Thessaloniki Landmarks Come to Life Via VR App

Photo Source: Municipality of Thessaloniki

Travel lovers can now visit Thessaloniki’s landmarks ‘virtually’ with the help of two apps launched recently by the northern port city’s tourism organization.

The two applications for iOS and Android allow visitors to virtually navigate the city and view its monuments in 3D. Users can download the apps on their tablet or smartphone via Play Store or AppStore by typing “Thessaloniki VR” and “Thessaloniki UNESCO VR” or from the city’s tourism site https://thessaloniki.travel/en/useful-information/ios-android-apps.

With the aid of a VR mask, users are treated to a virtual tour of the city’s major monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites among them Paleochristian and Byzantine landmarks.

“With these apps users have the chance to ‘visit’ the monuments since the virtual tours also include the interior of the sites,” said Thessaloniki Tourism Organization (TTO) President Voula Patoulidou, adding that “Virtual Reality Thessaloniki was presented for the first time at the ITB expo in Berlin earlier this year”.

Patoulidou went on to add that though the apps have yet to be launched officially, “we already have downloads from Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States and other countries”.

Patoulidou added that the aim of the TTO is to employ technology as a marketing tool as part of its far-reaching tourism promotion strategy.