Day Tour: Tastes of Thessaloniki, Greece

Thessaloniki is not just known for its historic allure and huge array of Byzantine monuments, but also for fine cuisine. Starting in Aristotelous Square, an experr local guide will take you on a journey of exploration of the original tastes of Thessaloniki: your tour starts with a delicious Greek coffee. Whether in its modern (cold) form or traditional hot form, you’ll be literally drinking history as you learn about it. Next you'll head to the busy commercial centre of Thessaloniki, tasting its flavours en route, including koulouri and bougatsa. It’s difficult to imagine that small round sesame breads could be so delicious, or that in Thessaloniki you could find bougatsa with almost any filling imaginable – popular ones include cream, spinach, cheese and mince, and both these koulouri and bougatsa date back to the Byzantine era.

Walk on, into the city's two most celebrated open-air markets, Modiano and Kapani, where you'll discover more of this city’s many flavours. Along these fascinating paved alleys you'll sense the markets' own special atmosphere: hundreds of people, fresh vegetables and fruits, fish, meat, spices, dairy, home made products and far more besides. At Athonos Square, take in the picturesque scene: a myriad of tiny ouzeris and small tavernas create a wonderful image (and experience). Visit one of the city's best ouzeris and you can sample meze served with ouzo or tsipouro.

Of course, your urban adventure could not end without visiting one of the city’s oldest sweet-shops to taste siropiasta. These delectable, syrupy sweets are still made from the original recipes of the Greek refugees that left Istanbul and Asia Minor in the 1920s. As this is the end of your tour, you can choose to stay on and explore further, or accompany your guide back to Aristotle’s Square.