Old Thessaloniki

You can catch glimpses of "Old Thessalonica" today in the walled Kastra  quarter, often known as the Ano Polis , on the hillside beyond the modern grid of streets. Even amidst the post-1917 flatlands below, there are pockets of Ottoman buildings which miraculously survived the fire of 1917.

The same goes for Greek Art Deco piles dating from the city's heyday and put up in time for the first International Trade Fair in 1926. In addition, the city's many churches  constitute a showcase of Orthodox architecture through the ages. For most visitors, however, the sight that stands out is Thessaloniki's excellent Archeological Museum, although depleted since the transfer of most Philip II-related exhibits back to Vergina.