Excursions

EVROS RIVER DELTA

For centuries the Evros River has been the border between East and West, North and South; Europe and Asia. The Delta is of vital ecological significance and is a protected area offering habitats to migratory and resident birds. It is also an important natural resource for the local community for fishing, stock breeding, agriculture, climate, flood protection, education, recreation, science. The delta is a captivating landscape, where sea, embraced with land, forms islets, lakes, salt marshes and lagoons.


DADIA FOREST

The Dadia Forest lies in the Evros Prefecture and has been a protected region since 1980.This area of Thrace has always been an important biotope for birds of prey and today it is one of their last refuges in Europe. Thirty six species of daytime birds of prey (out of the thirty eight counted in Europe) have been spotted in the area.This is the only European forest to host all four European vultures : Harpy, Black, White and Eagle Vulture. There is a wide diversity of landscape, flora & fauna. Amongst pine and oak forests, valleys, fields, open plains, a large number of animals find shelter. 219 species of birds, 40 species of reptiles and 36 species of mammals have been recorded in the protected region.


KOMOTINI

Komotini is, nowadays, a thriving commercial and administrative centre. At the heart of the city is the Municipal Central Park and the 15 m Heroes' Memorial, locally known as 'The Sword'. The revamped Square of Peace is the focus of a vibrant nightlife enjoyed by the students living in the city. The old town has traditional shops and workshops that have long vanished from other Greek cities. Komotini has several museums including Archaeological, Byzantine and Folklore. There is a Regional Theatre which produces plays all year round. NE of Komotini is the Nymfaia forest with trails, courts, playgrounds and environmental studies area. Within the forest is a Byzantine fortress and the historical fort of Nymfaia.


SOUFLI

Known as the Town of Silk, Soufli was built in the 18th century and flourished through silk production until the 1980s. Today, very few silkworms are cultivated in the surrounding farms, but silk cloths are produced from local & imported thread into beautiful scarves, ties and shirts. The windows of the town’s shops are bursting with colours, textures and silky sensations. The impressive “cocoon houses”, the buildings for breeding silkworms, are scattered all over town, giving a distinct colour to the architecture. Soufli is also famous for its wine, tsipouro (a local alcoholic drink), and cooked meats.

XANTHI
(Within 1 hour of the hotel)

The prefecture of Xanthi includes the area from the mountains of Rodopi, with the virgin woods and rich flora and fauna, surrounded by the Nestos River and other smaller rivers that flow into the Aegean Sea, the Thracian sea, and the Vistonida lake to the south of the region. It is an agricultural area producing tobacco, cotton, grain and vegetables. The old town of Xanthi is characteristic of the traditional culture and is known as "the city of a thousand colours". It is worth visiting during the carnival (February or March - dates change) and during the Xanthi festival (beginning September). Do not miss the Xanthi bazaar every Saturday.


ADRIANOPOLIS (TURKEY)
(Within 1 hour & 45 minutes of the hotel)

Situated near the Greek (7 km) and Bulgarian (20 km) borders, this city is famed for its many mosques and minarets. Visit the ruins of the ancient palace of the Sultans and the Selimiye Mosque, one of the most important monuments in this ancient province; built in 1575 with the highest minarets in Turkey, at 70.9 meters and a cupola three or four feet higher than that of St. Sophia in Istanbul. The mosque depicts Turkish marble crafts and is covered with valuable tiles and fine paintings. Don’t miss visiting the Buy Ali Pasha (traditional covered market), the Archaeological Museum, the Mosque of Vegiazit, the old Bezesteni and Jewish Synagogue. Please ask at the hotel reception for requirements to enter Turkey.


SAMOTHRACE (SAMOTHRAKI) ISLAND
(Within 2 hours & 50 minutes of the hotel)

The statue of the Winged Victory (Nike) of Samothrace at has made the island famous worldwide. The island's most famous site is the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. This was the home of the 2.5m marble statue of Nike, dating from about 190 BC. The statue was discovered in pieces on the island in 1863 by the French archaeologist Charles Champoiseau, and is now - headless - in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Moving to neighbouring Makri you can visit the "cave of the Cyclops' and the prehistoric settlement, the brilliant Byzantine church of St. Anastasia and the excavations of Byzantine churches. Don’t miss visiting the towers and hammam, the tavernas and the crystal beaches.