Girls in ethnic costume take a photo with an Olympic torch in Giannitsa of Greece March 27, 2008. The Olympic flame travelled in six cities in north Greece in its fourth day relay. [Xinhua] Photos

THESSALONIKI, Greece: The Beijing 2008 Olympic flame advanced to Greece's second-largest city, in the northeast of the country, yesterday.

Starting from Veria, the Olympic torch traveled 170 km through 12 northern cities - the most it has passed through in a single day since the relay began.

Light showers fell as the flame began the fourth day of its journey. Thousands of people in the destination city of Naoussa braved brisk winds and cold rain to crowd the town square for more than an hour to catch a glimpse of the flame. Members of the enthusiastic throng wielded Chinese and Greek flags, and olive branches.

Military attaches pose yesterday in front of the National Stadium, the "Bird's Nest", which will host the opening and closing ceremonies of this summer's Olympics. More than 90 envoys from 60 countries attended the event. [China Daily]

"I think it's very important for these children to see the flame, because the Olympic ideal is important not only for us, but also for the whole world," Dimitrios Halatsis said. The primary school teacher early in the morning led his students to the roadside to cheer on the flame as it passed by.

George Tsitskaris, coach of the Greek women's national basketball team at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, carried the torch into the square and lit the caldron, giving locals another opportunity to see the sacred flame.

Tsitskaris is now a university professor and will not accompany the team to Beijing, but he expressed high expectations of the Games.

"The Games in Athens was one of the best; I believe Beijing will do better than we did," he said.

The people of Skidra, the second stop of the day, prepared a special welcome. A little girl dressed as a priestess brandishing an olive branch greeted the torchbearers.

Before reaching Thessaloniki, the flame also made stops in Edessa, Giannitsa and Ancient Pella.

Thessaloniki is Greece's second largest economic, industrial, commercial and political center, as well as a major transportation hub for southeastern Europe.

Its commercial port is also important to Greece and neighboring countries.

The flame stayed overnight in the city and will today travel south through five cities.