Evros Prefecture

The main attractions of Evros prefecture are the Evros river delta, a wetland of worldwide importance ecologically, and its Hellenistic and Roman antiquities.

Sightseeing

Mesembria and vicinity

East of Maroneia but outside of Alexandroupolis, the prefec-tural capital on the sea, are the ruins of Mesembria, a city founded in the 7the century B.C. Here amidst the greenery, one can make out the circuit wall, vestiges of the ancient harbour, shops, workshops and sarcophagi. A peculiarity of this site is the walled settlement that lay within the city.

Makri - Cave of the Cyclops

Continuing along the coast road towards Alexandroupolis, we come to Makri, one of the old staging posts op the Via Egnatia as well as the Makri Cave, which the locals call "Cyclops' Cave". Still unexplored, the cave was inhabited during the Neolithic Era and afterwards. A series of carvings on rocks in the vicinity testify to the fact that the inhabitant of the settlement have long been exploiting this landmark.

Alexandroupolis

Alexandroupolis, the capital of the district, was founded by Alexander the Great around 340 B.C. and named after him. Today it is a modern coastal town with many new buildings and hotels. Among the sights worth seeing here at the church of St Eleftherios and the municipal archaeological collection.

Traianoupolis - the Evros Delta

Traianoupolis is a small town known for its baths and Byzantine ruins, among which are the remains of a Roman-Byzan-tine staging post on the Via Egnatia.

To the right of the town lie the extensive wetlands of the Evros river, among the most important in Europe both in terms of size and of the number of bird species that frequent it. Three hundred species of birds have been spotted, including the 15 last surviving pairs of royal eagle. More than 200,000 migrating waterfowl spend a large part of the winter in the Evros delta. The effort to preserve this ecosystem is taking place within the context of the more general consciousness-raising of Europeans to environmental issues.

Ferres, Soufli, Didimotiho, Pithio, Orestiada

This route, which parallels the Turkish border, bisecting towns and villages and landscape of rare beauty, winds up at the border station of Kipi, the northeasternmost point in the country.

Feres the first small town one encounters, boasts the important Byzantine church of the Panayia tis Kosmosotiras (the Virgin World-Saver).

Soufli, famed for its silks, is a traditional centre for both producing and manufacturing the luxurious material. The town owes its distinctive architecture to the fact that its houses are used as silkworm as well as residences.

Didimotiho is worth a stop to see its Byzantine churches and small folk art museum.

Pithio, on the other hand, is a masterpiece of Byzantine military architecture; the fortification walls surrounding the town have remained virtually intact over the centuries.

Orestiada, the last stop on the route, is a new town, with an interesting museum of folklore and art history containing costumes, hand-woven fabrics and old photographs.