We know AirBnB has a bad reputation these days due to the rise of houses prices and the gentrification of cozy neighborhoods, but for us it’s still a wonderful opportunity to see a foreign city from an inhabitants perspective, as if you are taking care of an old friend’s house for a few days. This time we did not need to worry about any intrusion at all: the apartment is situated in a former office building, where the fifth floor has been transformed into a few wonderful suites. Otherwise the building would have just been deserted/desolate, like so many offices in this area of the city.
I already mentioned ‘taking care of a friends house’, and this is hardly an exaggeration here at Nikos and Dimitra’s place. Upon arrival we had a wonderful warm reception by Nikos, showing us the keys, wondering if we had enough towels. (There were only two dozens in the cupboard.) Because we were here to celibrate my partners 60th anniversary, a huge chocolate cake was waiting for us on the table. The apartment is spacious, with two bathrooms, a stunning view of the harbor, the sea, and Mount Olympus on the other side of the bay. It’s clean, comfortable, with more than enough space for four large grown-ups (we’re all 6’5”/6’7”). There is wifi, coffee, soap and shampoo, and even tooth paste, tooth brushes and shaving equipment, in case you’d forgotten to bring your own.
The apartment is situated close to the shops, the flea market, and the harbor where the boats from Mykonos and Samos arrive. Round the corner, two blocks away, there is an medieval souq-like neighborhood full of bars and cozy restaurants. Our favorites would be Mamalouka, Foul To Mezze and Lena’s Bistro. Round the corner on the other side, only one block away, there is a private parking, where you can park your rental car for just € 15 per day.
Thessaloniki is a wonderful place to spend a long weekend away from the gloomy Dutch Winters. We went to the Lazaridi winery near Drama, saw the pelicans and flamingo’s of the Axios Delta, and did a grand tour around a snowwhite Mount Olympus, visiting the amazing landscape and monastries of Meteora (Kalambaka). The hospitality of our hosts and the practical comfort of the apartment made our trip complete: a memory to cherish for the rest of our lives.