Evros Roadtrippin

Have you ever visited the northern county of Greece? Have you ever enjoyed one of the most magical sunsets you can see in Greece? When you think of Greece surely the first pictures that come to you spontaneously are summer pictures, beautiful islands, our sea, and the bright sun. But it’s not just them. Among the innumerable trips and activities, you can do in our country, visiting Evros is going to be unforgettable. Whether you are from or just visited Thessaloniki or even closer to Alexandroupoli you are ready to start a wonderful journey through the endless green plains. #1 stop is Evros Delta Fourteen kilometres away from Alexandroupoli, at the city of Traianoupoli you can find the information centre of Evros Delta. Here you will learn in detail about the most important wetland habitat of Greece and more generally of Europe. Buy your ticket and hop on the van for a ride. In the middle of the tour, you will enjoy the Evros Delta from inside the river by boat. The best time to visit this particular area is said to be spring or autumn. Our guides said that the colours you can witness during your visit at that time of the year are breathtaking. The total area is 200,00 acres and more than 300 bird species have been recorded. Ticket price is 10 euro per person.   #2 stop is Dadia’s Forest Our next stop is at the Dadia – Lefkimi – Soufli National park. The route is easy, pretty fast and full of green trees. In summer, of course, the landscape reminds of a painting canvas, since you can find large golden sunflowers. The guided tour starts at the information centre with a quick video on the history of birds that live in the area. The most famous are the Black Vulture, the Griffon Vulture and the Egyptian Vulture, three out of the four Vulture species of Europe. People and over 30 species live in absolute harmony and balance in the area. During your visit, you can choose to climb up to the observatory on foot or by the van provided. Ticket price is 4 euro per person.   #3 stop Soufli, the Silk City Soufli is a relatively small village built on a hill. Here the old mansions adjoin the modern houses create a special atmosphere. Different houses, some with tiles and a courtyard, colourful pots and small shutters. The Silk Museum is located a few meters away from the main square. It hosts the history, the tradition and the heart of the city. You will learn all about the procedure. From the cocoons until the production of silk, which was for many years the area’s main commercial activity. The best quality of silk in Greece and Europe is here!   #4 stop Didymoteicho’s Castle Didymoteicho is a town with rich history and intense cultural interest. Walking through it you will find Byzantine and Ottoman buildings, pedestrian streets and small squares. Among them, you can find the Muslim Mosque, which it’s considered to be one of the most important Islamic monuments in the world, Bayezid Mosque. Stroll around the streets and you will find one of the outer gates of the walls, the Gates of the Agora. The castle is anchored on Kale hill. Furthermore, Didymoteicho is at the confluence of two rivers, Evros and Erythropotamos. Finally, during your visit here don’t forget to taste a sweet called Hazorlop with ice cream!   #5 stop the city of Orestiada Orestiada was originally inhabited by the refugees of the Greeks of Andrianoupolis. Today’s scenery has nothing to remind of the small refugee houses of that time since their place has taken new modern houses. The central square is a meeting point for all the locals. Around the square, you can find shops, coffee shops, parks and restaurants. Try the food of the local taverns and drink some retsina. Cheers! #6 and last stop Kastanies Literally a breath away from the borders with Turkey, Kastanies is the only land border just 7 kilometres from our neighbour country. Kastanies have something unique that mother nature gave them with love. This is of course river Ardas. Each year the Ardas Festival is held and young people from all around Greece gather up and enjoy music, food and drinks. If that’s not the case for you, then enjoy your coffee overlooking the river and the wild nature. Evros is a part of Greece that deserves to be discovered. There are so many choices and places to discover, such as Melia windmills, Small and Big Dereio and the list goes on. GreekNomads