Trikala

Trikala is one of the most appealing cities of the Thessalian plain, built along both banks of the Litheos river, a tributary of the Pineios, and stitched together by a series of small bridges. In antiquity it was Trikke, and tradition holds that this was the birthplace of Asclepius, the god of medicine, whose great healing sanctuary here was among the oldest in the Greek world. That legacy gives the modern city an unexpected depth beneath its relaxed, well-kept surface.

Above the town rises the Byzantine fortress, built on the site of the ancient acropolis, with a clock tower and gardens offering a fine view over the rooftops to the mountains beyond. Below it lies Varousi, the atmospheric old quarter of the Ottoman and 19th-century town, a maze of narrow lanes and timber-framed mansions with overhanging upper storeys. The Kursum Mosque, a fine 16th-century Ottoman building attributed to the school of the architect Sinan, stands as a reminder of the city's layered past.

Modern Trikala is known as one of Greece's most forward-looking small cities, with pedestrianised riverside streets, cycle lanes and an easygoing cafe scene along the water. In winter it draws visitors from across the country with the Mill of the Elves, a large seasonal Christmas theme park set in a converted mill, one of the most popular festive attractions in Greece.

Getting here is simple. Trikala lies on the rail branch and road that lead up to Kalambaka and Meteora, roughly 20 km further on, and it connects readily by bus and train to Larissa and Athens. Many travellers pass through on their way to the monasteries, but the city rewards a proper pause: a stroll through Varousi, a climb to the fortress and an evening beside the softly lit river make Trikala one of the quiet pleasures of central Greece.