Day trips
Thessaloniki by car: the city, Halkidiki beaches and the best day trips from SKG airport
How to spend a trip around Thessaloniki with a rental car: what to see in the city, which Halkidiki peninsula to choose, and day trips to Vergina, Edessa, Mount Olympus and Mount Athos, with distances from the airport.
WoopDrive editorial team8 min read
Car rental at Thessaloniki Airport
Nov 20 - Nov 27 · 7 days
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Thessaloniki is Greece's second city and one of the easiest places in the country to start a road trip. The airport (SKG, Makedonia) sits about 15 km south-east of the centre, on the side of the city that faces Halkidiki, so you can be on the waterfront in about 25 minutes or on a beach in Kassandra in about an hour and a half. Within two hours' drive you also have the royal tombs of Vergina, the waterfalls of Edessa, Mount Olympus and the coast of Mount Athos. This guide covers the city first, then the beaches, then the best day trips, with the driving rules you need to know.
In short
- Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) is about 16 km from the White Tower; the drive to the centre takes around 25 minutes outside rush hour.
- Fifteen Early Christian and Byzantine monuments of the city, including the city walls, the Rotunda and the Church of Saint Demetrius, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1988).
- From the airport: about 52 km to Nea Moudania, where Halkidiki begins, about 93 km to Chaniotis on Kassandra and about 119 km to Ouranoupoli.
- Vergina (ancient Aigai, UNESCO 1996) is about 70-75 km from Thessaloniki, around an hour by car; Edessa and Litochoro are both about 90 km.
- Speed limits unless signed otherwise: 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h outside towns, up to 130 km/h on motorways. The alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, 0.2 g/l for drivers with under two years' experience.
- Average highs are around 10 C in January and 32 C in July; the sea is warmest in August, at about 26 C.
On this page
Why Thessaloniki works with a car
The city itself is compact and best seen on foot, but almost everything that makes northern Greece special lies outside it, and public transport to those places is slow or infrequent. With a car you can spend the morning in the Upper Town, drive to a Halkidiki beach for the afternoon and be back for dinner in Ladadika. The main roads out of the city are fast: the motorways towards Athens and towards Veria and Edessa, and the dual carriageway south to Halkidiki that passes the airport.
One day in the city
The waterfront and the White Tower
Start at the White Tower, the city's landmark, and walk the seafront promenade (Nea Paralia) towards the 13-metre steel Umbrellas by George Zongolopoulos, installed for the city's year as European Capital of Culture in 1997. In the other direction the promenade leads past Aristotelous Square, the grand square that opens onto the sea, to the port.
The Rotunda, the Arch of Galerius and Roman Thessaloniki
A short walk inland, the Rotunda is a 4th-century Roman building that later served as a church and a mosque, with a minaret still standing beside it. Next to it is the Arch of Galerius, and further west the excavated Roman Forum. The Rotunda, the city walls, the Church of Saint Demetrius, the Acheiropoietos and other early Christian and Byzantine churches together make up the UNESCO site listed in 1988.
Ano Poli, the Upper Town
The Upper Town is the part of Thessaloniki that largely survived the Great Fire of 1917: steep lanes, old houses and long stretches of Byzantine wall. At the top stands the Heptapyrgion (Yedi Kule), a Byzantine and Ottoman fortress that was used as a prison from 1890 to 1989. The views over the city and the gulf from the walls are the best in Thessaloniki, especially in the late afternoon.
Markets, Ladadika and bougatsa
The Kapani and Modiano markets near Aristotelous Square are the place for olives, cheese, spices and a quick lunch. In the evening, the restored warehouse quarter of Ladadika near the port fills with tavernas and bars. For breakfast, try bougatsa, a pastry with cream or cheese filling that the city is known for.
Halkidiki: Kassandra or Sithonia?
Halkidiki is the three-fingered peninsula south-east of Thessaloniki, and most visitors come for its beaches. The road from the airport reaches Nea Moudania, where the peninsulas begin, after about 52 km and 45-50 minutes. From there you choose a finger.
- Kassandra (the western finger) is the closest and the busiest, with long sandy beaches, beach bars and resort villages such as Kallithea, Chaniotis and Pefkochori. Chaniotis is about 93 km from the airport, roughly 1 hour 25 minutes.
- Sithonia (the middle finger) is greener and quieter, with pine forest down to the water and small coves; a drive around the whole peninsula is a classic day out. Nikiti is about 88 km from the airport and Neos Marmaras about 108 km.
- Mount Athos (the eastern finger) is a monastic community that only men with a special permit may enter. Everyone can see the monasteries from the sea on boat trips from Ouranoupoli (see below).
The best day trips from Thessaloniki
Vergina: the royal tombs of Aigai
Vergina, about 70-75 km west of Thessaloniki and 8 km from Veria, is ancient Aigai, the first capital of the Macedonian kingdom. Its underground museum is built inside a reconstructed burial mound and holds the tomb identified as that of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, with the gold and weapons found in it. The site was listed by UNESCO in 1996. Allow two to three hours; the museum keeps shorter winter hours from November to March, so check the official site before you go.
Edessa and its waterfalls
Edessa, about 90-95 km west of Thessaloniki (around 1 hour 30 minutes), is built on a cliff edge where the river drops down the rock face. The Karanos waterfall falls about 70 metres, and a path lets you walk behind the curtain of water. The falls are at their fullest in spring. The Pozar thermal baths are about half an hour further north, a good stop on a cool day.
Litochoro and Mount Olympus
Litochoro, about 90 km south of Thessaloniki on the motorway towards Athens, sits at the foot of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece (Mytikas, 2,917 m). From the village a mountain road of about 18 km climbs to Prionia, a car park at around 1,100 m where the main summit trail starts. Even without hiking, the drive and a walk along the Enipeas gorge make a fine day; the beaches of the Pieria coast are a few kilometres away.
Ouranoupoli and the Mount Athos boat trip
Ouranoupoli, the last village before the Athos border, is about 119 km from the airport, a drive of around two hours. Cruise boats leave its harbour, next to the Byzantine Tower of Prosphorion, and sail along the west coast of Athos past the monasteries, keeping a set distance offshore. The shorter cruises last about three hours, and some longer ones stop at Ammouliani island to swim. In summer there are several departures a day; in winter check the timetable, as sailings are reduced.
When to go
- April to June: the best time for the city and the day trips, with warm days, green landscapes and full waterfalls at Edessa. The sea is still cool for swimming until June.
- July and August: hot in the city, with highs above 30 C, but this is beach season in Halkidiki. Book early and expect traffic on the peninsula roads at weekends.
- September and October: the sea is still warm, the crowds have gone and the light is soft. The Thessaloniki International Fair takes place in September.
- November to March: a city-break season. The International Film Festival runs in November, the Christmas season brings lights to the waterfront, and the mountains can see snow. Nights can drop close to 0 C and December is the wettest month.
Driving in Thessaloniki and northern Greece: what to know
- Speed limits unless signed otherwise: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on roads outside towns and up to 130 km/h on motorways. Lower limits, including 30 km/h on some narrow residential streets, are signed and enforced.
- The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, and 0.2 g/l for drivers who have held their licence for less than two years. Police carry out random checks.
- Using a phone without a hands-free set is fined (350 EUR for a first offence) and can lead to the licence being withdrawn for 30 days.
- The motorways towards Athens (A1) and towards Veria and Edessa have toll stations; keep a bank card or some cash to hand.
- In the centre, look for blue-zone parking and never park where kerbs are marked as no-parking; towing and fines are common.
- Seat belts are compulsory in front and rear seats, and children must use a suitable child seat.
Open in Google Maps
- Thessaloniki Airport to the White Tower
- Thessaloniki Airport to Chaniotis (Kassandra)
- Thessaloniki Airport to Neos Marmaras (Sithonia)
- Thessaloniki Airport to Vergina (Aigai)
- Thessaloniki Airport to the Edessa waterfalls
- Thessaloniki Airport to Litochoro (Mount Olympus)
- Thessaloniki Airport to Ouranoupoli
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car in Thessaloniki?
Not for the city centre, which is walkable and has a metro. You do need one for Halkidiki and the day trips in this guide, which are slow or impractical by bus.
How far is Halkidiki from Thessaloniki Airport?
About 52 km to Nea Moudania, where the peninsulas begin, about 93 km to Chaniotis on Kassandra and about 108 km to Neos Marmaras on Sithonia. Allow 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the resort and traffic.
Can women visit Mount Athos?
No, women may not enter the monastic community, and men need a special permit. Everyone can see the monasteries from the sea on the boat cruises from Ouranoupoli.
Is Vergina worth the trip?
Yes. The underground museum of the royal tombs of Aigai is one of the most remarkable archaeological museums in Greece and is about an hour from Thessaloniki by car. Allow two to three hours on site.
What is the best month for Thessaloniki and Halkidiki?
June and September give you warm sea, long days and fewer crowds than July and August. For the city and the day trips alone, April, May and October are ideal.
Sources
- Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika, UNESCO World Heritage Centre (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina), UNESCO World Heritage Centre (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Polycentric Museum of Aigai / Royal Tombs, Hellenic Ministry of Culture (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Thessaloniki Airport Macedonia: distances, aerodromio.com.gr (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Thessaloniki Airport to Halkidiki, Easy Balkan Transfers (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Road rules and safety: Greece, Your Europe (European Union) (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Greece's new traffic law brings heavy penalties, FTN News (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Line 1 (Thessaloniki Metro), Wikipedia (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- New Railway Station metro station, Wikipedia (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Climate of Thessaloniki, Weather and Climate (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- When to go to Thessaloniki, Avionero (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Zongolopoulos umbrellas, Visit Central Macedonia (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Old Thessaloniki and its fortress, Eptapyrgio, Nikana.gr (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Edessa waterfalls, European Waterfalls (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Litochoro, Wikipedia (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Boat cruise to Mount Athos, Visit Halkidiki (checked Nov 6, 2026)
- Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Wikipedia (checked Nov 6, 2026)
Rules, prices and opening hours change. Check the official source before you travel. Drive times are approximate.