When to Visit - Arts and Events

Each winter, The International Thessaloniki Film Festival runs for a nine day period. It has become one of Europe's most influential and exciting film festivals. The festival began strictly as a showcase of Greek cinema and the lineup still boasts an impressive assortment of domestic features. But it has also come to be an important place for films from the Balkans and central Europe -- not to mention France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain.

Thessaloniki Dining

Greek cuisine and Thessaloniki restaurants, in particular, are excellent. Local cooking is spicy, grilled and typically meaty, full of bold Mediterranean flavours. Fruits of the vine, courgettes, tomatoes, olives authentic moussaka and Greek salads abound. The tavernas are the place to experience authentic Greek cooking where an assortment of 'mezedes' can include such variety as coleslaw, aubergine salad, domades (stuffed vine leaves), cheese pie and lamb liver stuffed with rice and herbs.
If you tire of Mediterranean flavours, the city has a variety of international restaurants.

Thessaloniki Tipping Advice

Tipping is acceptable in Greece. Although restaurants generally add a service charge directly to your bill, it is still good practice to leave a small tip for the waiter. Equally, porters, chambermaids and other service staff should be tipped, with the exception of taxidrivers who usually do not expect them.