Private tour in Thessaloniki Eleni M
5.0
(29) reviews
3 hours
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3 hours
1
Eleni M.
5.0
Guide rating
64
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21 hrs
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My name is Eleni, and Ι was born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece. After completing my undergraduate degree in History and Archeology in the University of Thessaly, I spent two wonderful years in London, on my Master's degrees (MA in Cultural Studies; MA in History of Film and Visual Media). Soon after completing my UK adventure, I decided to return to my hometown, Thessaloniki, which, however, not only was I now missing dearly, but whose history, culture, and beauty I had begun to re-appreciate. My new founded love for this city and its treasures is what really turned me into a Tour Guide. Although I was not fully aware of it in the beginning, I have always loved meeting new people with whom I can explore and discuss sites, edifices, special places and artefacts, travelling both in space and also in time. Through the eyes of my guests, I discover something new about all of them; and, most significantly, each time, I discover something new about the human condition. For the last ten years, I have also been the founder of my own art website, where I mostly work as a literary editor, - literature is my other passion- so, I am always building my tours around literary texts and period primary sources. What I love the most about my city, except from its wonderful waterfront, is its multicultural and turbulent past and present, reflected in the writings of many different authors, historians, politicians, poets, and first-hand witnesses of history. Although not well-known, the locality of Thessaloniki has a very long and convoluted history spanning more than 2. 500 years of continuous habitation. The city was founded around 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedon, on or near the site of the ancient town of Therma and 26 other local villages. He named it after his wife Thessalonike, a half-sister of Alexander the Great and princess of Macedonia as daughter of Philip II. Since then it flourished and grew powerful but also suffered many disasters and traumas, only to keep rising again and again from its own ashes. One of the most important cities of the macedonian kingdom, during the roman years, it became a crucial administrative and cultural urban centre for Rome; in the Byzantine era, the city was known as the Symvasilevousa, (coreighning city) along with Constantinople, the glorious capital in the East. Even under the ottoman rule, which almost lasted 500 years, Thessaloniki never ceased to amaze visitors with its beauty, multicultural character, sophistication and thriving commercial life. What is most important for me as a host, is to help visitors discover and embrace both Thessaloniki's mysterious past and its friendly vibrant present: to admire its magnificent monuments and works of art through learning about them, and to experience its multicultural and creative atmosphere through a lively adventure. Please, feel free to select any of my set tours, or, if you prefer, I can tailor a tour to your particular interests: History, Art, Food, Culture, Nature, and everything in between. What is certain is that I will do my best to provide you with an unforgettable and enriching travelling experience in Greece. Licensed Tour Guide, certified by the Greek Ministry of Tourism History and Archaeology Degree (University of Thessaly) Master degree in Cultural Studies (University of East London) Master degree in Film Studies (BIRKBECK College, University of London) I am not a driver. I can accompany you in your vehicle or I can arrange for a separate car and driver.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Eleni M.
A jewish tour in Thessaloniki is a challenging task since many of the visible urban traces have been lost. However, there are endless stories and forgotten buildings and landmarks, helping to form a narrative which attempts to bring to light the long but tragic history of Thessaloniki's Jewish Community. The suggested tour starts at Freedom Square, where we will see the monument commemorating the city's murdered Jews. Then, we will visit the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki which, among other things, houses tombstones from the destroyed Jewish Cemetery, and the only existing collection of surviving prewar family and school photographs. We will then stroll around the area of Aristotelous square (one of the largest jewish neighborhoods was located here), and we will visit important buildings of jewish legacy: The old La Banque de Salonique, The Modiano Market. We will end this tour at the Monastirioton Synagogue, the city's only synagogue that survived the Second World War.
This half-day Jewish tour of Thessaloniki is wonderful, largely thanks to our absolutely awesome guide, Eleni. She is exceptionally knowledgeable, passionate, and articulate, bringing centuries of Sephardic history to life with incredible depth and respect. Walking through the historic quarters and visiting the synagogues under her guidance left a lasting impression. The half-day format was perfectly paced, and I cannot recommend this tour—or Eleni—highly enough!
Eleni was an excellent guide. She is very knowledgeable and we saw everything we had hoped to see. We felt like we understood the history of the Jews in Thessaloníki. She was kind enough to review our next few days itinerary and sent us suggestions for other things to see. She recommended places to get local foods and we enjoyed them.
This tour was a great introduction to the Jewish history of Thessaloniki! We really enjoyed the host’s passion and knowledge!
We enjoyed our Jewish tour of Thessaloniki with our guide Eleni. We started at the monument to the martyred Jews of Thessaloniki. This sculpture of a menorah and bodies in flames was a testament to the Jews who were taken from their homes and transported by train to Auschwitz, where almost all of them were murdered by the Nazis. Throughout the tour, Eleni told us about the Jews who helped to build the commerce of the town and the multiple synagogues that once existed in Thessaloniki, as well as how the town would shut down on the Sabbath and high holidays since so much of the population was Jewish. Eleni took us into the synagogue and the Jewish museum, and she told us about the thriving Jewish population of Thessaloniki, whose population at one time was more than 60 percent Jewish. Eleni made the tour special by reading excepts from novels and memoirs about the Jews of Thessaloniki. We very much enjoyed her tour and her suggestions about other places in Thessaloniki that were worth seeing.
We took the Jewish heritage tour of Thessaloniki with Eleni and found it to be a really worthwhile experience. She has a strong knowledge of the history and shares it in a clear, engaging way that’s easy to follow. What stood out most was the care and sensitivity she brought to a difficult subject. She approached it with genuine respect and thoughtfulness, which gave the tour a very balanced and human feel. Eleni was also very welcoming of questions and discussion, which made the experience all the more engaging. A meaningful, well-paced tour that I’d happily recommend to anyone interested in this side of Thessaloniki’s history.
We had a wonderful Jewish History tour with Eleni. She was extremely knowledgable and was very engaging for both adults and teens. She went out of her way to find out additional information that we had requested and offered other suggestions for things to do, see, and eat during the rest of our stay in Thessaloniki. Highly recommend!!
The tour lasts about 3-4 hours depending on the pace and the breaks. • Monastirioton Sunagogue (we must call for a meeting in order to enter the Sunagogue); • Aristotelous Square; • Modiano Market; • Bank of Thessaloniki; • Electra Palace (here, it was the Alliance Israelite Universelle school before the Second World War); • The Jewish Museum; • The Freedom Square; Of course, I can customise this standard Jewish Tour to your particular wishes and preferences. . There are many other landmarks that we can visit, such as The Railway Station, The old Jewish Cemetery, the building where "Anne Frank of Thessaloniki" was hiding, The Villa Allatini, and The Casa Bianca, among many others.
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
The set tour is a walking tour so no transportation needed.
Leoforos Nikis, Thessaloniki, Greece
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide: The tour begins at the Holocaust Memorial at Freedom square but we can set another meeting point within the historical centre if its suits you best.
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