Samothraki – the Aeolus’s island according to mythology- is a mystical place. The pebbly beaches, the running waters, the unspoilt nature, the celebrated curative springs and unique antiquities compose an idyllic scenery that is breathtaking and fascinating. The hot curative springs are situated at the entrance of the Therma settlement. In Samothraki, visitors, aside from treatment, will be acquainted with archaeological and historic sites, but also with the unique “lagoons” of cold water.
Curative Water
The temperature of the water that gushes from the spring is around 100ο C
Characterisitcs: Superheated Cl- Na- Ca- K – B- Br- J hypotonic, slightly radioactive curative water of the municipality of Samothraki.
Therapeutic Indications:
Rheumatoid arthritis, chronic rheumatisms, gynecological ailments, peripheral vasculopathies, secondary skin ailments, obesity
Health thermalism facilities
The baths are located at the foot of Psarotherma hill. They have two pools (men and women) and 13 individual tubs. The temperature of the water in the men’s pool is 40-41ο C and in the women’s 38-39ο C. The facilities are open from June to October and from 09:30 am to 13:30 am and from 17:30 pm to 23:45 pm.
Source: www.thermalsprings.gr
It is located at the borders of Kavala and Xanthi prefectures, south of the town of Stavroupoli, with area of 2,380 hectares. It is one of the most beautiful landscapes of Greece with great ecological interest. The visitors can see the plurality of rare plants such as the agriopaschalia, champerlea, red peony and ramnis of Rhodope.
At the same time, the region is rich in fauna, with nesting wolves, wild cats – which are an endangered species – otters, ferrets, and rare birds such as the black stork, the vulture, the Alkyon, the brown goose and the pygmy cormorant.
Through the Straits of the river passes the railway line that connects Thessaloniki with the cities of Thrace, following an enchanting landscape. But apart from the train there is an etched path, which starts from the village of Galanis and reaches the Stavroupoli and Livaditi.
Source: Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
In the Rhodope Mountains, on the border with Bulgaria, there is the Drimos Forest, also known as Chaidou. The forest Chaidou is an earthly paradise with huge centennial beech of over 30 meters height. Apart from the beech forest there is also a large variety of vegetation that grows in the mountains of Rhodope, such as pines, firs, spruces and yellow lilies.
It is also a habitat of bears, wolves and deers. In the 80’s the 180 acres of forest was declared “Natural Monument” and protected area. It can be seen several endemic plants of Rhodope, and other rare species of flora of Greece. There are also rare species of mammals and birds.
In Chaidou threre are bare fields and meadows and bare mountain slopes. Many streams and small rivers flow with fast and cold waters that constitute the zone of trout. It is a centuries-old beech forest, an area of 18 hectares and is located in the mountain Chaidou in the Central Rhodope Mountains, north of the city of Xanthi.
Source: Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
The bridge is located at the exit of Kompsatos, which stems from mountainous Rodopi, is crossed Thracian valley and empties into Lake Vistonida.
In the surrounding area have identified several sites with pre-Christian and Christian antiquities with main Byzantine castle of Polyanthos and an aisled basilica between the village of Polianthos and the bridge.
The three-arched bridge was with two piers and two abutments and direction from West to East. Today survives the middle and eastern arc and the eastern abutment. The middle arc which was slightly raised was the larger. Is open 21.80 m and a height of 12 meters The east has opening 17 m. On two piers are relievers openings with flat base and arched roof. Considered a work of craftsmen from Epirus. It dates to 17th-18th century.
Source: Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
The health place of krinides, with its therapeutic clay and curative water, geographically belongs to a wider area with rich history that begins with the foundation of the city in 360 B.C. One of the most important archaeological sites of eastern Macedonia is situated in Krinides, Kavala. In this historic region one can come across the ancient thermae, the ancient agora, the ancient theatre of Filippoi, Lydia’s place of baptism, the first Christian woman in Europe. So the visitor has the possibility to combine his physical and mental health and well-being with an archaeological tour, a journey through history and time.
Curative Water
The water that gushes from the spring has a temperature of 29oC. It is suitable for hydrotherapy, in the form of balenotherapy and water mineral drinking therapy.
Characterisation: Tepid Ca- Mg- HCO3 hypotonic curative water
Therapeutic Indications:
Balneotherapy for the ailments of the musculoskeletal system. Mineral water drinking therapy for the gastrointestinal and urinary system.
Therapeutic Clay
The therapeutic clay of krinides is the result of natural, biochemical, geochemical and biological procedures that took place in the area of the clay therapy centre, between a solid element, argil, a liquid element, hot mineral water, and an organic element from the plant world. The temperature of the clay reservoirs is 29ο C.
Characterisation: Peaty, argilic, organic therapeutic clay
Therapeutic Indications:
Autoimmune diseases, rheumatisms and skin ailments.
Health thermalism facilities
The thermal city has a clay therapy centre, with two group tubs of clay for men and women and a hydrotherapy centre. The hydrotherapy centre is housed in a post byzantine building (old Turkish bath). The facilities are open from the 1st of June to the 15th of October, seven days a week from 08:30 am to 18:00 pm. Visitors can also find accommodation in the premises.
Source: www.thermalsprings.gr
Located 15 km from Kavala in Krinides and is one of the most important historical sites in the area. Founded by the father of the Great Alexander and took his name.
Includes, the ancient theater of Philippi (where every summer is organised the homonymous Festival), the Forum and the commercial market, the palaestra, the islands with private houses and early Christian churches. It was founded by Thassian settlersin 360 BC. Very soon, in 356 BC, Thassians, as to face the local Thracian tribes sought the help of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. Philip B. recognizing the prime location of the city, gave it his name.
The passing of the Egnatia Via through the Philippi area in the 1st century. BC gave the greater weight to the city, and turned it into a benchmark of the region. In 42 BC the Battle of Philippi in the two low hills outside the western city walls caused changes in local and global level. The win of Octavian and Antony, continuing of the policy of Julius Caesar marked the end of democracy , openind the Octavian way for the empire. The site of philippi became a Roman colony (Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis) who flourished in the second century in 20 sentury AD.
he 49/50 AD Apostole Paul visited the Philippi and founded the first Christian community in Europe. The memory of the visit and his imprisonment remained deeply in the memory and gave an ecumenical Christian pilgrimage character. The city is shrinking in the early of 7th century because of large earthquakes and Slavic raids. Survives in Byzantine times as a fortified castle, keeping its importance due to its location on the main East-West artery land. The complete abandonment occurred with the Turkish conquest in the late of 14th century.
Source: Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
Excavations of the site started in the late 1960’s and have brought to light:
The theatre of the city, in which two architectural phases are distinguished, dated to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
A sanctuary, probably of Dionysos, dated to the 4th century B.C. , a large Hellenistic house with a mosaic floor, two extensive building complexes, most probably of public function, also dated to the Hellenistic period, parts of the fortification wall of the Classical city.
It was constructed in the Hellenistic period and remodelled in Roman times. Preserved are: three rows of stone seats of the cavea, the central and the horseshoe-shaped conduit of the orchestra, and the building of the Roman skene.
Source: Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
Loutraki baths (Pozar) are located in the municipality of Almopia, 13 km northwest of Aridaia. The word “pozar” means ember, burning coal. The area of the Pozar Baths is a natural sight, located in a green environment with plane trees and waterfalls. Tile paved paths and constructed wooden bridges aid the visitor follow the mountain paths and reach the complex of the 16 caves.
The open pool and the “ponds”, which are naturally shaped in the bank of the hot river, offer the chance of bathing in a fascinating natural scenery. The visitors come to the baths from every corner of Greece either to receive the beneficial properties of the curative waters (therapeutic – relaxing), or to escape in the beautiful mountains with the caves.
Curative Water
The hot springs gush for the bank of the hot river, with a temperature that reaches 37ο C
Characterisation: Homotherm HCO3- Ca- Mg- K- B- As hyponotic, slightly radioactive curative water of the municipality of Almopia.
Therapeutic Indications: Balneotherapy for rheumatisms, arthritis, ailments of the peripheral nerves, gynecological and skin ailments, sprains, fractures
Health thermalism facilities:
In the new hydrotherapy centre there are private pools, each functioning separately. Their dimensions are 3×3, 1.50 metres deep and temperature of 37 degrees. In the Old Hydrotherapy Centre there are 2 pools with dimensions 3×6 and with a temperature of 37 degrees and 2 smaller pools (Turkish bath like) with a temperature of 38 degrees. Moreover, there are 2 outdoor waterfalls, one of them having a temperature of 37 degrees and the other, which is mixed with cold water, has a temperature of 30 degrees. There is also an outdoor olympic – sized pool with a temperature of 37 degrees in the snack bar area. There are locker rooms in every space.
What’s more, in the area of the thermal city there is a hotel with 10 double rooms and 2 triple rooms and a restaurant as well. It is open the whole year round, day and night.
Springs’ Website: www.loutrapozar.com.gr
Source: www.thermalsprings.gr
The Castle in Pythio (of the Byzantine Empythio) is located 16 km north of Didymoteicho, near the railway bridge, which enters from the Greek to the Turkish ground.
It was built from 1331 to 1341 by Ioannis Kantakouzenos VI, who used it to control the crossings from the valley of the Evros river. Back then, this great river was navigable almost until Filipoypoli and it was the main commercial artery from north to south.
Today, out of the small sized, but strong fort, only two large
towers and some elements of the fortification have survived. This fort was occupied by the Ottomans in 1361, who used it as a base for operations against the Didymoteicho.
Source: Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
The thermal city of Potamia is situated at the 18th kilometre of the road Xanthi – Komotini. People of the intellect, the arts and literature, like Dimokritos, Protagoras, Leykippos were born and thrived in the historical area of Avdira. In a small distance, lies Vistonida lake, one of the most important wetlands of Greece and a little further is the picturesque port of Porto Lagos. The visitor can combine balneotherapy, with a visit to the Archaeological and Folklore museum of Avdira and go round the picturesque roads of the traditional settlement of Avdira.
Curative Water
The water that gushes from the spring has a temperature of 55-70ο C
Characterisation: Superheated Na-Cl-HCO3-K-B-As-F –acidic, hypotonic, slightly radioactive curative water of the municipality of Avdira
Therapeutic Indications:
Chronic rheumatisms, gynecological ailments, neuralgia, neuritis, allergic skin ailments
Health thermalism facilities:
The thermal city has hydrotherapy facilities, with two group tubs for men and women. The temperature in the tubs ranges between 39-41ο C.The baths operate from May to January and between the hours 08:30 am – 19:00 pm, except Sunday.
Source: www.thermalsprings.gr