Modiano Market

Modiano Market is the covered market hall at the corner of Ermou and Komninon streets in central Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece. It was built in the 1920s, after the great fire of 1917 destroyed much of the old centre, and it takes its name from the Modiano family, a prominent Sephardic Jewish family of the city. The long rectangular hall, with a glazed roof and a courtyard form, was designed to house the city's food traders under one roof and remains one of the most atmospheric commercial spaces in Greece. Inside, visitors find butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, cheese and cured-meat sellers, spice and herb stalls, and bakeries, together with a growing number of small restaurants and cafes that serve fresh food at the counter. The place is loud, colourful, and local rather than staged: shoppers from nearby neighbourhoods buy produce here as they have for generations. Visitors can walk through freely without charge, taste products at some stalls, and sit for a meal at one of the eateries, where grilled meats, seafood, and traditional Macedonian dishes are common. A visit typically takes forty-five minutes to an hour. Weekday late morning is the best time, when stalls are fully stocked and lunch service begins, while Sunday is quiet because most stalls close. Saturday is busy with local shoppers. Photography of the produce and the hall's architecture is popular, though it is polite to ask before photographing vendors. The market is only minutes from Aristotelous Square and the Ladadika quarter, so it fits naturally into a central walking route. Carrying some cash is useful for small purchases at the stalls.