Thessaloniki Waterfront

Visitors to Thessaloniki, Greece, enjoy its waterfront and the promenade extending about 12 kilometers along the Thermaic Gulf. The widest part of the promenade is the 4.5 kilometer stretch in front of the White Tower, which is the only 16th century tower remaining of the Byzantine city walls.

Locals spend their evenings here, strolling, buying snacks (popcorn, roasted ears of corn, cotton candy) from carts, riding bicycles along the dedicated lane, fishing, and enjoying the sunset while sitting on low walls.

A horse pulling an open buggy trots along the waterfront.

A young couple provides an impromptu dance exhibit to music from their boom box.

The balloon lady with her enormous floating colorful cloud walks this stretch of waterfront all day and meets tour boats as they return to tempt the children as they disembark.

Also popular are the “bar boats” that offer a free 30-minute cruise around the bay with the purchase of a  beverage (alcoholic, coffee, or water) on-board for a slightly-higher price of 5 to 10 euros.

Not even a spectacular sunset slows the steady stream of pedestrians and bicycles, but some turn to admire the sinking sun.

As night falls, we say goodbye to the lights on the water and in the sky as we return to our apartment for our last night in Thessaloniki.

These photographs were taken in early October 2016 in Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece. Thessaloniki is also known as Thessalonica and Salonica.