadika district
To the west side of the centre lies the picturesque neighbourhood of Ladadika, named after the many stores that used to sell the oil (ladi) arriving from the adjacent harbour. Formerly a somewhat notorious district, the Ladadika has since been renovated and its many stone-built warehouses now host some of the most well-known bars and nightclubs, covering all sorts of music, including traditional Greek bouzoukia.

Nikis Avenue
The seafront avenue is full of cafeterias usually crowded around the clock, available for coffee in the daytime and beer or drinks at night.

Athonos Square
Preferred by many students of the city, Athonos Square is full of simple Greek taverns serving meat and/or fish dishes accompanied by wine, retsina (traditional low cost wine), beer and ouzo. Some feature live Greek music.

Bit Bazaar (flea market)
This area is another lively (and noisy) student hang-out with bars and ouzeries that fills up on warm nights.

Kastra (Ano Poli)
Up the hill, next to the Byzantine walls, you can find many good restaurants with views over the city.

Tsinari
An old district in Ano Poli hosting the tavern of the same name, along with many others.

Aretsou
Aretsou lies to the east and is part of the suburb of Nea Krini after that of Kalamaria. Along Plastira Avenue running close to the sea front, one can find family coffee shops which transform into bars at night, booming with vibrant music and crowded with young patrons.