Rooftop Bar Thessaloniki | Eleagnos Rooftop Garden at Imperial Plus
Here is the honest situation with rooftop bars in Thessaloniki: the city has a spectacular waterfront, a dense historic centre, and one of the most photogenic skylines in northern Greece, and yet genuinely good rooftop spaces with unobstructed views are difficult to find. Most hotels in the centre are mid-rise buildings with rooftops that were never designed as guest amenities. The few purpose-built rooftop venues that do exist are either associated with properties on the city’s periphery, where the view is less interesting, or they are so small that they function more as terraces than actual rooftop destinations.
The Eleagnos Rooftop Garden at Imperial Plus | Urban Smart Hotel is different. It sits above Egnatia Street, one of the most central addresses in Thessaloniki, and looks out over the layered roofscape of the city centre toward the Thermaic Gulf. The view includes Byzantine church domes, neoclassical facades, and on clear days the mountains of the Macedonian hinterland to the north.
This article covers what Eleagnos is, what the experience is like, who it works for, and why the rooftop’s location above a central Egnatia hotel makes it a different proposition from the rooftop bars and terraces elsewhere in the city.
What Is the Eleagnos Rooftop Garden?
A Rooftop Built for the View
The Eleagnos Rooftop Garden is the uppermost space of Imperial Plus, positioned to take full advantage of the hotel’s central location on Egnatia Street.
The space functions as a garden bar: a combination of planted greenery, seating areas with city and sky views, and a drinks service designed for guests who want to sit down properly rather than stand at a crowded terrace railing. The atmosphere is calm without being empty, and the design prioritises the view rather than competing with it.
What Is the View Like?
The view from Eleagnos is the defining feature of the space. Because Imperial Plus sits on Egnatia Street in the geographic centre of Thessaloniki, the rooftop looks out over the actual heart of the city, not its outskirts.
Looking south, the view takes in the rooftops of the commercial centre, the neoclassical dome of the Aristotelous Square buildings, and the open expanse of the Thermaic Gulf beyond. On a clear afternoon, the water catches the light in a way that makes the distance between the rooftop and the seafront feel much shorter than the 6–7 minutes it actually takes on foot. Looking north, the Byzantine walls of the upper town are visible against the hillside. Looking east, the outline of the White Tower is traceable at the far end of the waterfront promenade.
This is not a view of Thessaloniki from a distance. It is a view of Thessaloniki from inside it, which is a substantially different experience.
When Is the Best Time to Visit?
Late afternoon into evening is the peak window for Eleagnos. The light over the Thermaic Gulf in the hour before sunset turns amber and then gold in a way that the rooftop is positioned perfectly to capture. If you are in Thessaloniki for a weekend and you visit the rooftop once, this is the time to do it.
After dinner works well as a final stop before the night ends. Ladadika, the main dinner district in Thessaloniki, is 8 minutes on foot from Imperial Plus. A pattern that many guests settle into naturally: dinner in Ladadika, a drink on the rooftop, done.
Morning coffee is less common but worth knowing about for hotel guests. The rooftop at quieter hours, with coffee rather than cocktails, offers a genuinely peaceful start to a day in Thessaloniki.
Location: Why Being Central Matters for a Rooftop Bar
The Egnatia Advantage
Most rooftop bars derive their appeal from height and view. The quality of the view, however, depends entirely on what the rooftop is positioned above. A rooftop above a peripheral hotel looks out over the city at a distance, interesting, but not immersive. A rooftop above a central hotel on Egnatia looks out over the city from within it.
The location of Imperial Plus on Egnatia Street means the Eleagnos rooftop is positioned at the intersection of everything important in central Thessaloniki. The Aristotelous Square axis runs south from directly below. The waterfront promenade is visible in the distance. The Byzantine quarter of the upper town sits on the hillside to the north. The density of the view from Eleagnos reflects the density of the neighbourhood below it.
Getting to Eleagnos from Anywhere in the Centre
For hotel guests, access to the rooftop is a lift ride from their room. For visitors who are not staying at Imperial Plus, the location on Egnatia makes the rooftop accessible from any point in the central city without a taxi.
From Aristotelous Square: 4 minutes on foot. From Ladadika: 8 minutes on foot. From the White Tower: 12 minutes on foot along the waterfront and then up Aristotelous. From the Modiano Market: 5 minutes on foot.
If you are spending a day in central Thessaloniki, Eleagnos is not a detour. It is a natural stop.
Eleagnos as Part of Your Thessaloniki Stay
For Hotel Guests: The Beginning and End of the Day
For guests staying at Imperial Plus, the Eleagnos Rooftop Garden functions as a private amenity that most central hotels do not offer. The rooftop changes the dynamic of a stay: instead of the hotel being purely functional, it becomes a place you want to spend time in.
A morning coffee on the rooftop before heading out. An evening drink after dinner to decompress from a full day of the city. A working session in an outdoor setting during a business trip. These are the uses that turn a hotel stay from a place to sleep into an experience with its own rhythm.
The rooms at Imperial Plus are already designed around the city view, with balcony options across the upper floor categories. The rooftop extends that relationship with the skyline to a shared space where the view is even wider.
For Business Travellers: An Informal Meeting Space That Actually Works
One of the underappreciated functions of a well-designed rooftop is as a venue for the kind of meeting that does not belong in a conference room. A client conversation over drinks. A debrief at the end of a long day. A more relaxed follow-up to a formal morning meeting.
Eleagnos works for this because the atmosphere is calm enough to hold a conversation comfortably, the view provides a natural focus point that reduces the formality of the interaction, and the drinks service means the meeting has a clear, natural format.
For business travellers staying at Imperial Plus, particularly those attending events at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre (HelExpo) or conducting meetings in the commercial centre, the rooftop adds a hospitality dimension to the stay that a standard business hotel cannot offer.
For Weekend Visitors: The Natural End to a Thessaloniki Evening
A Thessaloniki weekend has a natural rhythm: morning at the markets, late morning at the Byzantine monuments, afternoon along the waterfront, dinner in Ladadika, and then somewhere to end the evening that does not require another restaurant booking or a long walk to a different neighbourhood.
The Eleagnos Rooftop is where that evening ends. The rooftop is 8 minutes from Ladadika. The view at night, with the city lit below and the dark expanse of the Thermaic Gulf beyond, is the kind of thing that turns a good weekend into a memorable one.
What to Expect: The Eleagnos Experience
The Drinks
The Eleagnos bar offers a curated drinks list appropriate for a rooftop setting in a city that takes its café and bar culture seriously. Greek wines, cocktails, spirits, and non-alcoholic options are all represented. The emphasis is on quality over volume, this is not a high-turnover bar but a space designed for guests who want to sit with a drink and look at the city.
Local Greek wines, in particular, are worth exploring. Thessaloniki sits at the centre of one of the most dynamic wine-producing regions in the country, and a rooftop bar with a view of the Thermaic Gulf is the right setting to try a Xinomavro or an Assyrtiko from a northern Greek producer.
The Atmosphere
Eleagnos is designed to be genuinely relaxing rather than scenographic. The greenery of the garden elements softens the roofscape without obscuring the view. The seating is arranged to prioritise the outlook rather than to maximise capacity. The noise level is what you would expect from a space elevated above street level in the centre of a city: the ambient sound of Thessaloniki below, but not the specific intrusion of traffic or crowds.
It is the kind of rooftop where you arrive for one drink and stay for two.
The Best Rooms If the Rooftop Is a Priority
If the Eleagnos Rooftop is a key part of why you are choosing Imperial Plus, the room categories that complement it best are:
The Executive King Bed with City View and Balcony brings the city view into the room itself, with a private balcony that extends the outdoor experience from the rooftop to your own space. The combination of a private balcony and access to the rooftop garden gives you two distinct outdoor perspectives on Thessaloniki, one intimate and one panoramic.
The Executive Junior Suite with City View and Balcony adds a separate seating area and a larger balcony. For a special occasion weekend where the rooftop is part of the celebration, this is the room that makes the stay feel complete. Morning coffee on your private balcony, evening drinks at Eleagnos, dinner in Ladadika 8 minutes away.
The Deluxe King Bed with City View is the right choice for guests who want the rooftop access and the city-facing room without the balcony premium.
Breakfast at Imperial Plus
For guests combining a rooftop stay with a full Thessaloniki experience, the Imperial Plus breakfast buffet starts the day efficiently. A wide selection of hot and cold options, served in a format that gets you out into the city in under 30 minutes. The rhythm works: breakfast downstairs, the city on foot all day, Eleagnos in the evening.
Thessaloniki from Above: What You Can See from Eleagnos
Understanding what the view contains makes the experience of the rooftop richer. From Eleagnos, looking in different directions:
South toward the waterfront: The neoclassical arcade buildings of Aristotelous Square are visible directly below the hotel’s axis. Beyond them, the blue of the Thermaic Gulf extends to the horizon. On clear days, the mountains of the Chalkidiki peninsula are faintly visible in the far distance.
West toward Ladadika and the port: The lower rooftops of the Ladadika district and the cranes of the port of Thessaloniki mark the western edge of the view. This is one of the largest ports in southeastern Europe, and from the rooftop it anchors the city’s commercial identity in a way that street-level visits cannot.
North toward Ano Poli: The Byzantine walls of the upper town climb the hillside to the north. The Church of Agios Dimitrios, one of the largest early Christian basilicas in the world, is identifiable by its bulk among the lower rooftops.
East toward the White Tower: On clear days, the White Tower at the eastern end of the waterfront promenade is visible at the horizon of the city’s roofscape. It is 12 minutes on foot from Imperial Plus, and from the Eleagnos rooftop it functions as a landmark that frames the extent of the city’s seafront.
“Best For…” — Who Should Visit Eleagnos
Best for: Hotel guests at Imperial Plus who want a rooftop space that adds a genuine dimension to the stay, not just a bar on a high floor.
Best for: Couples on a weekend break who want a memorable evening setting within walking distance of dinner in Ladadika.
Best for: Business travellers who want an informal meeting venue that is calmer than a lobby bar and more atmospheric than a conference room.
Best for: First-time visitors to Thessaloniki who want to understand the geography of the city from above before exploring it on foot.
Best for: Anyone staying in central Thessaloniki who wants sunset drinks with a view of the Thermaic Gulf without a taxi to a peripheral venue.
Best for: Guests celebrating a special occasion who want a private balcony room below and panoramic rooftop access above.
Practical Information for Visiting Eleagnos
Is Eleagnos Open to Non-Hotel Guests?
Yes. The Eleagnos Rooftop Garden is accessible to visitors who are not staying at Imperial Plus, subject to availability. For guaranteed access, particularly during peak periods or for groups, it is worth contacting the hotel in advance. The Imperial Plus contact page is the fastest way to confirm availability and any current access arrangements.
How to Get to Imperial Plus from Anywhere in the Centre
Imperial Plus is on Egnatia Street, the central east-west artery of Thessaloniki. From the major points in the city:
- Aristotelous Square: 4 minutes on foot
- Ladadika: 8 minutes on foot
- Modiano Market: 5 minutes on foot
- White Tower: 12 minutes on foot
From the airport (SKG), a taxi takes 20–25 minutes and costs approximately €18–22. Bus Line 78A runs to the city centre for under €1 in approximately 45 minutes.
For guests driving to Thessaloniki, paid car parks are available within 2–3 minutes on foot of the hotel. Contact the team in advance via the Imperial Plus contact page for current parking guidance.
Booking a Room with Rooftop Access
The current direct booking offers at Imperial Plus include rates that cover rooftop access for hotel guests. Booking directly gives access to the best available rate and greater flexibility on amendments. For a stay that prioritises the Eleagnos experience alongside a city view room, the full accommodation options are browsable on the hotel’s website.
If You Are Considering Both Imperial Properties
Imperial Hospitality operates two properties in central Thessaloniki. If the rooftop is a priority, Imperial Plus is the right choice. The Imperial Palace | Classical Hotel is the sister property, offering more generous room dimensions, a classically designed interior, and a full breakfast service suited to unhurried mornings. Its rooms and suites make it the stronger choice for families, longer stays, or guests who prioritise space over rooftop access.
Both properties share the same central location and service standards. The choice between them is primarily a question of what you want the hotel itself to add to the trip.
FAQ: Eleagnos Rooftop Bar at Imperial Plus Thessaloniki
What is the Eleagnos Rooftop Garden at Imperial Plus?
Eleagnos is the rooftop garden bar at Imperial Plus | Urban Smart Hotel, located on Egnatia Street in central Thessaloniki. It offers panoramic views over the city centre and the Thermaic Gulf, a curated drinks menu, and a garden setting designed for guests who want to sit with a drink and look at the city from above. It functions as both a guest amenity and a standalone rooftop destination.
Is the rooftop bar at Imperial Plus open to the public?
Yes. Eleagnos is accessible to visitors who are not staying at Imperial Plus, subject to availability. For groups or visits during peak periods, it is worth contacting the hotel in advance via the Imperial Plus contact page to confirm access and any current arrangements.
What is the view like from the Eleagnos Rooftop?
The view from Eleagnos covers the rooftops of central Thessaloniki from directly above the Egnatia Street axis. To the south, the Aristotelous Square buildings and the Thermaic Gulf are visible. To the north, the Byzantine walls of the upper town sit against the hillside. To the east, the White Tower is visible at the end of the waterfront promenade. The view is of Thessaloniki from inside the city rather than from a distance, which gives it a different character from rooftop bars on the urban periphery.
When is the best time to visit the Eleagnos Rooftop?
The late afternoon and early evening window, particularly in the hour before and after sunset, is the optimal time for Eleagnos. The light over the Thermaic Gulf during this period is exceptional. For a quieter experience, morning coffee on the rooftop is an underused option for hotel guests. After-dinner drinks, following a meal in Ladadika 8 minutes away, make Eleagnos a natural final stop for an evening in Thessaloniki.
What drinks are available at Eleagnos?
The Eleagnos bar offers a curated selection of Greek wines, cocktails, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks. Greek wines from northern producers, including varieties like Xinomavro and Assyrtiko, are a particular focus. The drinks list is calibrated for a rooftop setting, prioritising quality over volume.
Which room should I book at Imperial Plus if the rooftop is a priority?
The Executive King Bed with City View and Balcony and the Executive Junior Suite with City View and Balcony are the strongest choices for guests who want to combine a private outdoor space with rooftop access. Both categories offer city views and private balconies, giving you two distinct outdoor perspectives on Thessaloniki alongside access to Eleagnos.
How far is the Eleagnos Rooftop from the main attractions in Thessaloniki?
Imperial Plus is on Egnatia Street, which means Eleagnos is directly above one of the most central addresses in the city. Aristotelous Square is 4 minutes on foot below. Ladadika is 8 minutes on foot. The White Tower is 12 minutes on foot along the waterfront. The Modiano Market is 5 minutes on foot. Full location details are available here.
Can I visit Eleagnos for a business meeting?
Yes. The calm atmosphere, open-air setting, and drinks service make Eleagnos a practical venue for informal business conversations. It works best for client drinks, post-meeting debriefs, or relaxed conversations that benefit from an outdoor setting with a view. For more formal requirements, the front desk team can advise on dedicated meeting spaces available nearby. Contact the team via the Imperial Plus contact page.
The Bottom Line: Why Eleagnos Is Worth Your Evening
Thessaloniki is a city with a great deal to offer at street level. The markets, the waterfront, the Byzantine monuments, the restaurant scene in Ladadika, all of these reward time spent in them. But there is a particular pleasure in a city that also gives you somewhere to look at it from above, to see the scale of what you have been walking through and understand the geography before tomorrow’s itinerary.
The Eleagnos Rooftop Garden does that. It sits above the centre of Thessaloniki, above the Egnatia Street axis that has defined the city since antiquity, and gives you a view of the city that most visitors never see.
Whether you are staying at Imperial Plus and the rooftop is part of your accommodation, or you are visiting specifically for the evening experience, Eleagnos earns its place in a Thessaloniki itinerary.
Browse the full room selection to find the right room for a stay that includes the rooftop, check the current direct booking offers, and get in touch with any questions about your visit.