Toumba

East of the centre, Toumba is one of Thessaloniki's most densely populated and authentic neighbourhoods, well off the tourist trail but with a character that's hard to forget.

Character & history

The area was largely built by refugees from Asia Minor after 1922, and that ancestry still shows in its cooking and in the way the neighbourhood lives. Its name comes from the prehistoric settlement mound (toumba) that rises above it.

What to see & do

• Toumba Stadium, home of PAOK and one of the loudest grounds in Greece: a local experience in its own right.
• The prehistoric mound and the view back over the city.
• Traditional grill houses and meze places at neighbourhood prices.

Why come

If you want to see how Thessaloniki actually lives: not the centre laid on for visitors, but the city of its residents.

Getting around

Well served by buses and roughly 10–15 minutes from the centre.

Best for: football, authentic food, neighbourhood atmosphere.