Recommended Hotel in Thessaloniki – Hotel Pella + Recommended Archaeological Site in Nearby Vergina

Hotel Pella

In both 2005 and 2006 we stayed at the Hotel Pella in Thessaloniki and were very pleased with the accommodations. At that time I believe we paid about 50 Euros for a double room with air conditioning and TV. Located at 63 Ionos Dragoumi Center, 546 30 Thessaloniki, the hotel is just 15 minutes from the harbor, and perhaps 10 minutes from Aristotle Square. Macedonia Airport is roughly 30-40 minutes distance by taxi/automobile, but the trip is a bit longer by intercity bus. We found the staff at this hotel to be friendly and helpful, and the location is in a neighborhood that offers numerous options in terms of cafes and restaurants. To visit the Hotel Pella Website, click here. To book a room via telephone call 30-2310-5242212, or to contact the hotel via email click here.

Getting to Hotel Pella from Macedonia Airport

When you arrive at the airport you obviously have two choices for ground transportation, a taxi, which should cost somewhere in the vicinity of 40 Euros, or an intercity bus, which costs perhaps 4 Euros. If you have the time and aren’t exhausted from travel the bus is clearly the preferred alternative from a price point of view. If you do decide to take a taxi, insist on being the only passenger(s) and, insist that the taxi driver use the meter in the car. If there is no meter, do NOT take that taxi, get a different one.

The taxi stand is located directly in front the main terminal, and buses leave from essentially the same place. To get to the city center, take bus #78 and ask the driver to let you know when the bus is about to reach Aristotle Square. Tickets can be purchased from the newspaper shop in the airport; be sure to validate your tickets once you get on the bus. For directions from Aristotle Square to either hotel, I recommend that you send an email to whatever hotel you’re booked in and ask them for specific walking instructions.

Recommended Archaeological Site in nearby Vergina

Some very good friends from the UK recommend that anyone going to Thessaloniki, who has even a small amount of time available, should make plans to visit the city of Vergina. According to my friends, Vergina has someĀ  very interesting archaeological sites to see, most notably the tomb of Philip of Macedonia, which was excavated undisturbed so all the treasures were intact. Initially most were taken to Thessaloniki, but many have been returned Vergina and set up really well. Apparently there is amazing gold work, myrtle crowns and a quite a bit of Philip’s armor has been put together to conjure up the man. I’m told the best time to go is first thing in the morning as soon as it’s open (staying overnight, is good the place is sleepy, and the natives friendly) before the school trips begin to arrive. To reach Vergina you can either rent a car, or take a bus operated by a company called Imathia KTEL. You’ll have to go to the city of Veroia first and from there get on the local bus to Vergina.

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