Airlines Aegean, Venizélou 2 tel 0310/280 050; Alitalia tel 0310/257 707; Cronus, Vas. Yeoryíou 18 tel 0310/870 555; Olympic, Koundourióti 3 tel 0310/230 240. Most other airlines have offices at the airport.

Airport tel 0310/411 977 for flight information.

Books and papers Molho, Tsimisk?10, is far and away the best shop in the city, with an excellent stock of English-language books (in particular related to Thessaloníki), magazines and newspapers. Promitheus, at Ermo?75 and Isávron 1, near Platía NavarInou, and Konstandinidhis, at Egnatía 125, are good alternatives.

Bus terminals Most KTELs are opposite the train station, but specific locations should be checked with EOT. Currently, the most useful ones include: Alexandhroúpoli, at Koloniári 31; Édhessa/Véria, Monastiríou 75; Flórina, Anayenníseos 42; Halkidhik? Karakássi 68, in the east of town (#10 bus to Bótsari stop); Ioánnina, Khrístou Pípsou 19; Kastori? Anayenníseos 4; Kavála, Langadh?59; Komotin? cnr Olympíou Yeorgáki and Irínis; Litóhoro, Sapfoús 10; Pélla, Anayenníseos 22; Tríkala, Monastiríou 65; Vólos, Anayenníseos 22; and Xánthi, Ayíou Nestóros 22.

Camping gear Petridhis, Vas. Iraklíou 43; or World Jamboree, at Íonos Dhelíou 6, off Ethnikís Amynis.

Car rental Many agencies are clustered near the fairgrounds and archeological museum on Angeláki, which is a good place to comparison-shop. The leading agencies have kiosks at the airport, too. Specific outfits include Avis, Níkis 3 tel 0310/227 126; Budget, Angeláki 15 tel 0310/274 272; Eurodollar, Ethnikís Andistásis 157 tel 0310/456 630; Europcar/Inter Rent, Papandhréou 5 tel 0310/826 333; European, Angeláki 15 tel 0310/281 603; Eurorent, Angeláki 3 tel 0310/286 327; Hertz, Venizélou 5 tel 0310/224 906; Thrifty, Angeláki 5 tel 0310/241 241.

Consulates Important for onward travel in the Balkans, but no longer needed for introductory letters to Athos. Bulgaria, Mánou 2 tel 0310/854 004; Canada, Tsimisk?17 tel 0310/256 350; Denmark, Komminón 26 tel 0310/284 065; Netherlands, Komninón 26 tel 0310/227 477; Romania, Níkis 13, 4th Floor tel 0310/225 481; South Africa, Tsimisk?51 tel 0310/274 393; Turkey, Ayíou Dhimitríou 151 tel 0310/248 452; UK/Commonwealth: honorary consul is at Venizélou 8, 8th floor (Mon-Fri 8am-1pm; tel 0310/278 006); US, Níkis 59 (Mon-Fri 9am-noon; tel 0310/242 905). Note that there is still no full-blown consulate for the FYROM in Thessaloníki; visas to visit that country, if required, should be obtained in Athens rather than chancing the frontier.

Cultural institutes British Council, Ethnikís Amynis 9, cnr Tsimisk? free library and reading room, plus various events in the winter months.

Exchange For changing notes, use the 24hr automatic exchange machine at the National Bank on Platía Aristotélous 6. Thessaloníki has plenty of reliable cash dispensers accepting a variety of foreign plastic.

Ferry ticket agents The main agent for the DANE ferry to Sámos and the Dodecanese, plus G&A sailings to the Dodecanese, is Omikron Travel, Salamínos 4 tel 0310/555 995. Minoan Line or G&A sailings to the Sporádhes, Cyclades and Crete, as well as all hydrofoils to the Sporádhes, are best obtained from Kriti/Crete Air Travel, Íonos Dhragoúmi 1, cnr Koundouriótou tel 0310/534 376. Karacharisis at Koundouriótou 8 tel 0310/524 544 is the main NEL agent, and also deals in all G&A sailings and Minoan Lines.

Football Thessaloníki's main team is PAOK, whose stadium is in the east of the city at Toúmba - visible in square A5 of the EOT Thessaloniki/Halkidhiki handout.

Hospitals For minor trauma, use the Yeniko Kendriko at Ethnikís Amynis 41; otherwise, head for the Ippokration at Konstandinopóleos 49, in the eastern part of town.

Internet caf?/b> There are dozens, but two of the least noisy are Link at Goúnari 50 and Planet at Svólou 55.

Laundries Several coin-ops let you leave your clothes to be washed and collect them later, including Bianca, Antoniádhou 3, near the Arch of Galerius (quick service and long hours), and Freskadha, Filíppou 105, beside the Rotónda.

Mount Athos permits Regardless of what you may read in other sources, even official ones, prospective foreign pilgrims no longer need recommendation letters. Proceed directly to the Grafío Proskynitón Ayíou Órous (Pilgrims' Office for Mt Athos), Konstandínou Karamanl?14, 1st Floor, tel 0310/546 38, some way east of the University. Walk-in hours - bring your passport - are Mon-Fri 9am-2pm, Sat 10am-noon, closed on Sun and major holy days. Telephone bookings (English spoken) are accepted, but you will still have to post a copy of your passport (relevant pages) or EU ID, and reconfirm the reservation closer to the intended date, up to the day before. Ten permits per day are issued to non-Orthodox, one hundred daily to baptized Greek Orthodox of whatever nationality. Non-Orthodox should ring 0310/861 611; Greek Orthodox tel 0310/833 733.

Music Best of Thessaloníki's various record stores for Greek music are Studio 52, Dhimitríou Goúnari 46, basement, with lots of out-of-print vinyl and cassettes plus well-sorted Cds, and En Chordais, Ippodhromíou 3-4, a traditional music school and instrument shop which also has a well-selected stock of folk and innovative CDs.

OTE Ermo?40, at junction with Karólou Díehl. Open daily 24hr, but only cardphones available.

Post office Main branch (for poste restante and complicated parcel services) is at Aristotélous 26 (Mon-Fri 7.30am-8pm, Sat 7.30am-2.15pm, Sun 9am-1.30pm). There are other post offices around the city: the most useful ones are at Koundouriótou (by the port), Ethnikís Amynis 9a and Ayíou Dhimitríou 98.

Train tickets All services depart from the antiquated station down on Monastiríou, the southwestern continuation of Egnatía, well served by buses. If you want to buy tickets or make reservations in advance, the OSE office at Aristotélous 18 (Tues-Fri 8am-9pm, Mon & Sat 8am-3pm) is far more central and helpful than the station ticket-windows.

Travel agents Flights out of Thessaloníki have become much cheaper over the last couple of years; most general sales agents and consolidators cluster around Platía Eleftherías, especially on Kalapotháki, Komninón, Níkis and Mitropóleos. Students and youth travellers should try Nouvelles Frontières at Kalopotháki 8 tel 0310/237 700, Etos at Svólou 44, under the youth hostel tel 0310/263 814, or Sunflight - not just for under-30s - at Tsimisk?114 tel 0310/280 500. For cheap buses to Turkey, try Bus and Atlantic Tours, Aristotélous 10, 4th Floor tel 0310/226 036. Mountain trekking and other outdoor expeditions are offered by Trekking Hellas, Mitropóleos 60 tel 0310/264 082.

Wine Northern Greece nurtures some fine vineyards, and accordingly Thessaloníki has some excellent bottle-shops affordably selling vintages superior to your average taverna plonk: Iy Tsaritsani, Avyerino?9, off Platía Áthonos; Aneroto, Dhimitríou Goúnari 42; and Reklos, Ayíou Dhimitríou 118, cnr Ayías Sofías.