Thessaloniki film festival week: old streets by day, films by night

Picture an old cinema on the main square, its lights shining across to the sea, and a line of people at the door holding warm pastries while they wait for the film to start. From 5 to 15 November 2026, that is Thessaloniki. The city's big film festival is back for the 67th time, and honestly, there is no better excuse to go this autumn. Here's how to spend your days on Roman streets and old city walls, and your evenings in the dark of a cinema.

Why this is the week to go

For eleven days the whole city turns into one big cinema. The festival brings more than 250 films from Greece and around the world, and its home is the Olympion, the grand old cinema right on Aristotelous Square, with more screens in the old warehouses down at the port. You don't need to be a film expert. Half the fun is the mood: people talking about what they just watched over a coffee, posters on every corner, and a city that stays up late.

November also suits Thessaloniki. The summer crowds are gone, the days are mild and good for walking, and the evenings are cool enough for a jacket. Just know that it gets dark around five, so use the daylight well and save the cinema for the night.

Getting there is the easy part. Our buses leave Tirana for Thessaloniki three times a day, for a ride of about 400 km, and from Berat there is a bus every day (about 390 km). Coming from Kosovo? Our buses leave Prishtina twice a week for the 320 km ride south. With digital tickets that work with Apple Wallet, you travel relaxed, with your seat saved and your ticket always on your phone. You'll find every bus to and from the city on our Thessaloniki page.

Your mornings: the Roman city, even under the ground

Start with bougatsa, the local way

Do what people here do before work: stop at a small bakery for a warm bougatsa. Ask for the sweet one with cream, and let them cover it with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Eat it standing at the counter, early, while it is still hot. That's the whole trick.

Take a short ride to Venizelou metro station

Thessaloniki waited almost 20 years for its metro, and the reason is right inside it. When workers started digging, they kept finding the old city. The metro finally opened at the end of November 2024, and at Venizelou station the finds were kept where they were found. On your way to the train you walk past a long piece of the marble road that crossed the city in Roman times, with the ruins of Byzantine shops along it. Take a short ride just to get off here. It is the strangest and most fun museum in town.

Visit the church of the city's own saint

A few minutes' walk uphill is Agios Dimitrios, the church of Saint Demetrius, the city's protector. It is the largest church of its kind in Greece, and inside it is cool, dark and calm. Look for the steps down to the crypt below the church: according to tradition, this is where the saint was killed in Roman times. Cover your shoulders and knees, and keep your voice low.

Your afternoons: climb up to the old walls before the light goes

After lunch, head uphill to the upper town. It is a steep walk of about 40 minutes from the sea, so if your legs are tired, take a city bus up and walk back down. Aim to be at the top by mid afternoon, because the best part comes just before dark.

Vlatadon Monastery, the quiet balcony

Most people stop at the walls and miss this place. Vlatadon Monastery was built in the 14th century and is the only monastery from Byzantine times in the city that monks still live in today. Its small courtyard looks over the whole city down to the sea, and there is almost nobody there. Sit on the low wall for a few minutes. It is the calmest view in Thessaloniki.

Sunset at the Trigonion Tower

From the monastery, walk along the old city wall to the Trigonion Tower, a round tower on the highest corner of the walls. You don't need to go inside. The open space around it is where locals come to watch the sun go down over the gulf, with the whole city getting darker below you. Be there a little before five, and bring a layer, because it gets windy up here.

Your evenings: the city goes to the movies

Back down in the center, the festival takes over. Pick your films before you leave home and get your tickets early from the festival's official website, because popular screenings fill up. Check the programme for the language of each film and its subtitles, so you don't end up in a film you can't follow.

Between two films, walk along the sea to the Umbrellas, the tall sculpture of white umbrellas by the artist Zongolopoulos on the new waterfront. It is lit up at night and makes a great photo. Then finish the evening the sweet way, with trigona Panoramatos: small, crispy pastry triangles filled with cream, a dessert this city is famous for.

Tips, tricks and hacks for a festival trip

Book your bed early. Festival week brings visitors from all over, and rooms close to Aristotelous Square go first.

Pack an umbrella. November brings some rainy days. A good plan for a wet afternoon is a long lunch, then an early film.

Walk the center, rest in the upper town. Everything by the sea is flat and close together. The upper town is steep, so wear shoes with a good grip.

Plan the ride home early. Our buses leave Thessaloniki for Prizren twice a week, about 340 km back north, so pick your return day before you choose your films.

Skip the beach plans. The sea is too cold for swimming now. Come for the city, the food and the films.

Do's and don'ts

Do: say “kaliméra” (good morning) when you walk into a bakery or shop. People really like it.

Do: cover your shoulders and knees in churches and in the monastery.

Don't: start the climb to the upper town late. If you leave after four, you'll miss the best light.

Don't: use your camera flash inside churches.

FAQs

Is Thessaloniki worth visiting in November?

Yes. The crowds are gone, the days are mild, and in 2026 the film festival runs from 5 to 15 November, so the city is full of life in the evenings.

How many days do I need?

Two full days are enough for the Roman center, the upper town at sunset and a couple of films. Add a third day if you want more screenings.

Do I need to speak Greek to watch the films?

Not always. Check the festival programme for each film's language and subtitles before you buy a ticket.

Can I see the city on foot?

Yes. The center is flat and easy to walk. The upper town is steep, so you can take a city bus up and walk back down.

Do I need cash in Greece?

Greece uses the euro, and cards are accepted almost everywhere. Keep a few coins for small bakeries and kiosks.

Do I need a printed bus ticket?

No. Our tickets are digital, and on an iPhone you can keep yours in Apple Wallet, ready whenever you need it.

Stay connected

Here's a little secret that only readers who reach the end get to know. Use the code BLOG10 when you buy our eSIM for Greece, and you'll be online the moment you arrive, with no surprise phone bills and no searching for a signal. Your trip is planned and your phone is ready… so what are you waiting for?