Wandering Well · Greece · Theme

Greek market towns off the beaten path.

What are some less-touristed market towns in Greece, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer

Options include Ptolemaida, a Western Macedonia town of lignite mines and power stations; Siatista, a mountain town and designated traditional settlement in Western Macedonia; and Servia, a town beside the Aliakmon River with a 6th-century castle. This page includes 13 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Thessaloniki or Athens.

13 picks
Kyparissia, Greece
Gold
Food scenes & café towns

Kyparissia

Λακωνία, Μεσσηνία · Greece

This compact waterfront town on the northwestern Peloponnese, Kyparissia has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, an unusual density of c…

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Myrina, Greece
Gold
Coast & island escapes

Myrina

Λέσβος, Λήμνος · Greece

A waterfront capital of the Greek island of Lemnos, in the North Aegean, Myrina has a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, a strong concent…

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Siatista, Greece
Gold
Mountain villages

Siatista

Γρεβενά, Κοζάνη · Greece

Mountain town in Western Macedonia that flourished as a prosperous Greek commercial centre during the Ottoman period, Siatista retains a dense concentration…

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Mytilene, Greece
Gold
Coast & island escapes

Mytilene

Λέσβος, Λήμνος · Greece

A port town on the southeast coast of Lesbos with a walkable centre dense with cafés, restaurants, and historic churches, Mytilene has served as the island's…

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Atalanti, Greece
Silver
Mountain villages

Atalanti

Φθιώτιδα · Greece

This tiny Greek town in Phthiotis sits at the water's edge with mountains rising behind it, serving as the seat of the municipality of Lokroi.

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Ptolemaida, Greece
Gold
Bustling market & commercial towns

Ptolemaida

Γρεβενά, Κοζάνη · Greece

Ptolemaida, a town in Western Macedonia's Kozani regional unit, is known as Greece's energy capital — its lignite mines and coal-fired power stations have dr…

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Servia, Greece
Gold
Inland waterside towns

Servia

Γρεβενά, Κοζάνη · Greece

A tiny town in West Macedonia, Greece, Servia sits beside the Aliakmon River with the Kamvounia mountains rising above it, and carries an unusually dense Byz…

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Gastoúni, Greece
Bronze
Wine country

Gastoúni

Ηλεία · Greece

This little town in the Peloponnese with a 12th-century Byzantine church of the Dormition in its Katholiki quarter — renovated in 1702 and one of the area's…

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Drama, Greece
Gold
Bustling market & commercial towns

Drama

Δράμα · Greece

This walkable town in northeastern Greece with a dense café and restaurant scene, Drama sits at the foot of Mount Falakro amid abundant natural springs that…

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Amfissa, Greece
Silver
Food scenes & café towns

Amfissa

Φωκίδα · Greece

Sitting between Mount Giona and Mount Parnassus at the edge of the Crissaean olive plain, Amfissa is the administrative seat of Phocis and a small Greek town…

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Pyrgos, Greece
Silver
Coast & island escapes

Pyrgos

Ηλεία · Greece

A regional capital in the northwestern Peloponnese built across seven low hills, Pyrgos sits a short distance from the Ionian Sea and serves as the administr…

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Aiginio, Greece
Bronze
Coast & island escapes

Aiginio

Πιερία · Greece

This tiny town on the Thermaic Gulf in Greece's Pieria region, Aiginio sits where the Aliakmon river meets the coast, with Mount Olympus and the Pierian Moun…

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Giannitsa, Greece
Gold
Wine country

Giannitsa

Πέλλα · Greece

Greek market town in the heart of Macedonia's wine-growing plains, Giannitsa offers a lively café-lined centre and sits within easy reach of the region's cel…

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Greek market towns: quick answers

Which Greek market towns can you visit on a day trip from Thessaloniki or Athens?

Giannitsa, Servia and Aiginio are among 3 market towns on our day trips from Thessaloniki. And Atalanti is among 1 market towns on our day trips from Athens.

Where are Greece's less-touristed market towns?

Wandering Well lists 13 market towns across Greece. The most are in Γρεβενά, Κοζάνη (3), Λέσβος, Λήμνος (2) and Ηλεία (2).

Which are the highest-rated?

8 are rated gold, including Giannitsa, Drama, Myrina and Siatista.

Which can you reach by train?

2 of the 13 have a railway station within a 10-minute drive, including Pyrgos and Aiginio.

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