Rhodes Airport was rather run-down, perhaps because it was already dark and raining. There was no lounge operated by Aegean Airlines or any other Star Alliance partner. However, we hardly had any time to kill, as our flight to Thessaloniki departed at 7:50 pm.
Boarding for the A320-200 (registration: SX-DGO), which was parked on the apron, again took place by bus. The rain from the approach from Athens had by then cleared up, so we were able to board the plane via the stairs without getting wet.
Upon boarding, we were able to catch a glimpse of the illuminated cockpit of the A320, both from the outside and the inside. Truly impressive!
We had originally reserved seats 1A and C for this flight, hoping the middle seat would remain empty. However, we were disappointed during boarding. Since the man in 1B was now separated from his family, we quickly switched seats and took 3D and F. The middle seat remained empty there as well.
Shortly after 8 p.m., the pilot took off from runway 25. The estimated flight time was 60 minutes. During takeoff and climb, we again encountered significant turbulence. Isolated thunderstorms were visible below us. After 20 minutes of flight, the seatbelt signs were finally switched off, and the service—drinks and peanuts—began. The flight attendants' outfits were also interesting: sleeveless blouses. They looked really good and were something different.
Just three-quarters of an hour later, at 8:46 p.m., the pilot began the final approach to Thessaloniki Airport. The approach became turbulent again. We simply had bad luck with the weather today. However, the sky cleared considerably during the final approach, and we had a good view of the brightly lit city. At 9:06 p.m., the pilot touched down the Airbus A320. The runway seemed very short here as well, because the pilot had to brake quite hard.
We took a taxi, a rather old Skoda Octavia, into town for €20. The taxi driver and I both drove the car to 398,000 km. It certainly felt like it, and we were glad to finally be in the city. Hotel Aegeon to have arrived.
Tavern Rouga – Thessaloniki
Since there was no food available on the two domestic flights (Athens – Rhodes – Thessaloniki), we searched for a taverna on TripAdvisor and found the highly praised Rouga.
Despite it being 10:30 pm local time, the restaurant was still very busy, and new guests kept arriving for dinner. We enjoyed half a liter of red wine, Greek salad, tzatziki, minced steaks, and lamb while listening to live music (€30 for two people). I found it interesting that in Greece, people eat together from the center of the table. At least, that's what the locals around us did.
Are you still looking for a flight to Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki International Airport is accessible year-round from many German cities. You can find cheap flights through online travel agencies such as Flugladen.de and Bravofly., ebookers.com, Expedia, lastminute.com or skyscanner.
