Marinas apartment is in the perfect location within the city. It’s beautifully appointed and there is everything you need. Restaurants and shops are nearby, the nightlife is great to watch from the balcony, but the bedrooms are at the back so it’s quiet at night to sleep. Marina sent lists of recommended eateries and she quickly answered our questions about where to hire a car and park. We had a whole week in Thessaloniki, we were still finding new streets to explore even at the end. The food markets are interesting, and if you are prepared to go off the beaten track there is no end of local places to eat that do authentic and delicious Greek food. There are of course the tourist bars and restaurants in the centre and on the sea front, which are all nice but a little more expensive. We hired a car for the day and drove to Afytos in Halkadiki, we had a relaxing day on the beautiful beach. Afytos is a sleepy Greek hamlet with not much going on, but there are places to rest in the shade and eat and drink. Driving in the city was interesting! But once out of town the driving is easy.
Overall the city feels very safe and vibrant, we actually preferred it to Athens, and the walk up to the fort on the hill was well worth it, if rather hot in the midday heat.