Feel the warmth from the sun and the smiles of the people. Sit outside to taste fish fresh from the sea. Savour the tang of tahini and yogurt, the sweetness of honey and sesame seeds, the crunch of cucumbers and peppers. Wander narrow alleys and wide open promenades. Touch bricks baked two centuries ago. Admire the colour of vibrant mosaics. Walk on ancient stones. Then row. See the sights of Thessaloniki from the water. Note broad avenues that blend into the dense hillside of the old city. Snap a selfie featuring the White Tower or Alexandria the Great forever charging in bronze.  

Nikos, your guide, is the quickest answer to the question of why row in Thessaloniki. Nikolaos Gkountoulas is one of the best coastal rowers in the world. And perhaps one of the nicest. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the men's pair with his twin brother, Apostolos Gkountoulas. They also won men's lightweight pairs at the 2008 World Championship and the open weight pair at the 2009 and 2011 European Championship. Training for flatwater rowing was at a remote location with not particularly good water quality, while the blue waters of the Hermaic Gulf were right at the steps of the city. Thessaloniki hosted the 2014 World Rowing Coastal Championships, and Nikos continues to generously share his love of coastal rowing, operating Greece’s first exclusively coastal rowing club. He travelled to Vietnam to coach, takes his athletes to international regattas and guides Rowing The World’s tours in Greece. We have been working with Nikos since 2019. He very much wants to share his love for his city and coastal rowing with you.   

Thessaloniki, the second city after Athens, exudes flair, character and dynamism from the diversity of ethnic groups that have touched this region. It also reputed to be Greece’s culinary and cultural capital. Take a historical walking tour to explore the layers of civilization. Stroll the broad straight avenues of the centre and explore the winding narrow streets of the Ano Poli. Visit some of the best museums in the country - we especially like the Museum of Byzantine Culture. Drive yourself or book a private tour to some of the nearby historical or natural sites that can be reach in a day or half-day trip. You definitely also want to relax in a café along the water, drinking delicious coffee or an aperitif as the sun goes down.