Saint Nicholas Orphanos is a small church tucked away in the upper town of Thessaloniki, near the old walls and the Vlatadon monastery, and it is a place that rewards the traveller who likes quiet corners. It was built in the early fourteenth century, in the last great period of Byzantine painting, and its modest size hides an extraordinary set of frescoes. The paintings cover the walls and domes with scenes from the life of Christ and the saints, in vivid blues, reds and ochres, drawn with a grace and movement that was new in the art of the time. The name Orphanos, which means orphan, is a puzzle, and historians still argue over its origin.
The church was founded by a high official of the court, and its frescoes seem to be the work of artists from the capital, so they link Thessaloniki with the artistic life of Constantinople. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the building was partly neglected, used as a stable at one stage, and then restored. The people of the neighbourhood have kept it alive, and today you can step into a space that looks more like a jewel box than a church. A caretaker usually opens it at set hours, so check ahead and be prepared for a short wait.
The lanes around it are an old Greek hillside quarter, with white-washed houses, tiled roofs and blue shutters, and the sound of a radio from an open window. The streets are very steep and narrow, with tight bends and short ramps that make a loaded touring bike a handful. Park at the bottom and walk, particularly in summer, when the afternoon sun is strong and the stones are slippery with dust. Dogs and cats wander the lanes, and in spring the gardens are full of roses and lemon trees.
Fuel and food are a short ride downhill, with stations on the main roads in Ágios Pávlos and Sykiés. A little taverna in the upper town may serve you a plate of stuffed vine leaves, a bowl of lentils or grilled octopus with lemon, and you will probably be offered a glass of wine from the owner's barrel. Go in the late afternoon, when the church is often open and the light turns golden on the walls, and stay for the sunset over the bay from the nearby ramparts.