Larissa (Larisa) is the capital of Thessaly and, with about 147,000 inhabitants, one of Greece's six largest cities. It lies in the middle of the country's largest plain, crossed by the Pineios river, halfway between Athens and Thessaloniki, with Mounts Olympus and Ossa on the horizon. It is not a classic tourist destination: it is a city of work, trade and students, with intense street life, excellent cafés and tavernas, and some surprising ancient monuments right in the centre. For those travelling between Athens and northern Greece, or to Meteora, it is worth a stop.
History
Larissa has been inhabited since the Neolithic and is one of Greece's oldest cities. In antiquity it was Thessaly's leading city, ruled by the aristocratic Aleuadae family, famous for horses and cavalry. According to tradition Hippocrates, the father of medicine, died here, and the philosopher Gorgias lived here. In Roman and Byzantine times it was the seat of governors and bishops; its patron saint is St Achillius, a 4th-century bishop. The Ottomans took it at the end of the 14th century and called it Yenişehir, "new town": for five centuries it was an important administrative centre, with mosques, baths and markets. Larissa became part of Greece in 1881, when the Ottoman Empire ceded Thessaly.
In the 20th century the city grew rapidly thanks to mechanised farming on the plain, trade and large military bases, and became a university centre with the medical and science faculties of the University of Thessaly. On 28 February 2023, a few kilometres north of the city in the Vale of Tempe, a collision between two trains killed 57 people, the worst rail disaster in Greek history, sparking large protests across the country.
Larissa in myth
According to tradition the city took its name from the nymph Larissa, daughter of Pelasgus, ancestor of the Pelasgians, Greece's oldest inhabitants. The most famous myth linked to the city concerns Perseus: during an athletic contest at Larissa the hero threw a discus that, caught by the wind, struck and killed a spectator, his grandfather Acrisius, king of Argos. Thus the prophecy Acrisius had spent his life fleeing came true. Thessaly is also the land of Achilles, who came from nearby Phthia, of the centaurs of Mount Pelion and of the gods of Olympus, which towers over the plain to the north. See Perseus and places of myth.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| First ancient theatre | A large 3rd-century BC theatre uncovered in the city centre and restored, with marble seating |
| Second ancient theatre | A smaller Roman theatre near the first |
| Frourio hill | The ancient acropolis, with the basilica of Agios Achillios and the Bezesteni, the 15th-century Ottoman covered market |
| Diachronic Museum | A modern museum telling Thessaly's story from prehistory to modern times |
| Alcazar park | A large park along the Pineios, with trees, ponds and cafés |
| Central square (Kentriki Plateia) | The heart of city life, ringed by cafés |
| Municipal Art Gallery (Katsigras collection) | One of the most important collections of modern Greek painting outside Athens |
| Pappas mill | An old mill turned cultural centre |
The first ancient theatre
Larissa's most surprising monument is the first ancient theatre, built in the first half of the 3rd century BC on the slopes of Frourio hill. For centuries it lay buried under the city's houses, and it has been excavated and restored since the 1980s: today its white marble tiers, which could seat about ten thousand spectators, can be seen from the surrounding streets. In Roman times it was turned into an arena for combats. The theatre again hosts performances on some occasions. See Greek theatre.
The city today
Larissa's centre is compact and largely pedestrianised. The streets around the central square and Tachydromeiou square are full of cafés, bars and shops, frequented by students and families until late. The city is reputed to be one of the liveliest in provincial Greece, with surprising nightlife for its size. The riverside of the Pineios and Alcazar park are where people stroll. The football club AEL has a big following and in 1988 won the Greek championship, the only provincial club to do so in that era.
Food
The Thessalian plain is Greece's breadbasket, with wheat, cotton, fruit and livestock. In Larissa people eat grilled meat, cheeses, pies and the mezedes of the tsipouradiko, venues where tsipouro is drunk: the nearby town of Tyrnavos is one of the most famous centres for distilling tsipouro and ouzo. Each glass comes with small plates, and the more you order, the more tastes arrive. See ouzo and tsipouro.
Events and seasons
On 15 May the city celebrates its patron St Achillius with processions and a fair. In summer the first ancient theatre and the riverside parks host open-air concerts and shows, and the central square stays busy until late. In autumn, when the students arrive, café and bar life resumes. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for the city and surroundings: in July and August temperatures often exceed 38 degrees, and many residents head for the sea on the Pelion coast or in Halkidiki.
Getting there
Larissa lies on the railway and motorway between Athens and Thessaloniki: by train it is about 3.5 hours from Athens and 1.5 hours from Thessaloniki; by car roughly the same. KTEL buses link the city with all of Greece. The nearest airports are Volos (Nea Anchialos) and Thessaloniki.
Day trips
| Destination | Distance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Vale of Tempe | 30 km | The Pineios gorge between Olympus and Ossa, with the chapel of Agia Paraskevi reached by a suspension bridge |
| Ambelakia | 35 km | A mountain village with the mansions of 18th-century yarn merchants, who founded one of Europe's first cooperatives |
| Mount Olympus | 60-90 km | The mountain of the gods, with trails and refuges, see Zeus |
| Meteora | 90 km | The monasteries on the rocks, a UNESCO site |
| Volos and Pelion | 60 km | The port, the tsipouradika and the villages of Mount Pelion |
| Tyrnavos | 20 km | Tsipouro distilleries and a traditional carnival |
Tips
- Larissa has a continental climate: in summer it is one of Greece's hottest cities, in winter it can be cold and foggy.
- Accommodation costs less than in tourist resorts: it is a good base for exploring Thessaly.
- The city comes alive late in the evening, like all of Greece: tavernas fill after 9 pm.
See also Thessaly and Greek cities.