Out of all the places I could’ve gone, I picked Thessaloniki — a Greek city with a seriously fascinating history. Sure, I’ve been to Greece before, but it was always the classic beach-lounging routine. Thessaloniki is a whole different league, and I couldn’t resist finally exploring it properly.
So what now? Quick flight booking, find a cool place to stay, pack the bag… and off we go! ✈ “OPEN HOUSE THESSALONIKI 2025” was calling. Wait… how am I actually getting from the airport?
Chaos & Coordination at Open House Thessaloniki
A few days before the festival, I got in touch with the Greek coordinator, Chrisa, over WhatsApp. She was in charge of us international volunteers — and wow, she took it seriously. Not only did she give us all the essential info and send out full festival schedules, she even shared a complete list of locations we could explore during Open House. Chrisa rocks!
I landed in Thessaloniki on Friday afternoon. Of course, Murphy’s law — it was peak rush hour, so getting from the airport to the center took almost an hour. I checked in, unpacked a little, and rushed to the first meetup. We gathered with Chrisa and all the other volunteers in a cozy Greek café. We went through the weekend plan and got the final list of locations assigned to us.
Trial by Fire
And HOLD UP — there was a special program just for the international volunteers! All Saturday morning and early afternoon, and again on Sunday, we’d be guiding foreign visitors around Open House Thessaloniki 2025. The rest of the day was ours.
Excuse me?! I’d be a tour guide? In English? My brain almost short-circuited. You can probably imagine what I spent the rest of Friday night doing, right? Yep — cramming English texts about the history of my first location: the Basilica of Saint Demetrius. This was going to be wild. Would I even sleep? My nerves said no.
D-Day: Saturday
Turns out I slept like a baby. Quick breakfast and off to the church — luckily just around the corner. And there I was. First group, second group, third group… I lost count fast. Talking, explaining, waving my arms around like a maniac! By 2 p.m., I’d definitely had enough practice.
But you know what? At least now I know how to say “nave,” “baptistery,” “mosque,” and a ton of other must-know words in English. Today’s mission: accomplished. Uff. And now back to studying for Sunday’s spot: the White Tower. Where did I put those notes?
The Sudden Downfall
Guess how it ended? No idea? Alright, I’ll tell you — just you.
I don’t know if it was a stomach bug or whatever, but by Saturday evening I was completely wiped. First sweating, then shivering like a leaf… I’ll spare you the details. I was just grateful I could stay in bed. I had to skip the Saturday evening program and hoped I’d feel better by Sunday.
I didn’t. So another apology. And I actually knew Sunday’s tour texts by heart — I swear! I even missed the big Sunday volunteer party.
Heading Home to Brno… Already?
And just like that — check-out Thessaloniki. On Monday afternoon, when I was finally feeling somewhat human again, I headed home.
I used the sunshine while it lasted, took myself on a personal tour of Thessaloniki, wandered through the city center, and eventually made my way to the sea. The waterfront promenade is insanely long — and absolutely gorgeous. And Thessaloniki is incredibly rich in history! Remember: this city was a key hub of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and for several centuries also the Ottoman Empire. And it’s the birthplace of the Slavic missionaries Cyril and Methodius.
You don’t bump into this level of history on one spot every day. I can only recommend this city to everyone. Sure, my weekend was wild in all the wrong ways — but it was absolutely worth it. Go Thessaloniki!
