THESSALONIKI | While not particularly known for its street art, especially compared to Athens, Thessaloniki is a city where you can find plenty of street art if you know where to look.
It’s a city that’s more about the small pieces. You’ll find them on the sides of walls, apartments, the rolled down shutters in the front of shops that have yet to open for the day, and that sort of thing. There are some large murals too, many of which date back to 2018, when the city hosted a street art festival.
Most of the street art in Thessaloniki is by local artists, but there are also pieces from international muralists. There are fun, whimsical pieces; themes of cultural identity; bold, political statements; and more. There is a lot of tagging, stylised graphics, and graffiti in the city – it’s not just about murals.
You’ll find street art throughout Thessaloniki, with most of it being located in the centre of town. In this Thessaloniki street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite areas to visit for Thessaloniki’s best street art.
Ano Poli (Upper Town)
Overlooking the lower part of Thessaloniki you’ll find Ano Poli, or Upper Town. It’s a charming, historical part of the city that was once home to the city’s large Jewish and Turkish populations. There are beautiful cobble stone lined streets and buildings dating back to the Ottoman era. It’s mostly small murals that you’ll find here, dotted along the sides of unassuming buildings.
Aristotle University
Like most cities, there’s street art to be found where there’s a university. Aristotle University is the largest university in the Balkans, and attracts students from across the region. Just south of the university you’ll find Toumba PAOK Stadium, which is also an area worth exploring for street art.
Ladadika
Once considered a sketchy neighbourhood, Ladadika is today one of Thessaloniki’s most popular entertainment districts. It’s filled with cafes, bars, and clubs that attract people of all ages and walks of life. Vibrant until the early hours of the morning, there’s no shortage of street art to be found as your wander around and soak in the atmosphere.
Be sure to find “The Girl”. It’s a large mural that was created during the 15th Biennale of Young Creators in 2011. A collaboration between Chinese artist DALeast and South African artist Faith XLVII, the mural makes a stand against violence against women.
Louloudadika
Just behind the promenade, in the centre of town, is Louloudadika. It’s one of the most vibrant parts of Thessaloniki, home to plenty of hotels, cafes, restaurants, bars, independent retailers, historic sites, and more. You’ll spend a lot of time here when you visit, and there’s street art all over.
Roman Forum
Aristotelous Square is a beautiful square in Thessaloniki, and a great place to find your bearings. It begins on the promenade, and heads north until it reaches the Roman Forum of Thessaloniki. The latter is the ancient Roman-era forum of the city, and is a must visit. Around the area, there’s no shortage of street art to see.
Rotunda & Galerius
The Rotunda and Arch of Galerius are two of Thessaloniki’s most historic sites, dating back to the Roman Empire. Both are must visits when in Thessaloniki, and are in a part of town where you’ll find plenty of street art.
One particular piece to look out for is “Portrait of Thessaloniki”. It’s a large mural on the side of one of the taller buildings in the area, created in January 2020 by Simoni Fontana and Argiris Ser. It was created with the help of Street Atelier, a Greek creative agency that collaborates with artists to create, amongst other things, some impressive murals throughout Greece, and wider Europe.
Vardaris
Walk west from the tourist centre of town, and you’ll pass through the neighbourhood of Vardaris. It’s home to Thessaloniki’s Chinatown, and en route to the popular outlet mall, One Salonika. It’s an interesting neighbourhood to walk through, and will show you a slice of life that you won’t see in the centre.
There are several murals, including some large scale ones, in the area. Just east of One Salonika you’ll find a great large mural by artist APSET. It depicts three women along with the ‘animals-symbols’ of their home country, that creator Stelios describes as a ‘cultural torch’ that has followed them to their new home/country.
Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:
Happy discoveries on your street art walk through Thessaloniki. What are your favourites places for street art in Thessaloniki? Are there any street art neighbourhoods beyond these hotspots that you love?