Thessaloniki

At the Port of Thessaloniki (Limani Thessalonikis), on the south edge of the old city. Pier 1 and the inner berths are both inside the commercial port; the cruise exit gate is at the end of Salaminos street, opening straight onto the seafront. From the gate it is 1.2 km along the promenade to the White Tower (about 15 minutes, flat), and another 5–10 minutes inland to Aristotelous Square. The whole historic core is walkable; you do not need a taxi for a standard port day.

Plan three to four hours for the full circuit: gangway to the White Tower along the seafront (15 min), inland past Aristotelous Square to the Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda (20 min walking plus 30–45 min at the monuments), then up into Ano Poli for the Byzantine walls and a taverna lunch (uphill 20–25 min, easier by taxi for EUR 6–8). Walk back down via Agios Dimitrios church and the Roman Forum to the port. The route is signposted and the elevation gain to Ano Poli is the only real climb.

Yes, if Macedonian archaeology interests you at all. The Royal Tombs of Aigai at Vergina — the burial of Philip II of Macedon, Alexander's father, discovered intact by Manolis Andronikos in 1977 — are 75 minutes' drive west of Thessaloniki. The museum is built directly over the tombs underground; the gold larnax, the painted facade of the Tomb of Philip, and the original frescoes are in situ. Entry is EUR 12; book a half-day ship excursion (USD 90–140) or hire a taxi for the round trip (EUR 180–220 for the vehicle). Allow 5–6 hours door to door.

Not on a standard call. Meteora is three and a half hours one way by road from Thessaloniki — seven hours round-trip in the van before you have looked at a single monastery. With 30–45 minutes at two of the six monasteries, the absolute minimum day is 10–11 hours, which only works for ships in port from 07:00 to 20:00 or later. A handful of operators sell it as a long excursion in summer; most cruisers save Meteora for a separate Greek mainland trip.

Two covered markets in the centre, three minutes' walk apart, both between Aristotelous Square and Egnatia street. Modiano (recently renovated, reopened 2022) is the polished one — fishmongers, deli stalls, sit-down meze counters; good for a snack and a glass of tsipouro. Kapani is the older, scrappier neighbour — produce, spices, dried fish, butchers — and the better market for atmosphere. Both work as a 30-minute detour on the way from the seafront to the upper town. Closed Sunday.

Euro. Card acceptance is excellent — every cafe, taverna, museum, and market stall in the centre takes contactless, and the EU surcharge cap means card fees are not an issue for European-issued cards. ATMs are everywhere. Plan on EUR 30–50 cash per person for the day to cover a taverna lunch (EUR 12–18), monument entries (Rotunda EUR 6, White Tower EUR 6, Arch free), coffee stops, and a taxi up to Ano Poli. Greek and English are both fine; menus in the centre are bilingual.