Thessalonica Today.

You will find ouzeris, tavernas, and rotisseries, not to mention the famous eateries specializing in barbecued chicken on the coast. For after dinner, Thessalonica abounds in nightclubs, dance centers, and discos, while along the road to the airport are the places to go to hear bouzouki and Greek music.

CULINARY SPECIALTIES

Patsas (tripe soup), peinirli (a kind of open grilled cheese sandwich), seafood, especially fried mussels and mussel pilaf, roast chicken and soutzoukakia (meatballs seasoned with cumin in tomato sauce).

THEATER AND CINEMA

Thessalonica has many theatres and some one hundred cinemas, some of which are open-air for pleasant summer viewing.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Every September Thessalonica plays host to an International Trade Fair, displaying domestic and foreign products of all kinds, in which dozens of countries and thousands of exhibitors participate. The Festival of Greek Cinema follows the Fair where both short and full length films are shown.

Other, more specialized trade fairs are held throughout the year. These include the TEXTILIA, AGROTICA, INTERKID, FURNIDEC, INFACOMA, EXPLORIA, PHILOXENIA, DETROP, KOSMIMA, and others, organized by the Thessalonica International Fair Authority.

October is the month for a series of cultural events (the Dimitria) held in honor of the city's patron saint, Demetrios and the Festival of Popular Greek Song.

CONFERENCE FACILITIES

Thanks to the HELEXPO - International Fair Conference Center, Thessalonica has been internationally recognized as a wonderful place for conventions. This conference center, located in the heard of town, at 154 Egnatias Street, tel.: (2310) 291.111, is fully equipped with simultaneous translation systems, slide and video projectors, air conditioning, and all the latest technology.

Many hotels, in Thessalonica and in Halkidiki, also have the facilities to accommodate large conferences. (These are indicated on the area's list of hotels).