Thessaloniki

After leaving Naxos, we were faced with the prospect of a 20-hour train ride from Athens to our next destination. Since that didn't sound like much fun, we decided to split it up and spend one night in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. While we were there, we took in the city's main landmark, The White Tower, and enjoyed walking along the coastline and through the busy streets. The town seemed particularly busy when we were there because the next day was Ochi Day, a national holiday that commemorates Greece's decision to refuse to let Axis forces occupy the country during World War II. We saw lots of military personnel who were in town to participate in a big parade to mark the holiday.

The White Tower (a prison where mass executions took place during the period of Ottoman rule):