#4 ThessMarket:Louloudadika Traditional Geocache

Louloudadika is a small area of the historic city center including the streets of Komninon, Frangon and Vas. Herakliou, which takes its name from the old outdoor florists that were there. Unfortunately only 4 continue to run today. In the ’50s there were 11 shops selling all sorts of flowers and their fame reached to the provincial cities.

   In the same neighborhood there is also the old Ottoman bath Yahudi Hamami built in the 16th century and the name (Yahudi = Hebrew) comes from the fact that this area had a lot of Jewish shops. It was a scandalous place in its time as a bath for both men and women. But in the fire of 1917 it lost its stately splendor, having sustained various damages. Recently, the restoration was completed and now the old Hamam hosts various cultural activities such as the Biennale, photography exhibitions, etc.

   Today, in the cobbled area of Louloudadika, there are food shops, restaurants and cafés and it is very close to the compelling Modiano Market. Τake a walk around this small neighborhood, which lacks the hubbub of the city, and take some time to think about how the old communities of Thessaloniki, Christians, Muslims and Jews, like it or not, would meet and interact in this neighborhood. It’s a neighborhood that you can overlook if you don’t know about it, but it’s one of the neighborhoods where the modern history of the city was written and the memories are still alive and present.