Places of interest in Xanthi Prefecture

The Ancient city of Abdera: Built on the side of the hill, Abdera constituted the biggest centre of intellectual and commercial transactions since the 5th century B.C. Main source of wealth were the culture of cereals, viticulture and trade. The city walls starts from the sea and has a perimeter of 5.000 m. Many residences of the Classic, Hellenistic and of the Roman era existed, with an internal peristyle and tiled courtyards. South of the walls one finds the citadel; near the harbour, to the north existed a theatre from the 5th century BC, today only the foundations are still visible. 

The city was the birthplace of Democritus (460-370 BC), reputed to be the father of atomic philosophy. Other notables born here include, Protagoras and Anaxarhos, a counsellor to Alexander the great. In the Byzantine period was renamed Polystylo, due to the numerous pillars in the city. On the site an ancient temple was discovered (9th-10th century AD) with an older eight sided baptistery. Other remains discovered were a cemetery, ruins of a spa and a Byzantine tower. The city fell into decline after the Ottomans took control of the region.

Nestos River: the riveris the pride of North-Eastern Greece, its source is in Bulgaria and its total length is 233 kilometres. Out of the 233 km, the river flows 140 km in the Greek territory. Rafting the river is very popular, trips start from the town of Stavroupolis, and one can make the trip either in an inflatable raft or in a two-man canoe. Guided trips take about four hours, and are suitable for all ages, with stops to enjoy a picnic on the banks of the river. The trip is spectacular and ends in the Delta of Nestos.

The Delta of Nestos: is located in the southern part of the Prefectures of Xanthi and Kavala. This area is now a national park for the preservation of the wild fauna, with bears, wolves and wild bars. In addition, over 254 species of birds including herons, ibis and sea eagles nest in the area.  Birds on the edge of extinction such as the Imperial Eagle, the Dalmatian Pelican, the Slender-billed Curlew and the Spotted Eagle also visit the delta.

Lake Vistonida : covers an area of 45 square kilometres and has an average depth of two metres. The northern part of the lake is fresh water coming from the rivers of the region, whilst the sea makes the southern part salty. This variation of salinity attracts a wide range of birds. The lake is area classified as an area of special protection.

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