REGION THRACE

Authentic Thrace Thrace is an area of amazing natural beauty, a land where Greek legend has placed the mythical home of Orpheus. In this corner of Greece you’re at the gateway to the mysterious East and you’ll feel its proximity in mosques, menus and bazaars, and in the wealth of Byzantine, mediaeval and Ottoman monuments. It is famous for its pristine, beautiful countryside that makes it a paradise for outdoor recreation, adventure and exploration. This part of Greece has it all: the Rodopi (Rhodope) mountain range and Mt. Saos on Samothrace Island in the Thracian Sea; the rivers Evros, Nestos and Ardas; Lakes Vistonida and Ismarida; Dadia forest and the Evros River Delta where internationally acclaimed wetlands are located; fertile valleys, dense forests and endless stretches of white sandy beaches. A date with Thracian culture One destination, dozens of attractions: Get to know Ancient Abdera, the birthplace of Democritus, and its wonderful museum. Then visit the Pomak villages, scattered throughout the region. Herdsmen and tobacco farmers, the blue-eyed, blond Pomaks are a Muslim tribe of unknown origin, who have remained apart from both Turks and Greeks. Take a tour of the Ethnological Museum of Thrace in Alexandroupoli, one of the country’s most important, with its exhibits of local costumes, the cycle of religious worship and daily life in years gone by. Visit the dolmens, monolithic grave monuments from the Iron Age, between the villages of Mikros Dereios and Roussos, at the old Muslim cemetery at Mylopetres, Dikella and Dadia. Finally, head north to Soufli, the centre of silk production, where a fascinating museum will walk you through every stage of it.