The 6.5-kilometre coastline provides a clear framework for Kalamaria. Aretsou is shaped by a history of arrival and settlement; memorial sites, architecture and cultural collections add further historical perspectives. Visitors planning a stay can get to know different sides of the area without conflating the individual topics.
The Coastline and the History of Aretsou
The history of Aretsou Beach is primarily connected with the arrival of Greek refugees from Asia Minor in 1922. They founded the settlement in the area. Aretsou’s port was also a place of arrival for many refugees. The coast and port therefore represent both a history of arrival and a new beginning.
Aretsou’s past also includes its leisure history. The beach became a popular destination for Thessaloniki residents to swim, eat and enjoy themselves. Fishermen who came to Kalamaria in their boats helped give Aretsou a reputation for particularly good fish. These historical associations offer another way of understanding the coastal area without making any claims about what it offers today.
Events by the Sea
The Kalamaria Flower Exhibition is an established event in Thessaloniki, featuring flowers and activities. Concerts and music evenings are held on a platform by the sea at Aretsou Beach. If you want to plan your trip around a particular event, check the event dates in advance.
Kodra, Remembrance and Architecture
Kodra is considered a public space for everyone. Kodra Camp is home to the Grove of the Missing Cypriots, a memorial site with 1,619 cypress trees. Their number represents the Greek Cypriots and Greeks who went missing following the Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 percent of Cyprus. The Park of the Missing Cypriots commemorates people reported missing in Cyprus after the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Palataki, also known as Kyverneio or Government House, is a neoclassical building on Cape Mikro Emvolo, also known as Karabournaki. The Monument to the Fallen of Kalamaria offers another form of remembrance: it depicts a reclining human figure symbolising a soldier who fell in battle, and presents his sacrifice in a modern, abstract style.
Photography, Archives and Heritage
The Photography Museum “Christos Kalemkeris” was established to protect and promote Christos Kalemkeris’s extensive collection. The collection includes albums and photographs on the Greek railway network, the antiquities of the Greek world, the Balkan Wars and both World Wars. These subjects give the photographic collection a broad historical scope.
The Historical Archive of Refugee Hellenism researches the history and identity of refugee Hellenism and preserves the memory of the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922 and the population exchange of 1923 to 1924.
Discover more destinations: Vrasna, Thermaikos, Peraía, Loutra Volvis, Vasilika, Nea Kerasia, Apollonia, Asproválta
For the main travel overview: Thessaloniki.
