Alexandroupoli is the largest city of Greek Thrace and capital of Evros, the region bordering Turkey and Bulgaria. With about 60,000 inhabitants, it faces the northern Aegean opposite the island of Samothrace, a few kilometres from the Evros river delta. It is a modern, orderly, quiet city with a long seafront, a white lighthouse as its symbol and a university and military presence that keep it lively all year. In recent years its port has gained growing strategic importance as a gateway to the Balkans and eastern Europe.
History
Unlike many Greek cities, Alexandroupoli is young. In antiquity the area was inhabited by the Thracians, and Greek cities such as Mesimvria-Zone and colonies of Samothrace stood along the coast. The modern city began as a small fishing village called Dedeagaç and grew in the second half of the 19th century with the building of the Ottoman railway and port. In 1878 the Russians briefly occupied it and laid out its regular street plan. After the Balkan Wars and the First World War it passed to Greece, and in 1920 it was named Alexandroupoli in honour of King Alexander of Greece, who visited it. With the 1923 population exchange many Greek refugees arrived from Eastern Thrace and Asia Minor.
The city today
Alexandroupoli looks different from Greece's historic cities: wide, regular streets, modern apartment blocks, tree-lined avenues and a seafront several kilometres long. It is home to the medical school of the Democritus University of Thrace and a large university hospital, and the presence of students and soldiers, given the nearby border, keeps it lively in every season. In recent years the port has gained strategic weight, with new offshore energy facilities and traffic linked to NATO and connections with eastern Europe. In the evening life centres on the seafront and the pedestrian streets of the centre, with cafés, bars and ouzeris; in summer the city beaches and those to the west are crowded with families, and the summer festival brings concerts and shows by the sea. The city is also a stopover for overland travellers heading to Istanbul, about three and a half hours away.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Lighthouse | Built in 1880, 27 metres high, the city's symbol on the seafront |
| Seafront | A long promenade with cafés, gardens and city beaches |
| Ethnological Museum of Thrace | In a neoclassical mansion, it shows the life, crafts and traditions of the region |
| Museum of Ecclesiastical Art | Icons and sacred objects of Thrace, among the richest in northern Greece |
| Cathedral of St Nicholas | The main church, dedicated to the patron of sailors |
| Historical Museum | The history of the city and region in the 20th century |
The Evros delta
About twenty kilometres east of the city, the Evros river forms, before reaching the Aegean, a large delta of lagoons, reed beds, islands and woods, one of Europe's most important wetlands, protected under the Ramsar Convention. Hundreds of bird species live or stop here, including flamingos, pelicans, herons, geese and raptors. The visitor centre organises boat and 4x4 excursions; spring and autumn, with the migrations, are the best times.
Dadia forest
About fifty kilometres north lies the Dadia forest, a national park of pines and oaks on the hills, famous for its raptors: it is one of the few places in Europe where the cinereous vulture, the griffon and the Egyptian vulture live and breed, along with dozens of species of eagles and falcons. From a hide you can watch the vultures at the feeding station. In summer 2023 a huge wildfire, one of the largest ever recorded in the European Union, burned much of the forest and surroundings; the park is slowly recovering.
Myth and archaeology
At Makri, about ten kilometres west, you can visit a cave that local tradition identifies as that of the Cyclops Polyphemus, where Odysseus and his companions were imprisoned. Nearby are the remains of the ancient city of Mesimvria-Zone, with a temple of Apollo. Further west, the coast of Maroneia was famous in antiquity for its wine, the very wine that, in the Odyssey, Odysseus used to get the Cyclops drunk. See the Odyssey.
Soufli and silk
Travelling up the Evros river northwards you reach Soufli, a small town famous for silk production: the Silk Museum tells the story of silkworm rearing and cocoon processing, which made the area rich in the 19th century. On the way, at Feres, is the 12th-century Byzantine church of Panagia Kosmosoteira.
Food
Alexandroupoli's cooking combines the sea with the traditions of refugees from Eastern Thrace and Asia Minor: fish and seafood, mussels and shrimps from the gulf, grilled meat, pies and sweets of eastern tradition. The seafront ouzeris are ideal for a dinner of mezedes. See Greek cuisine.
Getting there
| Transport | Details |
|---|---|
| Plane | Dimokritos airport (AXD), a few kilometres away, with flights from Athens |
| Car | Egnatia Odos motorway, about 340 km from Thessaloniki (3.5 hours) |
| Bus | KTEL to Thessaloniki, Athens and the towns of Thrace; links to Istanbul |
| Ferry | Ships to Samothrace (about 2 hours) and, in some seasons, to Lemnos and other islands |
| Train | Line to Thessaloniki and northern Evros |
Where to stay and when to go
Hotels are mainly along the sea and in the centre, at moderate prices. Summer is the season for the sea and Samothrace ferries; spring and autumn are ideal for birdwatching in the delta and at Dadia. Winter is cool and windy.
Tips
- Alexandroupoli is the natural starting point for Samothrace: stay in the city the night before the ferry.
- Book guided tours for the Evros delta: some areas are near the border and access is regulated.
- A drive along the Evros reveals little-known villages, churches and landscapes.
See also Thrace, Samothrace and Greek cities.