Alexandroupolis - Aleksandropolis

Alexandropolis
Map
Information
Country	Greece
Region	East Macedonia and Thrace
Population	57 812
Postal Code	681 00

Alexandropolis - city in Greece in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace, the capital of the Evros Prefecture.

Characteristic

A young, nice, safe city, built in a prehistorically old neighborhood, multilingual and multinational. However, apart from the expatriates from Pontus and also the Pontic Greeks from the USSR, the remaining peoples, whether light or dark, have lived here for at least many centuries, quite unanimously. from 35,000 (in summer) to 70,000 (in winter). The tourist and recreational infrastructure covers several kilometers of the sea shore, west of the city center. In turn, just behind the port, at the airport level, to the east of the center, begins the very high natural value of the Evros Delta, plus large, many kilometers long, empty, sandy beaches - on the outskirts of the delta. That is a short trip by bike, motorbike or car, along dirt roads.

Historical conditions: In the years 1923-1930 on a mass scale, but also later, the population of Eastern Thrace was subject to resettlement. As a result, the border zone, that is everything to the east of Alexandropolis, is inhabited only by the Greeks and by the local tribes of the Pomeranian people liked here (living mainly in forests, in the north of the province). The actual Gypsy district was created directly to the north of the city's normal development. In the Rhodope Mountains, that is to the west of the city and further behind it (that is, on the Komotini side), the villages are inhabited mainly or largely by the Turkish population. Initially distrustful of the newcomers, due to, inter alia, because of the theft of their national relics by passers-by (example of old tombstones made in Arabic script), but after getting to know each other, also friendly - hospitable. The Bulgarian population used to be completely displaced, which took place gradually and with the prior selection of new places of living and specific farms in Bulgaria, by the people themselves.

Drive

By plane

There is an airport here with numerous connections to Athens. The cheapest return ticket from Athens, due to the taxes included, will cost at least 56 euros if purchased in advance and online, with discount coupons. Typically and without advance notice - the return flight ticket is 135-165 Euro. Baggage weight control, unlike in Athens, in Alexandropolis will be very thorough. As for this city, also more generally - it is like a different Greece, more careful and solid.

Note: The only correct place is the window seat. Flying from Athens:

• on the right we will pass Lavrio and Sounion, once famous for 15 camps and prisons, today uninhabited Makronissos, tip of Euboea (actually: Evia)
• that is, a better window seat is on the left side of the plane: the battlefield of Marathon (a plain, slightly above the clearly visible Schinias canoeing track), Evia island long to the horizon, with its beautiful Dirfys mountain and wild cliffs overhanging the beaches of the eastern coast of the island, then the island of Skyros with its airport, further clearly visible Northern Sporades (known, among others, from the movie "Mamma mia"), a bit to the right of them Mount Olympus, then, but below us, the islet of Agios Efstratios (once a place of exile for internees, of special significance), then we will pass the large island of Limnos with its famous navy bases, like Salamis (which are difficult to see in advance, however), we will lower the flight over beautiful Samothrace, observing its majestically blinking tops of the Moon Mountains (Fengari Ori), and who knows where, he will see Samothrace and the sanctuary of all gods ... - a map-prospect is enough for this - lower and lower for we circle over the Rhodopes sinking right here in the Aegean Sea, over the excavations of Maronia and Messimvria, we will fly right over Alexandroupolis ... and land, in front of the Evros delta and the ruins of Trajanoupolis.

However, returning to Athens:

• We use the windows on the left side of the plane again. Because we will see the Delta Ewros reserve (in the distance the Dadia forests), then the Dardanelles, islands Imroz and Tenedos (the only two, granted by the Lausanne Treaty of Turkey - although today it also claims to Cyprus and to about half of the Aegean Sea), then the plane will circle around Sunio (it is worth changing to the left side of the cabin - the famous Temple of Poseidon), we will also see the entire Saronic Gulf, with its islands, and above all the strait - the place of the Battle near Salamis - a large base of the Athenian navy is located there to this day ... We will look at the defensive walls and numerous ports Piraeus... But we will not see Athens anymore, because it will be blocked by Mount Immitos (Hymet) - we are landing.

Returning to Poland, let's not forget to admire, on the right side of the plane, the famous Atos peninsula with the Agion Oros mountain. And as always - Mount Dyrfys on Evia (the one in the tent style), and on the continent of Olympus. Up to and including April, it is particularly easy to spot these mountains - they are snow-capped.

By train

There is a railway station here, in the form of a siding, with one, short platform. Once a day Intercity to Athens, for which it is good, however, to reserve 11 hours of travel time ... Once a day a regular train leaves Alexandroupolis to Thessaloniki. Train to Orestiada three times a day, i.e. near the Turkish and Bulgarian borders. Periodically, the train to Orestiad may change into a train to Svilengrad in Bulgaria (border).

By car

Alexandroupolis is connected with the rest of Greece and Turkey (direction Istanbul/ Constantinople), via the Egnatia Odos highway and the Kipoi border crossing. Depending on the direction of travel and destination, you can use one of 5 exits, listing from east to west they are:

• "Feres" - a town with a remarkable, large Byzantine church from the 12th century, the beginning of the Evros Delta area, then a drive through ancient Trajanupolis, also with the delta area information center, then Alexandroupolis
• "Industrial zone"
• "Airport and sea" - leaving this place is recommended especially for large vehicles.
• "Alexandroupolis" - straight to the center, but not convenient for buses and trucks
• "Makri, Mesimwria" - suitable for all travelers coming from the west, if for destinations, lying in the tourist zone of the city. The Mesimvria Zone archaeological zone is noteworthy.

However, to Adrianople (Edirne) and Bulgaria there is a national road - the last exit from the Egnatia Odos highway, just before the Kipoi border crossing. And next to it the former "capital of silk" Sufli and 5,100 years old Dydimoticho, with the current version of the city walls, built in the 13th century.

By bus

By public bus KTEL (ΚΤΕΛ), from all the towns of Thrace and from Thessaloniki. The KTEL bus station is located in the city center.

By ship

By ferry to the island of Samothrace and from Samothrace, 5 times a day.

Communication

Local city buses (Greek: αστικό - astiko) to any medium-sized village, within a radius of approximately 20 km. Going further, use the KTEL buses. Typical ticket prices: 1..2 Euro, several price zones, purchase of tickets at the machine, if you leave the square by the port. If we book a car, it should be done online, through large search engines, it is then much cheaper, but it is worth booking a week in advance. In winter, 3 days of rental start from 50 Euro for the smallest car, in summer from 100 Euro.

Worth seeing

The city is quite young, but its immediate surroundings are very old. Beginning with the petrified forest in Tychero (and Phylakto), 23 to 40 million years old, through the Dydimoticho, which is more than 5 millennia - now Byzantine and with the first and large mosque on the European continent -, Thracian tombs from the Mycenaean period, silk Sufts with three museums of silk, Dadia forests from 36 out of 38 species of European birds of prey (information and observation center: Dadia village), a large, almost intact Byzantine church in Feres with interesting paintings, information centers of the Evros Delta (and from there, boat trips to the delta) , in Feres and Trajanoupolis, ancient and Byzantine ruins. Note that nature trips will be especially successful in winter, because it is then that the forests and the delta are full of birds. And that in the conditions of an economic crisis (less feeding of predators), to see bird predators in action, it is better to go to Dadia in the morning than in the afternoon. Visiting the Cyclops grotto in Makri will also be a beautiful trip into the ancient olive groves. At the nearby top of an excavation of a Roman city, only olive trees remained on the surface of the earth. As an olive used to grow in the atrium of each house ... When deciding to explore the province, it is best to use the Ewros map, available free of charge, with specific tourist attractions marked and described on it. Available incl. at the airport.

Nearest neighborhood

Study and work

work

Falling off! The population of this part of Greece is in fact hardworking, usually without the help of foreigners. Even foreign domestic helpers are few. Exception: Farmers from the depopulating northern part of the province are constantly looking for wives, which even takes the form of organized (group invitations to play together) addressed to ladies from neighboring Bulgaria. Thus, in this part of Greece, the phenomenon of workers' Polish diaspora is completely unknown.

Science

Medical and pedagogical faculties of the University of Thrace, on this occasion a very large "largest in the Balkans", a modern provincial hospital. Young people of all types of schools have a large, communal sports center with playing fields and a hall, a seaside scout hostel, a sailing club, a swimming pool, with section. Among the educators working at these facilities, some are former Olympians, and among the alumni - Olympic gold medalists.

Shopping

On the national road, north-east of the city, you should not avoid the Sufla ring road. When visiting this ancient and interesting center of silk, it is worth browsing the local silk handicraft shops. The choice of gifts for loved ones - huge. While in Alexandropolis itself, the tourist will find mainly standard (all major), often international hypermarket chains (such as Carrefour, Praktiker etc.), usually east of the city, on the way to the airport.

Gastronomy

Classic Greek standard

Parties

Local folk games, in the city and all over Thrace. An international conference center has been operating recently.

Accommodation

If a hotel, it will be the cheapest to book it online and not directly, but through large search engines. Similarly, car booking. As always in Greece, guest rooms (rooms, Zimmer frei). The prices of guest rooms are always negotiable, which cannot be said about most hotels. The most expensive will turn out to be a truly international-class motel, located right at the end of the seaside promenade; always praised hotel "Alexander", on the eastern outskirts of the city - both with their beaches for hotel guests, accessible in practice and for other fair-looking people; and the newest addition to the city - a five-star hotel and conference center, between the city and the village of Makri to the west of the city. Practical remark - convincing the motel management that the Polish flag should be red down and white up is ineffective. Plus small, not necessarily cheap, elegant hotels, located right next to the seaside promenade, plus rather cheap city hotels, already quite away from the sea, i.e. two or three streets away. Directly behind the motel there is also the once famous campsite EOT (Greek Tourism Organization) ), once ranked among the top seven in Greece. In view of the drastic collapse of caravanning, this campsite may be closed again, plus guest rooms in towns and villages, if empty, possible to bargain up to 25 Euro / room with a kitchenette and bathroom, A / C, TV - if apart from the in the summer. When in summer it will be 45-50 Euro / day / room, after bargaining.

contact

Economically, it is most advantageous to search for all services with the help of large internet search engines.

Security

According to the police, no break-ins have been known so far, you cannot hear howling car alarms, but you should not leave any objects on top that could tempt a random thief. There are break-ins into apartments.

Tourist information

An information stand with a photo exhibition, free maps and folders is located right in the airport arrivals hall. If you pass there by car, it is "outside the door" - invisible to non-arrivals, which does not prevent you from asking, entering, stocking brochures. Local information centers, internationally known for bird stays, Delta Evros, in Trajanupolis and Feres, and a large center for forests operate daily Dadia-Lefkimi. They help in everything, not only in matters of their own tourism.

Where next

To Samothrace! To the museums of silk arts in Sufli! Over the Bosphorus!

On the other hand, 8 km from the city, lovers of nature and peace can be tempted by the micro-spa in Trajanupolis. Two hotels (and a doctor), hot springs plus inexpensive baths, right next to the "Evros Delta" information center and the unique Evros delta in Europe, in winter, especially full of native and also exotic species of birds, mainly aquatic. This is where half of Europe's traveling birds migrate. In summer, although with fewer birds, the delta presents a veritable "bush" of vegetation. In addition, numerous herds of cattle mean that you can even shoot a western here. Bicycles or a small 4x4 rental car are useful for delta tours. There are horse riding centers nearby. From the hotels of Trajanupolis it is also closer to the above-described towns of Feres, Tychero / Filakto, Dadia forests, Sufli silk, Didimoticho.