Thessaloniki: A City for Cyclists – Promising Signs!
- Written by Portal Editor
Thessaloniki – During our visit to Thessaloniki’s lower city, we noticed quite a few cyclists and a network of bicycle lanes marked by yellow lines. Naturally, we wanted to see for ourselves if a bike tour through Thessaloniki was a good idea.
We started once again from our camper’s base at the Zampetas family’s site in Peraia, near Thessaloniki Airport, heading for the ferry. Unfortunately, the first leg of the journey had to be covered along a busy road. After about 2 kilometers, we reached Perea where the streets are quieter and shortly thereafter, the local bicycle lane network.
Once again, we arrived at the landing stage right in front of Thessaloniki’s White Tower. By the way we almost forgot to mention taking bicycles on the ferry is free of charge. And just like that, our city exploration by bike could begin.
This early bird has just managed to secure its breakfast.
Here at Aristotle Square, we sometimes had to use our bells to get pedestrians to clear the bike path something we noticed was particularly necessary with tourists who were deep in conversation.
Aristotle: His teacher was Plato, yet he himself founded or significantly influenced numerous disciplines, including the philosophy of science, logic, biology, physics, ethics, political theory, and the theory of poetry.
From Aristotle Square, the bicycle lane network leads up to Thessaloniki’s main thoroughfare, still known as Egnatia. A section of the original Roman Via Egnatia has been excavated just to the left of the modern Egnatia road, at a depth of about 5 meters below the current street level.
Passing through the small Plaza Dikastinion park brings you to the Agora of Thessaloniki. Along the way, you encounter the covered market area; riding a bicycle through there would hardly be feasible. So, we parked at one of the many bike racks where the bike could be locked up.
The historic center of Ladadika was still quiet and almost deserted.
A little later after 3:00 PM it was hard to find an empty table at the street-side restaurants. A destination we will certainly visit again.
We returned to the waterfront promenade, which stretches for kilometers all the way to the port of Thessaloniki in one direction, and well past the Thessaloniki Concert Hall in the other.
The bike lane was blocked by parked cars on only one side street; notably, the lane dividers there had been destroyed.
Towards evening, the tents set up along the promenade began to open. Anyone expecting fruit or food stalls would have been mistaken: these were book stalls, each focusing on a different literary theme.
A proper delivery vehicle in Thessaloniki a city of cyclists. Well, we don't want to exaggerate, but the signs of progress are certainly remarkable.
Continuing along the waterfront, we came across an art installation made of umbrellas. A symbol of impending rain? Clouds were gathering and would soon thicken.
We headed back to the ferry pier for our 7:00 PM return trip to Peraia. The crossing took about an hour, and twenty minutes later, we were back at our campsite.
Please also read: