To make a little weekend getaway, our goal was to tour Greece in 72 hours, travelling along the Greek coast. We set off on the tour on Friday evening, toured at a brisk pace, finished it on Sunday night at the same pace, and left Greece. With Greece so close to our border, we couldn't not go. Thessaloniki, Kavala, Xanthi, Komotini and the last stop, Alexandroupoli! We'll tell you in detail about the places to visit on our route, which followed the points we mentioned. In this post we'll tell you in detail about the places to visit in Alexandroupoli and our travel experiences.
Dimokratias Avenue
Since it's a port city, Democracy Avenue, the busy avenue parallel to the sea, is closed to traffic in the evening hours. Along the avenue, brightened only by people's footsteps, there are delicious restaurants and tavernas. All of them have menus each tastier than the last. Since the beaches in Alexandroupoli are free, you can eat somewhere different every night and even have fun much more cheaply.
The Lighthouse
The lighthouse, the symbol of the city, was built in 1880. It was commissioned by Sultan Abdulhamid II. It rises right by the sea, on the seafront, and the liveliest parts of the city are in the area where the lighthouse is.
Alexandroupoli Mosque
Alexandroupoli Mosque, quite close to the train station in the centre of Alexandroupoli, holding the title of the only Turkish Mosque in the city and known in some places as the Selahattin Mosque, is the only mosque that has survived to this day.
Looking at the mosque's history, it has a sad story. In the Balkan War of 1912, the Muslim buildings and people in the area were plundered and destroyed by the Bulgarians. By the 1920s the mosque had been restored by the Greeks. But it isn't known by whom or when the building was built.
Finally, towards the end of 1993 it burned down completely in a fire. Unfortunately there's no definite information about how and in what way the fire happened. After the fire the Greeks restored the mosque and brought it to its present state. But the big apartment blocks around the mosque greatly affect how it looks. We could say it's almost invisible from a distance.
Makri Village
It's 11 kilometres west of the city, on the coast. It's also right next to the E-90 highway. It's a very charming settlement with very famous fish restaurants. Prices are very affordable. Because of the many Turkish visitors, you can even find a menu in our language at some restaurants. On the menus you can find mussels, prawns of all sizes, fried fish and the perfect Greek salad.
The centre of Alexandroupoli isn't very suitable for swimming. The sea in the Agia Paraskevi (Paraskeui) area, part of Makri, is clean and the beach is sandy. There are kiosks and restaurants to eat and drink at, and beaches with umbrellas and sun loungers. What's more, you don't pay any fee to use beaches like these. All that's expected of you is to eat or drink something. Our choice was Yasu Beach.
Chips are 2 Euros, and a frappé is 3.5 Euros and comes with 0.5 litres of water. There's also a frappé made with espresso and a chocolate one (Fradiçino). If you're more than 2 people, choose the umbrellas on the left and you'll stay in the shade all day.
Lake Vistonida and the Church of Agios Nikolaos
Porto Lagos, between Xanthi and Komotini, is a fishing village with a small population. Lake Vistonida, on your way whether you're coming back from Kavala or going to Kavala, holds the title of the second largest lake in Greece, and the Church of Agios Nikolaos here is among the places you need to see.
The church is on a wooden bridge, and as you walk along the wooden bridge the sound of seagulls will keep you company. For those who love taking photos, wonderful shots can even be caught in the reed beds. Careful: after Alexandroupoli, if you come by the normal road instead of the motorway, you won't have trouble finding it. I strongly recommend getting the maps.me app, which I've used on all my trips.
For those curious about our other posts on the Greece tour, click the link!
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