Thessaloniki Greece: From Olympus to a Palace

Inside Greek Hospitality: Part 2

From the viewpoint high above, Thessaloniki unfolds beneath us, stretching all the way to the Thermaic Gulf. It is Ano Poli, the historic Upper Town, where narrow cobbled lanes wind between traditional houses, Byzantine churches and remnants of the old city walls. It is one of the best places to understand Thessaloniki. From up here, the modern city spreads toward the sea, while behind you are reminders of a much older one. The Vlatadon Monastery recalls the apostle who brought Christianity to Thessaloniki, while the surrounding neighborhood offers a glimpse into a quieter, more authentic side of the city.

Down by the waterfront, Thessaloniki changes character again. The iconic Umbrellas sculpture has become one of the city’s most photographed contemporary landmarks. Nearby stands the imposing monument to Alexander the Great, a powerful symbol of the city’s Macedonian heritage (How many of you know that Thessalonike was Alexander the Great’s half sister?), while the White Tower remains Thessaloniki’s most recognizable landmark. From its rooftop, views stretch across the promenade, the Thermaic Gulf and the city skyline. Along the waterfront, sculptures celebrating music and humanity share the urban landscape with the monument to Aristotle, creating a promenade where history, art and everyday city life constantly overlap.

One of the highlights of our visit was joining a fascinating small-group guided tour with the knowledgeable Alena Dotsoulas of  ‘Thessaloniki IL’. Having lived in the city for 14 years and bringing an Israeli perspective, she took us beyond the familiar landmarks into the stories, cultures and communities that have shaped Thessaloniki over the centuries. The four-hour tour combined history with visits to local markets and everlasting tastings of Greek delicacies.

Dotsoulas leads us to another impressive highlight beneath our feet. Thessaloniki’s new metro doubles as an extraordinary open archaeological museum, with ancient remains uncovered during construction incorporated into stations along the route. Passengers encounter layers of the city’s past as part of an ordinary journey across town. Few cities make commuting through history quite so literal. A fascinating walk.

For me, however, one of Thessaloniki’s highlights comes after dark. As night falls, the city comes alive, with young crowds filling restaurants, bars and traditional tavernas, spilling onto packed outdoor terraces and giving the streets an infectious late-night energy and even live Greek music, followed by folk dancing of hundreds in the  city center Navarinou square.

Just an hour south of Thessaloniki, Litochoro, at the foot of legendary Mount Olympus,opens a door to a completely different world. A full-day excursion takes us to the historic Monastery of Agios Dionysios, hidden in a forested gorge, and the enchanting Orlias Waterfalls, cascading into crystal-clear natural pools. Climbing the E4 trail on our way up, we encounter mules carrying supplies along the mountain paths, accompanied by large guardian dogs, as spectacular views unfold toward the Aegean Sea. Mythology, monasteries, waterfalls and dramatic mountain scenery. All within an easy day trip from Thessaloniki.

Back in the city, I was curious to discover the story behind another striking sight: an imposing symmetrical façade of columns, arches and ornate balconies that looks like a survivor from the golden age of Europe’s grand hotels. This is the Grand Hotel Palace Thessaloniki, which I made my home while exploring the region.

Yet this is no 19th-century aristocratic residence converted into a hotel, nor a historic palace restored for a new generation of travelers. Grand Hotel Palace was built as a hotel and opened only in 2004. The illusion of age is deliberate.

The building was conceived in a monumental neoclassical architectural style inspired by European mansions and aristocratic residences. Its U-shaped plan, decorative details and theatrical façade were designed to create precisely what its name promises: the atmosphere of a classic European Grand Hotel.

The result is an intriguing architectural trick: a hotel barely more than two decades old that looks as though it has been welcoming guests for a century.

Behind that classical exterior, however, is a decidedly contemporary hotel. Its 243 rooms and suites have undergone renovation, with interiors combining classical elegance with contemporary design and a fresh, chic character.

The location makes the story even more interesting and challenging. Grand Hotel Palace does not stand on Thessaloniki’s celebrated waterfront, beside the White Tower or near Aristotelous Square. It sits on Monastiriou, at the western entrance to the city, an area historically associated more with commerce and industry than luxury hospitality.

In a sense, the hotel had to create a destination of its own. There are practical advantages. Parking is complimentary, room rates can be more attractive than those at comparable five-star properties in the city center, and a complimentary taxi shuttle service operates numerous times a day between the hotel and central Thessaloniki, 3 kilometers away.

Behind the Grand Hotel Palace was Thessaloniki businessman Serafeim Dedeoglou, who built his fortune in textiles and exports before moving into real estate and hospitality. After opening his first hotel in the 1990s, he embarked on a more ambitious project: a five-star hotel designed to accommodate major conferences and international guests. Grand Hotel Palace opened 22 years ago, with its grand staircases, ballrooms and neoclassical façade giving the new property the character of a much older European hotel. Dedeoglou died in 2022, but the “palace” remains in the family, with his three daughters continuing the hotel business under The Luxury Hotels group.

According to Natasa Papanagiotou, the hotel’s high profile executive and Director of Development & Communications, the Grand combines its large-scale hospitality operation with a growing environmental agenda. It has maintained Green Key certification for 11 consecutive years and organizes “green events” of meetings and social functions. Those efforts were recognized last year with a Gold Award for Best Greek Green City Hotel at the Greek Hospitality Awards.

Is the hotel familiar to the Israeli market? I ask.

Papanagiotou’s eyes shine.  “Israel was the hotel’s leading international market during the current summer season. Israeli business declined during the past two and a half years”,  she says, “but has since returned, with organized groups from Israel once again choosing the hotel”.

“In 2028, another significant connection is expected to emerge nearby. The future Holocaust Museum of Greece is being developed close to the hotel, dedicated to preserving the memory of Thessaloniki’s once-thriving Jewish community and the tens of thousands of its members murdered during the Holocaust. For Israeli visitors in particular, it is likely to become one of the city’s most meaningful places to visit”, Papanagiotou reveals.

Together, Thessaloniki and Olympus make northern Greece a destination well worth discovering, just a two-hour flight from Israel. But what I’ll definitely carry home is kefi – the Greek zest for life, where music, dancing and shared moments matter more than possessions. The word itself comes from the same Arabic root as the Israeli kef. Different shores of the Mediterranean, perhaps, but when it comes to enjoying life, we speak the same language.