Parking in Thessaloniki

Some people in Thessaloniki stop by when they miss a turn on the way to some of the popular Greek resorts or on their way back, while some come intentionally because they want to visit this city. Whether you have wandered off or intentionally come for a few hours to take a break for lunch, coffee, shopping, or a walk along the sea and visit historical monuments, it is necessary to find something very important, a parking spot!
Free parking in Thessaloniki or paid, it doesn’t matter, because sometimes parking in Thessaloniki, like in many big cities, can easily turn into an impossible mission and a nightmare. Where is the best place to park in Thessaloniki and what are the prices, you can see in the following text.

Parking prices in Thessaloniki (quick overview)

Quick tips for parking in Thessaloniki

• Street parking in the center of Thessaloniki costs €1.70 per hour.
  
• The maximum stay in one zone is 4 hours.
  
• Parking is free at night, on Sundays and holidays.
  
• Garages are the safest option and cost €12–40 daily.
  
• Free parking is easiest to find outside the city center.
  
• The safest parking is in garages or large municipal parking zones.
  

The most frequently sought parking spaces in Thessaloniki are located near:

• White Tower
  
• Aristotle Square
  
• Tsimiski Street
  
• Port of Thessaloniki
  

There is a large municipal parking lot near the port, which is one of the good options for parking in Thessaloniki. Link to location.

In the text below and on the map links, you will find where the free parking lots are and the locations of garages and private paid parking lots.

Paid parking in Thessaloniki

There are a large number of parking spaces in designated street parking areas in the city center that are chargeable. Blue tables have been set up in the wider city center to mark parking spaces that only residents of Thessaloniki can use, and white tables mark parking spaces for visitors. These tables state: ΜΟΝΟ ΚΑΤΟΙΚΟΙ.

THESi parking system in Thessaloniki

THESi is a new controlled parking system of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, which has been operational since 2018. It is one of the most advanced and integrated technological systems in Europe, with online features - service interface - control - public information. THESi aims to facilitate finding parking spaces in the city, prevent illegal parking and all the problems it causes in Thessaloniki, as well as alleviate traffic congestion.

Here are a few sentences from the official THESi website:
“Visitors of the THESi controlled parking system, in zone 1 and 3, are considered: every visitor in Thessaloniki who wishes 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 of these hours and on non-working days, as well as on public holidays, it is free. If you are arriving in that period, be aware that 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.”

How to pay for parking in Thessaloniki

It should be emphasized that there are several ways to pay for parking.

• You can pay for parking at one of the 400 shops in the center of Thessaloniki that have a blue THESi sticker. These include kiosks, stores from the “4 all” chain, OPA, coffee shops, so there are payment points everywhere.
  
• You just need to write down or remember the five-digit number from the table where you parked and together with the registration number, ask at the payment point to pay for the desired number of hours.
  
• You can also pay through the ParkPal app (iPhone app and Android app).
  

Garages in Thessaloniki

Another solution for parking in Thessaloniki is garage parking which you can easily find anywhere in the center of Thessaloniki, as well as in the wider area of the city.
What is very important is that they are the safest for your car, and we will talk about safety further in the text.

Garage parking prices in Thessaloniki

Prices range from €12 up to even €40 per day.

• Some of them offer various discounts for the number of hours or days.
  
• For example: at night, from 21:00 to 9:00, the fee is €5, or on Sundays, when stores are closed, they charge from 9:00 to 21:00, also €5.
  

Therefore, we recommend that you inquire directly before choosing the garage where you will leave your car. Also, some of them offer the option of online reservation, where you can choose the days you want to park your vehicle, by filling out the form on their website. Keep in mind that some garages have working hours, work until 9 p.m. or do not work on Sundays, for example. It is important to inquire about the working hours before making a reservation and deciding where to park.

Do not be surprised if, when you park your car, the guard asks for the key, as this is a practice in most garages and most parking lots in Thessaloniki. Guards have the key to be able to move the car if necessary. Although it is not pleasant to leave the key to someone, especially if we have valuable items in the car, it is safer to leave the car in a garage in this way, rather than in a parking lot, even if the parking lot has a guard.

Map of garages and parking lots in Thessaloniki

View all parking lots and garages in Thessaloniki on Google Maps
On the map, you can see:

• public garages in the center of Thessaloniki
  
• private parking lots
  
• parking zones within the THESi system
  
• parking lots near major tourist locations
  

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

Free parking in Thessaloniki

There are a number of open municipal parking areas where you can park your vehicle for free, and then use public transportation or walk to the city center. Free parking spaces can be found at several locations in the city, but a little further from the center of Thessaloniki.

Locations of free parking in Thessaloniki

Note:
If you stay overnight in Thessaloniki, when looking for accommodation, it is best to look for one with parking and immediately inquire if there is an additional fee. If you are going to Thessaloniki by camper or if you want to take a nap in the car and continue on, also check out the website Park4night.

What to pay attention to when parking for free in Thessaloniki

In the wider center of Thessaloniki, it is possible to find free parking spaces in side streets, but they are often full, especially during working days. If you want to find a free parking space in side streets, we advise you to arrive early (before 8 a.m.).

In some areas in Thessaloniki, parking can be free during certain time periods, such as nighttime or weekends. Check local signs, as the rules vary from one zone to another. For example, in areas where parking is charged during the day, you can park for free at night, on Saturday afternoons, or on Sundays.

Street parking spaces in peripheral areas of the wider city center often do not have a payment system, especially in residential areas away from main roads and tourist spots. Some of these streets are located in neighborhoods such as Ano Poli (the old town on the hill) and areas towards the northern and eastern parts of Thessaloniki.

Free parking in front of shopping malls

• Such is the case, for example, within the One Salonica shopping center (you must leave it before closing time).
  
• Parking is free in front of the Ikea shopping center.
  
• If you park in front of the Masoutis store and buy at least one product (it can be a bottle of water) you can stay in the parking lot for 2 hours.
  

Parking in front of the Cosmos shopping center is charged.

Tips for finding free parking in Thessaloniki:

• Arrive early: If you plan to park in the wider city center, try to arrive early in the morning or later in the evening.
  
• Use mobile apps: Parking mobile apps, like Parkopedia or ParkMan, can help you find available spaces and check if parking is free or paid.
  
• Consult with locals: Local residents or shopkeepers can often recommend places where parking is free.
  

It is extremely important to

• not park your car in the city center and on the busiest streets and boulevards (Egnatia, Tsimiski, Leoforos Nikis…),
  
• pay attention to whether there is a no-parking sign at the location you want to leave your car,
  
• and not block a fire hydrant. A fire hydrant is usually located on the sidewalk or next to the street, providing firefighters with quick access to water in case of a fire. In many cities, including Thessaloniki, this is a legal requirement, and parking in front of a hydrant can lead to fines, and even to the vehicle being removed. The fines are high, and you can even lose your license plates.
  
• In Thessaloniki, fire hydrants are usually marked in red and are often placed on the edges of sidewalks or next to streets. Next to the hydrant, there may be an additional sign or symbol indicating that the space is reserved and parking is not allowed in front of it. Some streets have a yellow or red line on the pavement near the hydrant, which further signals a no-parking zone.
  

Airport parking in Thessaloniki

The “Macedonia” International Airport in Thessaloniki has five specially designated parking areas available to passengers and visitors, for short and long stays. Airport parking is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round.

• Reservation of parking spaces is not necessary.
  
• There is 24-hour security.
  
• Parking up to 20 minutes is free,
  
• from 21 to 60 minutes is charged €4.
  
• Prices range up to €48 for 15 days and €80 for a month,
  
• and you can also get a monthly pass for €60.
  

On the airport website, you have a detailed price list by zones and you can view it here

Risk of break-ins - how to protect your car and belongings inside

As you know, Thessaloniki is a big city and regardless of the fact that safety is good in many smaller places in Greece, caution should be exercised in larger places. In this paragraph, we will write down some of the tips that can help you have everything go smoothly.

Many of you take care of this, but it is worth mentioning that valuable items left in the car should be left out of sight, especially if they are left in a visible place.

• Therefore, our advice is not to leave anything visible, not even sunglasses, as you never know what might attract a potential burglar.
  

Whether you park in a paid or free parking lot in Thessaloniki, do not leave anything valuable in the car, especially not money or documents.

Some parts of the city or streets are less busy or less illuminated, which can increase the risk of burglary.

• Avoid Vardaris Square to the bus station for overnight stays and parking.
  

Our tourists mostly visit Thessaloniki on their way to or from their vacation, and their car is usually full of things, so in that case

• the best and safest option is a garage.
  
• Do not leave your car with valuable items in it for even 5 minutes.
  
• It is best that if you have items in the car, leave one person to watch over it while you are in the shopping center, even if you run to the restroom.
  
• We do not want to scare you, not all cars are broken into if they have items, but it happens.
  
• Do not let some busy places trick you, as break-ins even happen there. One of them is the parking lot in front of Ikea,
  
• the parking lot in front of One Salonica (mentioned as free above),
  
• the parking lot in front of Waterland and large supermarkets, but also
  
• parking lots in the strict city center…
  

From our experience, it is safest to leave the car in a garage, no matter the cost, even if you have to leave the key to the garage staff.

• Before you move away from the car, check if you have locked it, as some thieves have equipment to interfere with signals, making your remote car locking not work. The device allegedly memorizes the code in the radio signal used to unlock cars, after which thieves can freely enter. Therefore, before moving away from the car, manually check if the doors are locked.
  

A few more notes on parking in Thessaloniki

Another important note is that there are no gas stations in the city center, so do not count on refueling there.
If a parking spot is marked with blue or yellow, it means that parking is prohibited there.
If the garages in the center of Thessaloniki are expensive, park a bit further from the city center in a more affordable garage, then walk, use public transport, or a taxi (taxi prices are not high). Considering that traffic jams are common in Thessaloniki, walking is sometimes a faster and more pleasant option.

Do you have your “safe haven” for parking in Thessaloniki?

Thessaloniki is constantly changing, and parking zones are often updated. If you have discovered a parking lot that is not on our list, or you have useful experience (whether positive or negative), share it with us in the comments or write to us in the comment below the text or by email nikana@nikana.gr. Your information can save someone hours of circling around the city!

If this text was helpful, share it with your friends on social media so it can be useful to them.

Thessaloniki guide look here:
General information
Travelling to Thessaloniki
Food and Drinks
Beaches
Places
What to See
Shopping

Follow us on our social media and stay up to date with everything you are interested in about Greece!
Facebook: Nikana.gr
Instagram: @nikana.gr
Tiktok: nikana.gr
YouTube kanal @NikanaTravel
Write us on e-mail: nikana@nikana.gr
Bigest offer of accomodation find HERE.