This East Macedonia and Thrace road trip brings you to the edge of the map and the heart of nature. You drive through the wetlands of the Evros Delta where pink flamingos wade in the shallows. The road is flat and open under a massive sky that feels endless. You pass through Xanthi where the old town is a riot of color and Balkan history. It is a place where different cultures meet on every street corner. The mix of architecture and tradition makes every stop feel like a discovery.
The silk town of Soufli is a unique stop on your northern route. You can visit old mansions where silk worms once spun fine threads for royalty. The air is crisp and the river marks the steady border with the east. It is a place of quiet beauty and deep, ancient roots. You see storks nesting on top of chimneys as you drive through the quiet plains. The pace of life here is tied to the seasons and the land.
Head toward the coast to find the grand port of Kavala. Its stone aqueduct and hilltop castle watch over the blue sea. You can take your car onto a ferry for a quick hop to the island of Thassos. The island roads circle green hills and white marble quarries that glow in the sun. This region is a true frontier for those who want to see a different side of the country.
East Macedonia and Thrace highlights
- Nestos River Meanders Drive to the high lookout point to see the river carve giant loops through the bright green hills. The view from above is one of the best in Northern Greece and shows the power of nature. The road is high and the air is fresh as you look down at the water.
- Xanthi Old Town Park the car and walk through a maze of colorful houses and narrow stone streets full of life. This area has a mix of Greek and eastern styles that is very unique to this part of the country. The local sweets and roasted coffee are famous throughout the whole region.
- Evros Delta Explore the flat wetlands where the giant river meets the sea at the very edge of the border. You can see pink flamingos and many other rare birds right from your car window as you drive. It is a place of big open skies and quiet water that feels very peaceful.
- Dadia Forest Drive to this protected forest to see rare vultures and birds of prey nesting in the old trees. There is a quiet observatory where you can watch them fly over the hills with a pair of binoculars. The forest roads are peaceful and shady and lead deep into the green wild.
- Soufli Silk Museum Learn about the history of silk in this quiet town near the eastern river border with Turkey. You can see how the threads were made in grand old mansions that have been restored to their glory. The drive through the plains is easy and fast with long straight roads.
- Kavala Aqueduct See the massive stone arches that once brought fresh water to the hilltop city from the mountains. The structure is huge and dominates the old part of the port with its many tiers of stone. The drive into town offers great sea views and a look at the old castle.
- Fanari Beaches Follow the coast to find long stretches of golden sand and shallow lagoons full of local fish. This is a great spot for a summer swim during a long road trip across the northern plains. The sunset over the Thracian Sea is beautiful and colors the whole sky pink.
- Pomak Villages Steer into the Rhodope Mountains to find these remote and traditional stone towns hidden in the peaks. The culture here is different from the rest of Greece and the people are very welcoming to visitors. The mountain scenery is lush and green with many cold springs.
- Ancient Abdera Visit the ruins of the city where the famous philosopher Democritus first thought of the atom. The site sits right by the water and has a very good museum that shows local finds. The local wine from this area is excellent and has been famous since ancient times.
- Samothrace Island Take the ferry with your car to this wild island of high waterfalls and very steep peaks. You can drive to the sanctuary of the Great Gods hidden in a thick and old oak forest. The island feels ancient and very powerful to everyone who visits its shores.
The local Four
History of East Macedonia and Thrace
This region was the gate between Europe and Asia and a major source of ancient gold. On a Northern Greece road trip, you visit the city of Philippi where the Roman Republic ended in 42 BC. In a massive battle involving two hundred thousand men, Mark Antony and Octavian defeated the killers of Julius Caesar. A century later, in 49 AD, the Apostle Paul visited the city and established the first Christian community on European soil.
The town of Soufli became the silk capital of the West during the 19th century. In 552 AD, Byzantine monks reportedly smuggled silkworm eggs from China inside hollow bamboo canes to this region. The town features unique grand houses called Koukouliospita, which were designed with large top floors specifically for raising silkworms. The local silk industry once supplied the royal courts of Europe with fine fabrics and intricate lace.
The port of Kavala was a major center for the global tobacco trade from the 1800s until the 1950s. You can still see the giant tobacco warehouses and the Imaret, a massive Islamic complex built in 1817 by Muhammad Ali of Egypt. The city is also home to a Roman aqueduct rebuilt by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century with sixty stone arches. The region is a bridge of Roman legions, silk merchants and grand tobacco wealth.