Heptapyrgion of Thessaloniki

Fantastic - certainly worth the visit. We decided to walk up from the city center (up-hill and took about 45 minutes) but was definitely worth the effort. It is an old Bizantin Fortress from the medieval times; then transformed into a prison; and now a museum! It was a great place to learn about the history of Thessaloniki over the different eras. The exhibitions were quite interesting, and we had a good time exploring. And the panorama views from the walls are amazing.

Along the ancient city walls in Thessaloniki’s Ano Poli district, you can spot small private houses known as Kastroplikta, built mostly by refugees who arrived after 1922. Many of these humble homes were constructed directly against the wall — some even using it as part of their structure. Today, around 150 of them remain, some still inhabited, others abandoned or in ruins. Many are now under preservation or restoration efforts, serving as quiet, living witnesses to the city’s layered history and the resilience of those who once built their lives in their shadow.

A historic fort. We arrived at 6:30 pm on October 1st, 2025 and found the entrance closed. The entrance fee was 10 euros. Given the pictures we saw on Google Maps, we didn’t seem to miss much by paying 10 euros to go inside. So, we took some pictures from the outside and walked to the Triangle towers.

The shortest hop on hop off bus tour we've ever done. Nice view over the city. Strangely the restaurants/cafes near the castle only open at 5pm, but the last bus down the hill leaves at 6pm. The Catholic Church half way up (down in our case as we walked) is worth a visit. €32 for the short bus ride, plus €20, entrance fee to the ruins, for two is a tad expensive for what it is. Not something we'd do again, but if we did .. bus Nr 23. from town is only a couple of euros and stops by the castle walls. The bus stop is at El.Venicelou Rd, adjacent to the Holocaust museum. You will need tickets, there is a ticket counter on the corner. The bus drivers do not sell tickets. The stroll back down takes around 30 min. There are lots of bakery stores/cafes on the way down for lunch.

The Heptapyrgion was initially one of the top places to visit in Thessaloniki for me, but it turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments. Let's start from the beginning: it's part of an ancient fortress, which in itself is intriguing, but don't be fooled. You won't find any historical background or interesting information about the fortress here. Just a sightseeing tour. When I read people's comments about everything being closed, I thought, "They just haven't figured it out, unlike me." Well, they haven't fully explained the absurdity of the situation. There are simply a huge number of closed places, some people wandering around. Who are they, do they work here, what are they doing?? It seems simply outrageous! Surely they are doing something important, so fence it off somehow, otherwise it will look like you've come to someone's work place, not a museum. And yes, the woman walking around the grounds keeping an eye on visitors—what is that even for? Is this a museum with valuable exhibits? What could possibly be damaged here? Are visitors just chipping away at stones? What nonsense is this? It's a truly unpleasant feeling after visiting! And yes, there are at most two vantage points from here; otherwise, the castle's structure (and the enclosed tallest tower) obstructs the view

Great Bizantin Fortress from the medieval times transformed into a prison now a museum! A great place to learn about the history of Thessaloniki, its long history and different eras in which the city has flourished! The exhibitions are very interesting in different languages. We had a great time exploring this place. And the panorama from the medieval walls is amazing. 😍

We caught a local bus here. The view from the fortress/prison was good. While historically significant from Byzantine times and with later Ottoman additions, it is probably best know locally as a prison during the years of military dictatorship between 1967-74. The prison had a reputation as a torture facility. €10 entrance fee. No discounts for EU citizens.

5/5 on potential. 2/5 in development of the site. The place has an epic view. Ruins are super cool. The site lacks development and information. When you walk around the site- one would Expect signs, shade, etc- and there is non. The restrooms are tiny compared to the size of the location, and there’s little parking.