For the majority of backpackers travelling through Europe, Greece equates to the Greek Islands. But Greece has to offer!
Inspired by Gary Arndt from Everything Everywhere’s instagram post this week, I thought I’d share with you why you should travel to Northern Greece.
Not only is the North not overridden with tourists and boozed filled revellers during peak season, but it’s also a place where you can experience the real Greece. A Greece where you can dine in a piazza with locals, not be hustled every twenty metres and come across everyday citizens.
Bordering Turkey, I entered Greece on an overnight bus from Istanbul. My expectations of what I’d find in the north deteriorated every hour that passed while crossing the border in the middle of the night. Eventually we were through and on our way to Thessaloniki.
Exhausted, I drifted in and out of sleep as the sun rose and I watched the vistas change as we followed the coast south. Turkish style buildings were replaced with Greek architecture – not the iconic blue and white of Santorini but Greek flavours were there.
With a slight hiccup trying to find a way from the bus station on the outskirts of the city to my hostel I somehow wrangled a taxi. They say you form a first impression in just three seconds and Little Big House surpassed all expectations in two. Perched high on the hill on a narrow, winding residential street I shared my new home with only a handful of backpackers. On top of all this, I even got an amazing iced latte that I loved and I don’t even like coffee!
From the harbour to the piazzas and historic wall, Thessaloniki introduced me to a Greece I had no idea existed.
And then there’s Meteora…
Northern Greece’s biggest draw card, with an abundance of tourists you didn’t even know existed in this part of the country to match. However, tourist busses mean they are coming from somewhere else. Staying in Meteora is a must, its not flash but I stayed at a small basic hotel on the main street. As the tourists dribbled out of town at the end of the day, you’re back to mingling with the locals who welcome you into their churches, cafes and restaurants like family.
By staying in town you can opt to hike to the famous clifftop monasteries and be on their doorstep before the first tourist bus arrive. However, don’t stress if you’re not an early riser as you can still enjoy the monasteries with the occasional small line to wait in – there are fees to enter the monasteries but they definitely won’t break the bank and are worth every penny!
When you’re heading to Greece please don’t miss out on this part of the country because it trumps the usual backpacking route comprised of Athens, Mykonos, Ios and Santorini.