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Photos: C messier, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Annatsach, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 I would appreciate being notified if you use my work outside Wikimedia. More of my work can be found in my personal gallery., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Photo credits

Photos: C messier, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Annatsach, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 I would appreciate being notified if you use my work outside Wikimedia. More of my work can be found in my personal gallery., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Saint Demetrios, the city's patron

  • 🇬🇷 Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Live video tour
  • 1 h 15 min
  • Greek, English
  • Up to 9 people
  • History
Your local guide Kostas Vlachos 8 years guiding View profile

Highlights

  • A basilica rebuilt after 1917
  • Roman remains found in the crypt
  • The city's patron saint, explained
  • Columns spanning centuries of use
  • A guide baptised in this church

About this tour

This session covers the Church of Saint Demetrios, dedicated to the city's patron saint and rebuilt after the 1917 fire. You see the basilica's exterior, the crypt entrance where earlier Roman remains were found, and the columns lining the nave inside. Filming stays quiet and steady throughout, respecting the working church.

I move slowly between the three points, since the site's layered history takes real time to explain properly. Detailed questions come up often, and I answer them as someone baptised in this same church.

This suits anyone with a genuine interest in the city's religious and Roman-era history together. It also works well paired with the Rotunda session for a wider view of Thessaloniki's church history.

Included

  • Live video walk with a local guide
  • Questions to your guide all the way
  • A short list of places to visit later

Not included

  • Internet connection
  • Travel to the city

Itinerary

  1. Welcome and sound check 6 min

    The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Thessaloniki before heading out.

  2. Basilica Exterior 17 min

    The camera shows the large basilica, and I explain how it was rebuilt after a major fire in 1917 while keeping much of its original Byzantine layout.

  3. Crypt Entrance 17 min

    You see the entrance to the crypt below the church, and I point out how excavation there revealed remains of the earlier Roman baths on the same site.

  4. Interior Columns 17 min

    The camera moves along the nave's columns, and I explain the building's dedication to the city's patron saint and its long role in local life.

  5. Your questions 11 min

    Time to ask anything about Thessaloniki: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.

  6. A short list to keep 5 min

    Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Bougatsa and Ladadika, worth a slower look.

Good to know

  • A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
  • Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
  • Times are shown in Athens time, so check the time where you are before you book.
  • The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
  • Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
  • Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.

Questions about this tour

What will the session cover?

The guide walks through Thessaloniki, showing you Basilica Exterior and Crypt Entrance live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.

What happens if my connection drops?

Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.

Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?

Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.

Do I need to know the history already?

No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.

How it works

  • You get one join link after booking.
  • Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
  • We meet on Google Meet and the link comes with your booking. Filming inside stays quiet and steady, since it remains a working basilica.

Times shown in Athens time (EET)

Cancellation

Flexible

  • Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
  • Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
  • If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
  • Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.

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Next: Mon 26 Oct · 9 seats left From 27,00 €

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