Sights
“Explore Xanthi, the city with a thousand colors” ”
Museum of Natural History
The museum with the impressive entrance made of limestone and limestone, was built by the Forestry Department of Xanthi in the old forest nursery. Inside you will find impressive exhibits of flora, fauna, natural rocks and stuffed animals.
Republic Square (Central Square - Clock Tower)
The square has an area of 36 acres and is a reference point for the city as it is dominated by the Xanthi administration building (former courts) and the clock tower since 1870. The tower was built in 1859 as a tribute to the city's central mosque by Haji Emin Agha.
Byzantine castle of Xanthea
It was built in the 12th century AD in the north of present-day Xanthi on the top of the hill in order to control the passage to the valley of Nestos and the hinterland. Today the castle is very densely vegetated as it is in the forest and to see the scattered ruins one has to explore it.
Traditional Settlement of Samakov
The settlement has an area of about 100 acres and the river Kosynthos is the natural border with the old city of Xanthi. The name Samakov comes from the mining activities that the inhabitants of the settlement were engaged in since 1580.
It is also worth visiting:
- Museum of Traditional Costume of the Lyceum of Hellenic Women
- Old Town Hall of Xanthi
- Tobacco warehouse area in the Old Town
- Xanthi Bazaar – Popular Market (Commerce Square every Saturday)
Old Town
In 1,830 AD the building of the present old city began. It is inhabited by about 9,000 inhabitants in economic comfort and wealth comes mainly from tobacco cultivation and trade. Today the Old Town is simply magnificent. Walking through its narrow streets harmoniously combines the past and the present. Discover the architecture of the buildings, the traditional cafes and the Thracian cuisine. Indulge in the alleys of the city and enjoy the journey through time.
The House of Shadow
The house where light paints the walls and reveals secrets of the world. In the space you will find the elaborate works of Triantafyllos Vaitsis.
Folklore and History Museum
The museum is housed in the mansions of the tobacco merchants Kouyoumtzoglou and Kaloudis, built in the 19th century. In the interior, the luxurious residences of the era are recreated and information about the place and lifestyle of the inhabitants is given. Through the historical route and guided tour of the museum discover the arts, trade, customs and traditions of Thrace.
Municipal Gallery
The gallery is called ¨Christos Pavlidis¨ (Great Painter of the city) and is housed in the mansion of the Kalevra family. Enjoy the wonderful paintings by artists of the wider region of earlier and more recent times.
Birthplace of Manos Hadjidakis
An elegant mansion in the fairytale Old Town, is the birthplace of the great music composer Manos Hadjidakis. The building was built with neoclassical elements and some baroque in the late 18th century. It belonged to the Jew Issac Daniel, one of the richest of the time. Today it is a work of art and a historical monument of Xanthi and Greek culture.
Haidou Forest
The forest has been classified as NATURA as it is one of the most important habitats in Greece. The Haidou Mountains cover an area of approximately 33,000 acres with the peak of Gftokastro at 1,827 meters. It is a natural border between Thrace and Macedonia and between Greece and Bulgaria.
The forest is rich in beech, pine, birch, deciduous oak and holly. During your walk you will meet bears, wolves, deer, jackals and more than 100 species of birds.
Of course, Haidou could not miss the intense wet element with its rivers and tributaries. The most important are Nestos (one of the 5 largest rivers in Greece), Kosynthos that runs through the city of Xanthi and the bear pond that pours into the river Nestos.
Nestos River
According to mythology, Nestos is the son of Ocean and Tethys, was born long before man and belongs to the 5 largest rivers of Greece. It has an area of 243 km, as it starts in Bulgaria, the Rila Mountains and flows into the Thracian Sea. On its route, Nestos creates a natural border between Macedonia and Thrace and the prefectures of Kavala and Drama.
Nestos is one of the most important wetlands in the country, with the river delta covering 550 000 hectares. At all altitudes it forms impressive natural landscapes with very dense vegetation and rare species of flora and fauna. Of particular importance is the 'vista position', from where we can observe the water playing with the ground and creating impressive meanders.
The Nestos River, with its peculiarities, is the ideal place for alternative forms of tourism. Contact the various activity centres in the area to organise walks, rafting, sup, kayaking and feel the return to nature.
Waterfall of Trachoni or Leivaditis
It is located at an altitude of 1300 meters next to the village of Livaditis and is the largest waterfall in the Balkans in terms of quantity and volume of running water. The spectacle of nature is overwhelming as the water falls from 60 meters vertically and creates lush vegetation in the area.
Access is easy, requiring an hour to an hour and a half hike from the parking lot to the waterfall, depending always on the pace you follow. The effort will of course be rewarded and you will get to know this wonderful creation of nature where, according to tradition, in Livaditis, the fairies bathed in the waterfall and in its caves they weaved the gossamer fairy water.
Erymanthos Forest Village
Located at an altitude of 1350 meters, it consists of 12 wooden self-catering lodges. Initially created to serve loggers, they now operate to provide accommodation for visitors for recreational purposes, with the aim of harmonizing humans with the natural environment.
In the surrounding area, you can visit traditional taverns and cafes, enjoy nature, and for sports enthusiasts, you can organize hikes, canoeing, kayaking, archery, horseback riding, and whatever else fits your unique entertainment needs.
Kalyvas Castle - Ionikos (Stavroupoli)
It is located at an altitude of 627 meters, was built in 340 BC by Philip II, and holds a strategic position as it controls a large part of the Nestos River valley. The fortress is one of the most beautiful in Thrace and is an excellent work of Macedonian engineers, as water storage was carried out here.
Thermes village - Thermal springs
At a distance of about 40 km from the city of Xanthi in the village of Lower Thermes, the geothermal field has created thermal springs with beneficial properties for humans. The water temperature ranges from 29 °C to 53 °C with baths in the baths being indicated for diseases of the nervous system, skin diseases, musculoskeletal system and many others.
Vistonida Lagoon - Porto Lagos
Lake Vistonida is one of the most important lakes in Greece, as it is the fourth largest lake with an area of 45000 acres and a water depth of 4 meters. This important wetland is home to about 270 species of birds, some of which are threatened with extinction.
The point where Lake Vistonida joins the Thracian Sea, creating a small wonder of nature, is called Porto Lagos. According to the Venetian language Porto Lago translates as the port of the lake. A port that was an important commercial station in the past and today serves fishing boats and boats of the region as well as pleasure boats.
It is also worth visiting:
- The relief of Mithra bull killer (next to the thermal springs)
- The Macedonian tomb of Komnenoi in Stavroupoli.
- The Folklore Museum of Stavroupolis.
Holy Monastery of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel
To the northwest of Xanthi, at an altitude of 150 meters, within the forest, lies the Monastery of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, directly beneath the Byzantine acropolis of the city.
No records have been preserved to know when it was created, but from the frescoes that have survived we assume that it was built after 1500. It went through great destruction from earthquakes and wars, was rebuilt after 1.941 and today houses the ecclesiastical school.
Today the monastery is a men's monastery and celebrates the feast of Archangels Michael and Gabriel on November 8.
Ι.Μ. Παναγίας Αρχαγγελιώτισσας & Εκκλησιαστικό Μουσείο Ι.Μ. Ξάνθης
In the northeast of Xanthi, at 160 meters above the village of Samakov, is the monastery of Panagia Archangeliotissa.
We do not know the date of its creation as no records have been preserved. It suffered great destruction from earthquakes and wars and was rebuilt in 1.841 by the Bishop of Xanthi Eugene. It is worth noting that the monastery was restored in 1.954 by Metropolitan Anthony of Xanthi and is a support for both Christians and Muslims.
Today the monastery is male and celebrates on 21 November the Entrance of the Virgin Mary and on 15 August the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Also, in the Holy Monastery of Panagia Archangeliotissa is the Ecclesiastical Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and was established in 1960 by Metropolitan Anthony of Xanthi. The ecclesiastical exhibits found in the site date from the end of the Byzantine period with many of them having been stolen by the Bulgarians during the Bulgarian occupation.
Holy Monastery of Panagia Kalamous
In the north of Xanthi on a rock in the mountainous Rhodope, at an altitude of 170 meters, is the monastery of Panagia Kalamos. The monastery was built in 726 to 843 AD (Iconoclastic period) by iconoclastic friends. The name of the monastery comes from the icon of the Virgin Mary which was found in the reeds. Today the monastery is a women's monastery and celebrates the Nine Days of the Virgin Mary on 23 August.
Holy Monastery of Agia Irini
In the northeast of Xanthi on a hill is the monastery of Agia Irini. It was built in 1972 by Archimandrite Antonios (Dalatsis) and Metropolitan Antonios (Klaoudatos) of Xanthi. The monastery has been operating since 1978 as an ecclesiastical orphanage for girls and has so far raised and rehabilitated 35 girls. Today the monastery is a women's monastery, hosts many holy relics and celebrates the feast of St. Irene the Great Martyr on May 5.
It is also worth visiting:
- Holy Metropolitan Church of St. John the Baptist
- Church of St. George
- Church of Saint Demetrios of Samakovi
- Temple of the Song of Songs
- Church of the 12 Apostles
- Temple of the Taxiarchs of Kavaki
