Μake us preferred on Google Thessaloniki is set to gain 19 new parks by June 2027, adding approximately 25 acres of green space across Greece’s second-largest city as municipal authorities seek to turn vacant and neglected plots into public spaces.
The projects will increase the city’s total green space from 660 to 685 acres, with parks of varying sizes planned across all six municipal districts.
Ten parks have already opened to residents, five are under construction and another four are in the planning stage, with funding secured for all of them.
“By early summer, we will have delivered a total of 19 new parks, some smaller and others larger, across all neighborhoods,” said Vasilis Diamantakis, Thessaloniki’s deputy mayor for environment, urban green spaces and fauna, speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).
“Perhaps the figure may seem small to some, but it is particularly significant for a densely built-up city like ours, where there is not a single square meter of available space,” he said.
Where the new parks are taking shape
The 10 completed projects include green spaces created from scratch at the intersection of Agiou Dimitriou and Iasonidou streets; the Urban Micro Forest; Bouboulinas Street and the intersection of Tzacheila and Konstantopoulou streets; Amfipoleos and Artakis streets; Kryoneri Park; Makedonias Street; the landscaped areas around the Thessaloniki Concert Hall; and Ethnikis Antistaseos Street in Triandria.
Five more parks are currently under construction, including two pocket parks and three larger green spaces.
Work is underway at the intersection of Miki Theodoraki and Agion Panton streets, as well as at the Xirokrini Biodiversity Park in western Thessaloniki. Other projects include the large Dikaion Park on M. Botsari Street and two pocket parks, on Agapinou Street in the city center and Archaiotiton Street in the Panagia Faneromeni neighborhood.
Four additional projects are at the study stage. One involves developing a plot of more than four acres opposite Ivanof Park, on M. Theodoraki Street. Other planned interventions, announced by Mayor Stelios Angeloudis, include parks in the Trochiromatika area, Triandria and Ano Poli.
’50 Small Breaths’ initiative targets historic Upper Town
A separate initiative, called “50 Small Breaths,” is also underway to improve Ano Poli, Thessaloniki’s historic Upper Town.
The project focuses on identifying small, available spaces within the traditional settlement, ranging from 10 to 100 square meters. The plan is to add greenery and benches, turning these otherwise unused corners into small public spaces for residents and visitors.
Prodromos Nikiforidis, deputy mayor for technical works and sustainable mobility, has already mapped potential sites. The initiative is being coordinated by the municipal departments responsible for technical works and the environment.
Diamantakis said the broader aim was to ensure that every available corner could become part of Thessaloniki’s network of green spaces.
