Some people visit Thessaloniki when they miss the turn towards one of the popular Greek resorts or on their way back, while others come intentionally because they want to visit this city. Whether you have wandered or intentionally come for a few hours to take a break for lunch, coffee, shopping, or a stroll along the seaside and a visit to historical monuments, it is necessary to find something very important, a parking spot!
 
Whether it is free or paid parking in Thessaloniki, it doesn’t matter because sometimes parking in Thessaloniki, as in many big cities, can easily turn into an impossible mission and a nightmare. We provide below some places where parking is available in Thessaloniki, as well as the prices for those places and options for free parking in Thessaloniki.

Paid Parking in Thessaloniki 

There is a large number of parking spaces on designated street parking areas in the city center, which are charged. In the wider city center, there are blue signs indicating parking spaces that can only be used by Thessaloniki residents, and white signs indicating parking spaces for visitors.
 
THESi is the new controlled parking system of the municipality of Thessaloniki, which has been operating since 2018. It is one of the most advanced and integrated technological systems in Europe, with online functions - service interface - control - public information. THESi aims to facilitate the finding of parking spaces in the city, prevent illegal parking, and all the problems it causes in Thessaloniki, as well as alleviate traffic congestion.
 
As they inform us on their website:
“A visitor to the THESi controlled parking system, in zones 1 and 3, is considered to be any visitor in Thessaloniki who wants to park their vehicle within the THESi implementation zones. Parking is charged from Monday to Friday 08:00-21:00 and on Saturdays 09:00-16:00. Outside these hours and on non-working days, as well as on public holidays, it is free. If you come during this period, you have the option for free parking in Thessaloniki. The charge is 1.70€/hour, with a maximum allowed time of 4 hours in one zone.”
 
It is worth noting that there are several ways to pay for parking. You can pay for parking in one of the 400 shops in downtown Thessaloniki that have a blue THESi sticker. These include kiosks, “4 all” chain stores, OПАП, coffee shops… In any case, there are payment points at every corner. You just need to write down or remember the five-digit number from the sign where you parked and, together with the registration number, request to pay for the desired number of hours at the payment point. You can also pay through the ParkPal app. There is also a large parking lot near the port, which can be a good option.

Garages in Thessaloniki

Another solution for parking in Thessaloniki is garages, which you can easily find anywhere in the center of Thessaloniki, as well as in the wider area of the city. Parking garages in Thessaloniki offer an economical, comfortable, and fastest way to explore the city center. What is very important, they are the safest option for your car, and we will talk about safety further in the text. The prices of parking garages in Thessaloniki range from 12 to even 40 euros per day. In any case, it is worth mentioning that many of them offer various types of discounts. For example, during the night, from 21:00 to 9:00, the fee is 5 euros, or on Sundays, when the shops are closed, they charge from 9:00 to 21:00, also 5 euros. Therefore, we recommend that you inquire directly before choosing the garage where you will leave your car. Additionally, a certain number of them offer the possibility of online reservation, where you can choose the days when you want to park your vehicle by filling out the form located on their website.

To access the map of all the parking lots and garages in Thessaloniki, click HERE

The most affordable parking option in Thessaloniki in a garage is 4 euros for the first two hours, and each subsequent hour is 1 euro. This is a good option, and you can find all the details here
Don’t be surprised if, when you park your car, the attendant asks for the key. This is common practice in most garages and parking lots in Thessaloniki, but not everywhere. The attendants have the key in order to move the car if necessary. We know that the reaction of many will be negative regarding this matter, but in that case, it is best to find another place or leave the car in street parking and pay using the aforementioned method.

If you are planning to visit Thessaloniki and would like more information about this city, such as places to visit, where to find good food, and how to get around the city, please check out our Guide to Thessaloniki

Free parking in Thessaloniki

There is a significant number of open municipal parking areas where you can freely park your vehicle and then use public transportation or walk to the city center. Therefore, the third group consists of free parking spaces, also known as free public parking or free parking. They can be found in multiple locations throughout the city, but mostly a bit further from the central area of Thessaloniki. Additionally, free parking spots can be found in side streets in the broader center of Thessaloniki. There are many options for free parking in Thessaloniki, so we believe you will be able to find one easily.

What to pay attention to when it comes to free parking in Thessaloniki!?

It is extremely important to make sure that these are not central streets and boulevards (Egnatia, Cimiski, Leoforos Nikis…) and that parking is not prohibited in the area where you want to leave your car, as well as to avoid blocking a fire hydrant. The fines are substantial, and you could even lose your license plates. Additionally, free parking is available within certain shopping centers. For example, one such parking area can be found within the One Salonica shopping center (you must leave it before closing time, a map is available in the gallery above). Free parking is also available in front of the Ikea shopping center.

Parking in front of the Cosmos shopping center is charged, but if you park in front of the Masoutis store and purchase at least one item (it can be a 0.2€ bottle of water), you can stay in the parking area for 2 hours.

Attention! Do not park on the sidewalk in front of the cemetery entrance, on the main Lagada Street. Additionally, parking in front of the entrance to the French part of the cemetery is not recommended, as there have been a large number of car break-ins. If you are staying overnight in Thessaloniki, it is best to look for accommodation that includes parking and inquire if there is an additional fee. If you are traveling to Thessaloniki in a camper or if you happen to want to rest in your car for a little while and continue on, take a look at the website Park4night.

Parking at Thessaloniki Airport

Thessaloniki’s “Macedonia” International Airport offers five designated parking areas for passengers and visitors, suitable for both short-term and long-term stays. The airport parking is open 24⁄7, year-round. Reservation of parking spaces is not necessary. There is 24-hour security. Parking is free for up to 20 minutes, and from the 21st to the 60th minute, a fee of 4 euros is charged. Prices range up to 48 euros for 15 days and 80 euros for a month, and a monthly pass can be obtained for 60 euros. On the airport’s website, you can find a detailed price list categorized by zones, which you can check here.

Parking in Thessaloniki - Safety

As you are aware, Thessaloniki is a vast city, and regardless of the fact that safety is good in many smaller towns in Greece, caution should be exercised in larger cities. In this paragraph, we will provide you with some advice that may be helpful in ensuring everything goes smoothly.
Many of you already take care of this, but it doesn’t hurt to draw attention to valuable items left in the car, especially if they are left in plain sight. Therefore, our advice is to not leave anything in plain sight, not even sunglasses, as you never know what might attract a potential intruder.
Whether you are parking in a paid or free parking area in Thessaloniki, do not leave anything valuable in the car, especially money or documents.

Our tourists often visit Thessaloniki when arriving or returning from their holidays, and during those times, their cars are usually filled with belongings. In that case, the best and safest option is a garage. We do not wish to frighten you, but caution should be taken, as break-ins occur every year.

Do not be deceived by some places that are busy, as these incidents even happen there. One of them is the parking lot in front of Ikea. Before you move away from your car, make sure you have locked it, as in previous years, something unusual and extraordinary happened. Some thieves possess signal disruption equipment, so car owners often believe they have locked their car remotely and do not check, only to be unpleasantly surprised upon their return. There have been cases where individuals noticed that they were unsuccessful in locking their car remotely and did it manually. The device allegedly stores the code in the radio signal used to unlock the car, allowing thieves to freely enter.
Therefore, keep your eyes wide open and be cautious.

Additional Remarks for Parking in Thessaloniki

Another important note is that there are no gas stations in the immediate city center, so do not expect to refuel there and do not wait until your tank is almost empty; fill up in a timely manner.
Also, parking is prohibited where the parking spaces are marked in blue or yellow, and make sure you do not block any fire hydrants. All in all, be careful to avoid receiving fines.
From our experience, it is better to park a bit further from the city center in a garage and walk from there or use public transport or a reasonably priced taxi. Considering the frequent traffic jams in Thessaloniki, walking is sometimes a faster and more pleasant option.
Write to us about your experiences with parking in Thessaloniki and if you have any recommendations for parking spots as well.

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