Photo: C messier, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Ano Poli and the Byzantine walls of Thessaloniki
Your local guide
Alexandros Hatzis
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Highlights
- The Rotunda, from Roman mausoleum to mosque
- Agios Dimitrios and its crypt below the basilica
- Ano Poli's Ottoman-era houses, spared by the 1917 fire
- The Byzantine walls up to the Heptapyrgion fortress
- The view over the city from Trigoniou tower
About this tour
This session climbs through Ano Poli, the old upper town of Thessaloniki, from the Rotunda up to the Byzantine walls. The camera follows the Rotunda's change from Roman mausoleum to church to mosque, the crypt of Agios Dimitrios, and the Ottoman-era houses of the hillside quarter. It finishes at the Trigoniou tower with the walls that once ringed the whole city.
After a short sound check, the walk climbs in real order from the lower city up to the walls, with a pause at each stop for questions rather than saving them all for the end. A short note on the route and what is visible from the tower follows the call.
This suits anyone interested in how many different rulers have shaped one building, or in the quieter, older part of Thessaloniki above the modern centre. It also suits someone who wants a proper view over the city and the bay without a long climb of their own.
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
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Welcome and sound check 7 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.
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The Rotunda 21 min
The camera circles the Roman-era rotunda, built as a mausoleum and later converted first into a church and then a mosque, and the guide traces the layers still visible on its brick walls.
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Agios Dimitrios and Ano Poli 21 min
Inside the Byzantine basilica dedicated to the city's patron saint, the camera moves down into the crypt, then climbs into Ano Poli, the old hillside quarter of Ottoman-era houses that survived the 1917 fire.
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Byzantine walls and Trigoniou tower 21 min
Following the old walls up to the Heptapyrgion fortress, the camera climbs the Trigoniou tower for a wide view over the city and the bay, the same view the walls were built to watch over.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Thessaloniki: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Souvlaki 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 12 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 Church of Saint Demetrios and Ano Poli 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; the link comes with your booking. I walk Thessaloniki live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
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: Sun 1 Nov · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
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