Why Thessaloniki: an honest look at the city where I treat my patients

When a patient asks me, ‘Why Thessaloniki and not Athens?’, I start by asking a question in return: how many times will you be coming, and how long will you be staying? An IVF journey often involves two or three short stays, sometimes whilst in a fragile emotional state. What you need then isn’t a capital city, but a town where everything is within fifteen minutes’ reach.

A city on a human scale, with world-class facilities

Thessaloniki has a population of just over a million, a long-established and respected medical university, and several assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics accredited by the National Authority, some of which are among the most experienced in Greece when it comes to egg donation. The city has been welcoming international patients since the 2000s, and the clinics are used to dealing with cases from France, Italy or the Balkans. You are no exception; you are a patient just like any other, and that is exactly what we want.

Travelling there from France

Thessaloniki ‘Macedonia’ Airport (SKG) is about 15 kilometres from the city clinic, which is a 20- to 30-minute taxi ride (around 25 to 30 euros) or a 40-minute bus journey. There are direct flights from Paris to Thessaloniki, with more frequent services from April to October; for the rest of the year, a connecting flight via Athens adds about an hour and a half to the journey. Allow three and a quarter hours for a direct flight from Paris. From Lyon, Marseille or Nice, flights usually go via Athens or another European capital.

My advice on tickets: book changeable fares for the return journey, especially during the natural cycle, when the transfer date may shift by one or two days. The price difference is minimal compared to the stress you’ll save yourself.

Where to stay

Three neighbourhoods are well suited to a medical stay. The historic clinic, around Aristotle Square and Ladadika, puts you within walking distance of everything, with a wide choice of mid-range hotels costing between 70 and 130 euros a night. The eastern seafront, towards the White Tower, is quieter, a ten-minute walk from the clinic. And Kalamaria, to the south-east, if your clinic is located there, with more affordable holiday flats. I book accommodation for my patients that I’m familiar with, within a reasonable distance of their clinic, and never on a noisy street: a good night’s sleep is important.

Language in everyday life

In the clinics, English is widely spoken and some doctors speak French; my role is precisely to ensure that language is never a barrier, from the first video call to the final report. In town, English is more than enough in hotels, restaurants and taxis. There are plenty of chemists, open late, and the chemists are used to fertility treatment prescriptions; fertility drugs are available there, often cheaper than in France.

The cost of living

Thessaloniki remains significantly cheaper than Paris or Barcelona. A meal in a taverna costs 15 to 25 euros per person, a coffee 3 euros, and a taxi journey within the city 5 to 8 euros. For a three-day stay for two people, allow between 250 and 400 euros, excluding accommodation. The full budget for the treatment programme is detailed here.

A typical stay for an egg donation transfer

1. Day 1: arrival in the early afternoon, settling in, a short walk along the seafront, early dinner.
2. Day 2: transfer in the morning, rest at the hotel, a leisurely outing in the afternoon if you wish.
3. Day 3: Morning at leisure, return to France.

I’ll be at the clinic on the day of the transfer and available by phone throughout your stay. Detailed timetables for each protocol are available here.

What Thessaloniki is not

It is not a seaside holiday destination, even though the sea is nearby and Chalkidiki is just an hour away. Nor is it a city you come to visit between appointments: the pace of a medical trip doesn’t always lend itself to that. But it is a city where you can find your way around in a day, where the food is good, where the people are welcoming, and where you can focus on the reason you came. After twenty-four years here, that is why I have never wanted to work anywhere else.

Frequently asked questions

Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/why-thessaloniki-ivf/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on