Moving Arround - Local Transportation
The ideal way of discovering Thessaloniki is on foot, as it is an absolutely walkable city. Visit the Old Town, the center of the town, the port and of course the Waterfront and Nea Paralia with the great sunset views. These are only a few of the many places in Thessaloniki one can discover on foot and a really great way to spend your day.
Bus Public Transport (OASTH): Taking a bus is the best way to move inside the city except when visiting the Upper Town ("Ano Poli") and the Castles area. You can buy a ticket for a single route (1,00€ /0.50€ for students), a 70 minute two-ride ticket (1.20€/ 0.60€ for students), a 90 minute three-ride ticket (1,50€ / 0,80€) or a 120 minute 4-ride ticket (2,00€/1,00€).
Tickets can be bought at the outlets of OASTH (Organization of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki city) and the kiosks scattered all around the city (“períptera" in greek). You can also buy a ticket from an automatic vendor inside the bus, with slightly higher fares – be sure to keep in mind that the automatic vendor doesn't give back change.
For a more complete experience, we recommend you using the Cultural Transfer Line of OASTH, which will enable you to visit some of the major tourist attractions of Thessaloniki (2,00€/1,00€).
Taxi: Taxi service in Thessaloniki is plentiful and economic. Taxis can easily be found everywhere in the city, the city airport, port and railway station. Taxis are available at most hotels or can easily be ordered by hotel reception staff. Taxi companies operate 24-hour call centers, ready to receive your order or make an advance booking for you.
Minimum taxi fare is 3,10 € [ A double fare is applicable at night (24:00 – 05:00)]. Most taxis currently use satellite navigator systems that facilitate a fast and easy transfer to any destination in the city.
Bicycle: Discover Thessaloniki by means of riding a bicycle! City touring becomes even more enjoyable through a network of bicycle lanes bearing the special marking! The bike sharing system in the Municipality of Thessaloniki, named I-BIKE, of THESSBIKE company, holds eight stations and a fleet of 200 bicycles, including two seat, four seat, electric bikes and vehicles for the handicapped. Another company in the field of renting bikes is BikeIT, based in Nea Paralia of Thessaloniki, where you can select from a wide range of bicycle types.

Time and Currency
Greece belongs to the Eastern-European time zone and it is two hours (+2) ahead of Greenwich Time.
Greece is a Member-State of the European Union and uses its uniform currency – the Euro.
Currency exchange rates are clearly displayed in every bank that accepts currency exchange, while credit card holders may acquire money from the ATMs of the collaborating banks. Greek banks are open for the public from 8:00 to 14:30 Mondays to Thursdays and from 8:00 to 13:30 on Fridays. They are closed on Public Holidays.
Euros can also be exchanged for notes of other foreign currencies at exchange offices that are situated at the airport and certain main ports, in the larger cities, as well as at many tourist destinations. A passport is required when exchanging currencies.

Language
The national official language is Greek. However most of the people speak and understand other languages like English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Weather & Climate
Thessaloniki enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with its location in northern Greece resulting in the region receiving more rain than other areas of the country, and seeing lower temperatures during the winter. Summers in Thessaloniki are generally hot and dry, and the area receives an abundance of sunshine even during the low season. July and August are the hottest months, with temperatures reaching an average of 27C, and the sun shining for over 10 hours a day. The summer frequently sees highs of 30C, however these very hot days are cooled by the strong winds that blow from the north, which begin in June and start to die down in September.

Shopping
You should definitely visit Tsimiski Avenue in the city center. It is by far the most popular commercial street of Thessaloniki with hundreds of fashion stores and boutiques. Many famous brands have their local outlets there. A good alternative would be "Mitropoleos" st. located on the south of Tsimiski Avenue.
The shops’ opening hours are not pre-determined.
In general terms, the regular shopping hours on weekdays are 09:00 – 21:00 and Saturdays 09:00 – 15:00.
Malls and big stores operate:

• Monday-Friday: 09:00 – 21:00
• Saturday: 09:00 – 18:00 or 20:00

Shops, boutiques and other commercial markets, operate:

• Monday/ Wednesday/ Saturday: 09:00 – 15:00
• Tuesday/ Thursday/Friday: 09:00 – 14:30 and 17:30 – 21:00

Health & Safety
In order to have access to necessary health care, tourists from member states of the European Union (EU) wishing to visit Greece must be holders of the European Health Card (EHIC) or any other legal Community document issued by their competent social security agency. You can find more information about the EHIC here.
In these cases, the necessary treatment in Greece is provided by:

• the IKA (Social Security Institute) Health Units (polyclinics) or doctor's offices in the region;
• Regional clinics (former rural clinics) or the Health Centres of the National Health System; and
• the outpatients' departments of the hospitals on contract

In order to have access to necessary health care, tourists from countries other than the member states of the European Union wishing to visit Greece must consult their social security agency for information before travelling.

Useful Phone Numbers

• Thessaloniki area code (30) 2310
• European Emergency Number 112
• Police 100
• Tourist Police (+30) 2310554874
• Fire Department 199
• Ambulance 166
• SOS Doctors : 1016
• Duty Hospitals and Clinics: 1434
• Pharmacies: 1434
• Railway Customer Service Centre 14511
• Urban Transportation 11085
• Intercity coaches (+30) 2310595400
• TAXI 18300, 18180, 18288
• Airport (+30) 2310985000
• Telephone directory enquiries - Local 11888
• Time 14844
• Theatres & cinemas 1422

Internet Access and free WiFi spots
There is a big number of Internet cafes which provide Internet access at reasonable prices.
Free WiFi spots: http://free-wifi.gr/en/find-free-hotspots/thessalonikis

Electrical Plug/Outlet and Voltage

• Voltage: 220-240 Volts (U.S./Canada are 110-120 Volts)
• Primary Socket Type: Europlug, Schuko
• Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc.): Plug adapter
• Click socket type links to view adapter for that type
• 110-120V electronics: Plug adapter + step-down transformer
• Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.: Plug adapter + voltage converter