Set at the heart of the great agricultural plain of Thessaly, on the east bank of the Pinios River, the city of Larissa has been inhabited for almost 10,000 years. Although the remnants of its layered Byzantine and Ottoman pasts lie scattered to all sides, Larissa is very much a modern metropolis. A major transport, military and service hub, it’s also a vibrant university town, where lively cafes surround the central squares, shops galore line the pedestrianised streets and fine museums lurk in the suburbs.