Thessaloniki is the capital city of the Greek region of Macedonia. This city is the second largest in Greece, and besides than being capital of Macedonia is the capital of the Thessaloniki prefecture as well. This way, Thessaloniki is very important for several reasons as well as it is very attractive, factors which attract a high number of tourists on a constant basis.
The city of Thessaloniki is also known as Salonica and has received several different denominations through its history. Besides than Thessaloniki and Salonika, this city has been known as Solun, Conyu, Saruna, and Selanik, among others. This variety of names is due to the fact that through its history, this city has had different rulers from different origins, and most of them would give this destination a different name.
The central area of Thessaloniki, located in the Chalcidice Peninsula in a bay of the Thermaic Gulf, has a population of about 1.000.000 people. This central or metropolitan area is very large and counts with 13 main municipal areas as well as with a variety of tourist attractions, being one of the most visited spots in the region.
Thessaloniki is an important commercial area. This city has a very important port, considered the second most importance in Greece and one of the most important ones in the entire Mediterranean Sea. This way, it is easy to imagine that this city is very active and full of life, and tourists who enjoy lively destinations would surely be ale to have a great time while visiting it.
The history of Thessaloniki can be traced back to the year 315 BC, when it was founded by the King of Macedon, Cassander. Cassander founded this city calling it Thessalonica after his wife’s name. During the second century BC, a period in which it was considered an autonomous area of the Kingdom of Macedon, Thessaloniki went through an important development and many changes. When the kingdom of Macedonia fell towards 160 BC, Thessaloniki was named part of the Roman Empire. After that, it has gone through a great number of different important historical moments which are counted among the main attractions offered by this city.