Every year, more and more of our tourists spend Easter holidays in Thessaloniki.
In Greece, there is an unwritten rule that Easter is celebrated in the countryside, and Christmas in the city, and indeed the people of Thessaloniki go to cottages or houses that their parents or they themselves have in the villages around Thessaloniki for Easter. Cottages are mostly located on one of the fingers of Halkidiki. Many of our friends from Thessaloniki say that they have literally never spent a single Easter in Thessaloniki.
Tradition and customs
Given that Easter is the most important and most joyous Orthodox holiday, during the last week of fasting, the people of Thessaloniki spend a lot of time in church services. Housewives prepare cookies in the form of braids traditionally made for Easter, color and decorate eggs. You too can make one of the delicious traditional cookies: a recipe for Smyrneika – the famous Greek Easter cookies from Smyrna.
After fasting, traditional magiritsa soup is eaten in all homes. This is a soup made from offal and you can find the recipe here: Easter customs in Greece: magiritsa – traditional soup after the midnight liturgy
Tsoureki – bread that smells like Easter
A special part of Easter is tsoureki, a traditional Easter bread. While today you can find it in pastry shops with various toppings and flavors, the authentic tsoureki is simple, with a red egg in the middle, and without additional decorations. Its characteristic sweet taste comes from:
- Mastic – resin from the mastic tree on the island of Chios
- Mahleb – the interior of wild cherry pits
- Orange zest
In Thessaloniki, tsoureki is particularly famous, and the most famous pastry shop is Terkenlis which has been making it since 1948. You can find the pastry shop on Tsimiski street near Aristotle Square. For chocolate lovers, we recommend tsoureki with a chocolate topping, while our favorite is the one with white chocolate topping and chestnut puree filling.
For all dessert lovers and culinary enthusiasts, we have prepared a tsoureki recipe that you can make at home and enjoy with your loved ones.
Store working hours during Easter holidays 2026 in Thessaloniki and Greece
In 2026 in Greece, Easter is on April 12th. Public institutions will not be working from Good Friday, April 10th to April 13th. On Good Friday, do not be surprised, stores will be open from 1 PM, after the liturgy. For details, check exact working hours of stores during Easter in Greece.
One of the advantages of Easter in Thessaloniki is that the city is less crowded, so it is easier to find parking, which is a rarity in this city.
What to do in Thessaloniki during Easter
If you do visit Thessaloniki for Easter, enjoyment is guaranteed:
- A walk by the beautiful sunset by the sea
- Visit to Ladadika and tasting tsoureki.
- Ice cream at the pastry shop Fregio
- Church of Saint Demetrius, the patron saint of Thessaloniki, an ideal place for a festive atmosphere.
Here you can also find other suggestions for sweets you must try in Greece.
For practical information on parking, public transport, and landmarks, check our GUIDE TO THESSALONIKI.
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