BARS THAT FLOAT IN THESSALONIKI GREECE

Bars that float you say?  Why yes!  You may also know them as party boats.  This means of transportation is also a very interesting way to see Thessaloniki from a different vantage point.  Sure, Thessaloniki has regular bars, and restaurants that have bars, but these bar / party boats are very unique looking from other floating bars throughout the world that I have seen.

Near THE WHITE TOWER on the edge of the harbor front of the city, there are large bar / party boats that pull up and dock to take people on short cruises along the harbor front of the city. We saw one during the day and three during the evening.

One of three bar boats in Thessaloniki Greece

The boat operators posted a sign near the gangway of this particular bar boat advertising “Frappes” for 3 Euros, but there is no sign for the cost of the ride.  Hmmm….

3 Euros for a “Frappe”, but no posted cost for the ride

After inquiring with one of the crew, we were told the ride was “free” and it was for 30 minutes.  Hmmm… Nothing is free in life as we all know, especially you would think in a country experiencing economic pains. However; we figured this would be a great opportunity to see the city from a different perspective and get some great photographs.  So we decided to go for it!

Welcome To The Party Boat!

This particular boat was decorated with gothic looking steel art.  I am not an artist, but to me it looked gothic so I am sorry if I am describing it incorrectly.  :-)

On board they were playing lively music and they had a full bar where they made the “Frappes“, mix drinks, or you could order a cold beer.

Our bartender for the “cruise”

So, we pulled up to one of the tables and ordered a “Jack and Coke”, a “draft beer”, and I ordered a Frappe, which is a cold whipped coffee drink (being the designated driver), from our very cute waitress.

Our Cute Bar Boat Waitress

Our drinks were served and the bar tab came to…”16 Euros“… Ouch! Oh well, kind of expensive, but someone has to pay for the fuel.  So off we went for our 30 minute tour which basically was a wide circle of the harbor and back to our starting point.  It was fun and something totally different to do. Plus the views of the city were well worth it.

The View As We Pulled Away To Start Our Cruise

Sites Along The Way Aboard The Floating Bar

During the evening, there were three types of these party boats operating.  This is the one we took during the day and was waiting for the evening crowd:

Party Boat #1

This one reminded me a little of the U.S.S. Constitution.

Party Boat #2

Then there was the third floating bar that looked more like a big party barge and was very colorful.

Party Boat #3 – A little more festive looking

Thessaloniki’s waterfront also looks very beautiful at night, especially at sunset, so this would be a great opportunity for night shots.  Only problem would be the movement of the boat would cause issues for slower camera shutter speeds.

Thessaloniki’s Waterfront During Sunset

So the choice is yours when you want to go, and which boat to choose, to explore the waterfront of Thessaloniki.

Welcome Aboard!  :-)