Turkish tourists flocked to Thessaloniki on vacation during the start of the Ramadan holiday this week with more still expected as Turkish Airlines flights – two per day – are fully booked until the end of the week.

The Kemal Atatürk Museum

A particular magnet to these tourists is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s house, now a museum that has become something of a Mecca for the Turkish visitor to the city.  The three-floor house standing next to the Turkish Consulate on 24 Apostolou Pavlou Street is the birthplace of Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey who was born here in 1881. The Thessaloniki City Council gave it to the Turkish state in 1935 and it was subsequently converted to a museum. So special is this construction for modern-day Turks that a replica of the house was built in Ankara in 1981. But there’s nothing like the original that still contains the very furniture that the great Turkish leader himself had used and other authentic items that were brought here from Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

Busloads of Turkish visitors queue outside everyday to pay homage to the man who contributed to making their country much of what it is today. Turkish-language guides are present to answer questions at the museum that has free admission for everyone.

Yeni Tzami Mosque

Hundreds of Muslim tourists, mainly Turkish, prayed on Monday at Yeni Tzami – the historical mosque of Thessaloniki built by Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli in 1902 for the Donmeh community (Jewish converts to Islam). The Municipality of Thessaloniki opened the mosque for worship for the third consecutive year in order to facilitate prayer for the Muslim visitors. “Our goal is to make it easier for Muslim residents of Thessaloniki and visitors to celebrate the end of fasting during the Ramadan holiday,” Spyros Pegas, vice-president of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, told Ethnos newspaper.

Turkish Tourism to Greece on the rise

According to hoteliers, 80,000 Turks spent the night in Thessaloniki and even more passed through the city. In the first half of 2014 there has already been a 20% increase showing that Thessaloniki is a popular hotspot for Turkish tourism to Greece.

“We are pleased because all this is the result of municipal policy and (Thessaloniki Mayor) Yiannis Boutaris’ personal efforts, and all this started 3 years ago to show the Turks that Thessaloniki is a friendly place open to its neighbors. The flow of tourists is beneficial for the Thessaloniki hotels, restaurants, and the market as a whole. There’s nothing to be scared of regarding the Turks – we only benefit from their visits, and hopefully their number will increase,” said Mr. Pengas, speaking to Ethnos newspaper.

An article in Turkish Hurriyet Daily News attributes the rise in Turkish tourism to Greece to the fact that the process of visiting Greece isn’t as torturous as it once was with Greece now welcoming Turks. The geographical proximity is definitely a plus when it comes for Turks to visit Thessaloniki and the city’s history and links to Turkey are also drawcards.