Xanthi is a city of western Thrace, with about 59,000 inhabitants, at the foot of the Rhodope mountains and about twenty kilometres from the sea. It is one of Greece's most original cities: Greek Orthodox people and a Muslim minority, partly Turkish-speaking and partly Pomak, have lived side by side here for centuries, and the city shows it in its minarets, the languages heard at the market and its food. Its jewel is the old town, built in the 19th century by wealthy tobacco merchants, considered one of the country's best-preserved traditional townscapes.
History
In antiquity the area belonged to the Thracians, and the Greek city of Abdera stood on the nearby coast. Xanthi grew in the Middle Ages as a Byzantine and then Ottoman centre, but its great growth came in the 19th century with tobacco: Xanthi tobacco, grown on the plain and hills, was among the world's finest, and Greek, Jewish and foreign merchants built mansions, warehouses and schools. The city became Greek in 1920, after the Balkan Wars and the First World War. Under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne the Muslims of Western Thrace were excluded from the population exchange, and they have remained in the city and the Rhodope villages.
The old town
The old town (Palia Poli) climbs the slopes north of the centre. Its cobbled streets are lined with pastel-painted mansions with overhanging wooden upper floors, latticed windows, hidden courtyards and painted ceilings, alongside humbler houses, churches, mosques and small shops. Among the finest mansions are those of the Kougioumtzoglou brothers, which house the Folklore and History Museum, with costumes, jewellery, furniture and a reconstruction of the life of the tobacco bourgeoisie. At the top is the monastery of Panagia Kalamou. Strolling through the old town in the evening, as the lights come on, is a delight.
The Saturday bazaar
Every Saturday Xanthi hosts one of Greece's largest, most colourful weekly markets. Farmers and traders come from the villages of the plain and the mountains with fruit, vegetables, cheeses, spices, fabrics, shoes, tools and animals, and the market fills with voices in Greek, Turkish and Pomak. It is a unique chance to see Thrace's multicultural society.
The Carnival
The Xanthi Carnival, also called the Thracian Folklore Festival, is one of Greece's biggest. For two weeks before Orthodox Lent the city fills with concerts, exhibitions and folk groups from the villages and other regions, ending with the great parade and the burning of the Tzaros, the effigy representing winter.
Manos Hadjidakis
In 1925 the composer Manos Hadjidakis was born in Xanthi, one of the giants of 20th-century Greek music, who wrote the score for Never on Sunday, winning an Oscar for the song The Children of Piraeus, and hundreds of songs that gave artistic dignity to rebetiko and popular music. His birthplace in the old town is now a place of remembrance and hosts musical events. See Greek music.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Old town | 19th-century mansions, cobbled lanes, churches and mosques |
| Folklore Museum | In the Kougioumtzoglou mansion, the life of the tobacco bourgeoisie |
| Central square and clock tower | The heart of the modern city, with cafés and shops |
| Saturday bazaar | The great weekly market |
| Manos Hadjidakis house | The composer's birthplace |
| Panagia Kalamou monastery | Above the old town, overlooking the plain |
Around Xanthi
| Destination | Distance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Abdera | 25 km | The ancient city where the philosophers Democritus and Protagoras were born, with a museum; beaches nearby |
| Nestos gorge | 15-25 km | The river winding through the mountains, with trails, kayaking and rafting, and the Livera viewpoint |
| Pomak villages | 30-50 km | Echinos and the other Muslim villages of the Rhodope, with mosques and stone houses |
| Lake Vistonida and Porto Lagos | 30 km | Lagoons with herons and flamingos, and St Nicholas monastery on an islet |
| Sea | 20-30 km | The beaches of Avdira, Mandra and Myrodato |
See Democritus and Greek philosophy.
Food and sweets
Xanthi's cooking reflects its history: Greek dishes of Thrace, recipes of Ottoman and Pomak tradition, grilled meat, pies and mountain cheeses. The city is famous for its sweets of eastern tradition, made with filo, nuts, syrup and chocolate, sold in the historic pastry shops of the centre.
Where to stay and when to go
In Xanthi you can stay in small central hotels, guesthouses in old-town mansions and, nearby, farm stays and mountain houses in the Rhodope or by the Nestos gorge. Prices are moderate all year, except during the Carnival, when it pays to book ahead. The climate is Mediterranean with continental influences: summers are hot and the mountains offer cool relief, winters can be cold, with snow on the Rhodope peaks. Spring is ideal for hiking in the gorge and seeing the countryside in bloom; summer for combining the city with the beaches of Abdera and Mandra; autumn for the markets and the colours of the woods.
Getting there
Xanthi lies on the Egnatia Odos motorway, about 200 km from Thessaloniki (2 hours) and 50 km from Kavala. The nearest airport is Kavala (about 40 km); there are also KTEL buses and a railway line. The ports of Kavala and Keramoti link the area with the island of Thassos.
Tips
- Come on a Saturday for the bazaar and stay into the evening for the illuminated old town.
- Xanthi is an excellent base for exploring western Thrace and the Rhodope.
- The university town (Thrace Polytechnic) keeps the centre's cafés and bars busy all year.
See also Thrace, Komotini and Greek cities.