Quote Originally Posted by Kind of Blue View Post
Thanks CN! Knew you had Greek ancestry and some interest from posts on here in the past. If you’ve any particular recommendations please do feel free to share! I got too excited as we’re going end of July, which I imagine won’t be any cooler! Fortunately both places we’re staying have pools so hopefully braced for it!

I just checked if PAOK are playing but sadly miss a European tie by a couple of days.

Going to seek out a boat trip that goes around around Mount Athos.
Second largest city and by far the more laid back than Athens (which I love and where I have family) but I'd say that Thessaloniki is much less touristy and has better food and tavernas. More Balkan in feel and you'll probably want to be eating out there around 21:00 as it's a lovely temp. in the evenings. That coastline has some of the best beaches in Greece. Funnily enough, Mrs CN is doing the night half marathon there on early October so we're off later in the year - she's training for the Marathon, Marathon in 2023!. There's some great walking (but tough) in the mountains which I used to do back in the day. These days, I'd rather do the boat trip too which'll be lovely! Fresh seafood, you can't go wrong whenever you get the chance.

The history is less classical than Athens but rich and obviously, as you mentioned, Ottoman but there's Roman sites too. Even modern history of the area is fascinating though not to everyone's taste (circa 2017 - 45).

Shame about PAOK. It's a different football experience that's for sure. My ideal game would be PAOK v AEK Athens and I'd love to take that in one day. The Toumba stadium is like an Amphitheatre.

The Aegean is just gorgeous KoB, you'll love it. If I think of anything more I'll let you know.