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| Xanthi | ||
| region | East Macedonia and Thrace | |
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| Residents | 56.122 (2011) | |
| height | 80 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Xanthi is a city in Thrace in northeastGreece.
Map of Xanthi
Xanthi, Old Town 2
Old Town pubs
Footpath along the river
Rock Chapel of St George
background
The changeful history of Thrace, shaped by attacks by neighboring peoples, disasters, ethnic conflicts and civil wars, prevented the normal development of villages into cities. When the Ottomans conquered the region in 1361, they destroyed the little settlement and infrastructure that had developed by then and settled the population of Asia Minor in the almost deserted region of Thrace. Hence the high proportion of Muslim population in this part of Greece.
getting there
By plane
- 1 Airports. The nearest airports are Kavala and Alexandropolis, for international flights mostly Thessaloniki.
By train
- 2 railway station. Xanthi is on the route from Thessaloniki to Alexandropolis. The train station is within walking distance of the center.
By bus
In the street
- Highway. The easiest way to get to Xanthi is via the motorway. There are 2 departures, Xanthi-West and Xanthi-East.
By boat
The nearest ferry port is that of Kavala
mobility
Since Xanthi is a small town, it can be easily explored on foot.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Old town. Xanthi is famous for its old town with many pubs and restaurants. A walk through the old town combined with visits to bars along the streets or in the backyards is a really recommendable experience. Once a year at the end of summer, the Old Town Festival takes place with music, food and drinks all along the old streets.
- 1 Rock chapel Agios Georgios & Archangel Michael. Worth seeing chapel at the end of the Spazeirweg along the river.
- 2 Panagia Archangeliotissa Monastery (Ι.Μ. Παναγίας Αρχαγγελιώτισσας)
- 3 Taxiarchon Monastery (Ιερά Μόνη Παμμεγίστων Ταξιαρχών)
- 1 Folklore and History Museum. The museum is housed in two three-story buildings that were built side by side and date from 1860. They were the private residence of two tobacco sellers. Its interior walls are still adorned with remarkable paintings.
- 2 Public Paint Gallery
- 3 Hadjidaki's house. Historic building with diverse cultural exhibitions and events in the old town.
- 4 House of Shadow. Well worth seeing art museum, in which the shadows cast by the exhibited objects create fascinating impressions.
- 5 Avgou castle ruins. Ruins of a Roman castle, unfortunately difficult to access but with a beautiful view.
- 6 Kaliva Castle. Byzantine castle ruins next to the Taxiarchon monastery. The drive there is more worthwhile because of a small chapel on the hill above the ruin from which you have a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
- 7 Kosynthos River Area. It is worth walking along the river with its lush vegetation and wild nature. Huge boulders and lush greenery of cypress, pine and wild bushes complete the beautiful picture of this picturesque landscape!
Outside the city
Porto Lagos
- 2 Porto Lagos (Λάγος Ξάνθης).
about 30 km east of Xanthi. Small port town with a relatively large port, a few restaurants, cafes. The municipality's port is well developed and also suitable for sailing boats.
- 8 Poroi castle ruins. The ruins from the 9th-14th centuries are at the eastern end of the village at the harbor.
- 9 Traditional Sarakatsana Settlement. Here huts like the ones this ethnic group used to build were built in a kind of small open-air museum.
- 5 Agiou Nikolaou Monastery. The well-known monastery is about 4 km east of the village on islands in the lagoon. It is one of the "must see" attractions in the area.
- 1 Thermal springs (Ιαματικές Πηγές Ξάνθης).Nice quiet place in the mountains. Thermes is a small village with taverns and nice warm baths.
Ancient and historical sites
Anastasopolis
- 10 Anastasiopolis (Αναστασιούπολις).An ancient ruined city with a special "lost place" atmosphere on Lake Vistonia, not far from Porto Lagos.
- 11 Bridge of Polyanthos (Γέφυρα Πολύανθου).It is a remarkable medieval stone bridge over the Kompsatos river. The two large arches of the bridge are 21.8 and 17 m wide and the height of the arch is 12 m. The western of the original three arches has collapsed. From the parking lot on the street, a footpath goes uphill for about 10 minutes to the bridge.
- 12 Abdera (Άβδηρα).Was a major ancient Thracian port city and home to the philosophers Democritus and Protagoras. But it lost its importance in Roman times. The reason for the settlement of this area was, on the one hand, the strategically important location on the Via Egnatia, the most important trade route from Rome to Constantinople until Roman times. In addition, the city was on the important shipping route to the Black Sea: The Roman Empire obtained part of its grain from what is now Ukraine. On the other hand, the Thracian hinterland contributed to the prosperity of the colonists and the city of Abdera with fertile arable and pasture land, rich forest in the valleys of the Nestos and its tributaries, waters rich in fish and precious metal deposits in the mountains. Today there are some must-see ruins and an archaeological museum in the modern village of Avdira. In addition, the nearby beaches are among the best in the region.Open: 08: 30-15.00.
- 13 Kioutouklou Baba Tekke (Τεκές Κιουτουκλού Μπαμπά).The Tekes Kioutouklou Baba is an Ottoman tomb that is estimated to date from the 15th to 16th centuries. Today only the mausoleum (Tourbes) is preserved. It is an octagonal stone building with a domed roof. Inside is the hermit's grave, which is covered with a green cloth. The visitor can see the carved symbols of Bektashism like ax and kioulachi. The monument was probably erected on the ruins of an earlier Christian church. It is now a religious space for Muslims and Christians. For the Muslims the tomb (Tourbes) of Kioutouklou Baba, while the eastern part of the monument was converted by Christians into a provisional church of St. George.
- 14 Echinos fortress. Echinos fortress as part of the Metaxas defense line in World War II is located on the hill south of the village of the same name in Pomakochoria. The fort guarded the road from Bulgaria and controlled the intersection of three main roads. The fort consists of four defensive complexes, most of which are underground on three floors.
- 15 Old fortress of Kimmeria. Ruins of an old fortification that can only be reached after a long walk.
- 16 Mesegouni castle ruins. It was probably built in the late 12th or 13th century. The ground plan of the castle is rectangular with a circumference of 225 m. Two towers with a height of 8 m remained at the two opposite corners.
- 17 Komnina castle ruins. Only a few remains of a fortress are preserved on the slope of the mountain northwest of the village of Komnina. There is little reliable historical information about this castle. It is believed that it was built in the 4th century BC. by the Macedonians to control the territory of Thrace. Like other castles of this category, it soon lost its military value and must have been abandoned after the Roman conquest. The castle was reactivated and repaired for some time in the Middle Byzantine period.
- 18 Kalivas castle ruins. The castle was built around 340 BC. Built by King Philip II of Macedonia. It was used by the Macedonians and the Romans. It also became part of the fortification network developed by Emperor Justinian so it was in use even during the Middle Byzantine period.
nature
- 1 Nestos (Nestos Delta National Park and Vistonida-Ismarida Lakes)..15 km west of Xanthi is the Nestos nature reserve, which is known for its special natural beauty and animal wealth. The Nestos Gorge near Toxotes is particularly worth seeing.
- 2 Thracian Meteora. Interesting rock formation near Iasmos, which is reminiscent of the well-known Meteora near Kalabaka.
- 3 Forest village of Erymanthos. A beautiful and inviting place at 1350m. There are also wooden houses for rent, kiosks, benches and grills. The tavern has traditional food and a nice view.
- 4 Simanda waterfall. small waterfall that dries up in summer.
activities
- carnival. The Xanthi Carnival is the most famous in Greece, along with Patras, and has been held every year since 1966. During the two weeks there are many events such as concerts, dance, drama and visual arts. The parade and traditional marionette burning take place at the end of the carnival.
- Old Town Festival. The old town festival takes place in the first week of September with lots of music, dance performances, food and drink.
- 5 Walk along the river. Next to the pedestrian bridge that connects the old town with the district to the east, the 500m long promenade and plant trail known as "Monopati tis zois" begins. The plants are only labeled in Greek. The path leads above the river through a wonderful landscape and you should definitely not miss walking along it.
- Paragliding
shop
- Kariokes. a specialty of Xanthi is this very tasty praline with walnuts and chocolate, which you can get in all confectionary shops around the old town.
kitchen
- 2 Palia Poli
- 3 Taverna Kottani. Exceptional local cuisine in a 200 year old traditional house in the Rhodope Mountains 60 km from Xanthi. Well worth the very arduous journey.
- 4 To Vareli
- 5 O Kipos. Located on the edge of the old town in a small park with nice seats in the shade of tall trees.
- 6 Melathron. In summer with nice seats under tall trees.
- 7 Xanthippi. Xanthippi is a modern restaurant with traditional cuisine from Greece and the Balkans. It is located in the northern part of the city and offers spectacular views of the city and the Xanthi Valley.
- 8 To Pilima. well-known excursion restaurant in beautiful surroundings approx. 10 km north of Xanthi.
nightlife
Because of the relatively high proportion of young people from the university, Xanthi has a good nightlife for its size. In and around the old town is the center of night life
accommodation
Cheap
- Hotel Xanthi, Lefkippou 14, 67100 Xanthi. Two-star hotel, 600 m from the center.
- Hotel Xanthipio, 28 Octovrìu. Two star hotel.
- Hotel Orfeas, Via M. Karaoli n ° 40. Two star hotel.
- Hotel Johnny. 1 star hotel.
medium
- Elisso. 4 star hotel.
- Le Chalet. 3 stars hotel.
- Hotel Elena. 3 stars hotel.
- Hotel Natassa. 3 stars hotel.
- Hotel Nestos. 3 stars hotel.
- Hotel Filoxenia. 3 stars hotel.
upscale
Learn
security
As in most Greek cities, the biggest safety risk is crossing the streets with the chaotic traffic in the center. Crime hardly plays a role
health
- 2 hospital
Practical advice
Nestos Gorge
trips
- Kavala - one of the most beautiful cities in Greece
- Nestos - A nature reserve of particular natural beauty and a large number of birds
- Anastasiopolis - worth seeing ancient ruins
- Chestnut: worth seeing ancient ruins with good beaches nearby
- Thasos - one of the most beautiful Greek islands
- Rhodope Mountains - lonely high mountain landscape with many attractions
- Komotini - strongly Muslim university town
- Samothrace - island
