Places to Vısıt ın Dedeagaç (Alexandroupolı)
Gather around, we're heading to Alexandroupolis, also known as Dedeağaç. We'll share with you today's notes, including the must-see places, dining recommendations, and where we stayed. We didn't encounter much congestion at the border, and it took us about 45 minutes to cross. We quickly took a tour along Demokratias, the busiest street in the city, and settled into our hotel. Accommodation: We chose Dias Hotel, owned by a Turkish individual. It's located approximately 1 km from EOT Beach in Alexandroupolis. The hotel is clean and decent, with a price around 70 Euros for 2 people including breakfast. You can check out other hotel options at https://www.booking.com/city/gr/alexandroupolis.en.html?aid=1939100&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
Now, let's get started with the highlights of Alexandroupolis:
9 Things Not to Miss in Alexandroupolis:
1.Alexandroupolis Lighthouse: Comparable to Thessaloniki's White Tower, the lighthouse stands out as a circular tower built by a French company in 1880, during the Ottoman era. Although lighthouses are typically found on headlands, this one sits in the middle of a rather flat coastline, making it quite unique.
2.Dadia Forest: Spent two full days hiking on wonderful trails in this beautiful and untouched forest. The informational signs along the trails were fantastic. An unexpected bonus was encountering a vulture feeding spot along the route.
3.Thrace Ethnological Museum: Located in the heart of Alexandroupolis, this small museum was built with the efforts of the Giannakidis family. The building itself is very interesting, being a neoclassical house from 1899! You'll see various exhibitions showcasing traditional Thrace and the stories behind them. An hour-long visit is sufficient!
4.Agia Paraskevi Beach: A beautiful beach with average prices and beach bars. The water gradually deepens, providing a large area where children can play or even non-swimmers can enjoy the water!
5.Evros Delta Information Center: The Evros Delta is a nationally, European, and internationally significant wetland area. It has been a protected area for many years due to its great value for wildlife and humanity. The nature here, teeming with thousands of birds including wild geese, flamingos, etc., is truly stunning. Our guide had a great sense of humor, and the boat trip here was incredible!
6.Metropolis Square: A major attraction for architecture, religious, historical, and folklore enthusiasts in Alexandroupolis. It houses the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, a church museum, and a school in magnificent buildings.
7.Kokkina Vrachia Beach: This is a public beach accessible by car, with sandy shores. It's not overly crowded, even on weekends, and offers amenities like beach bars akin to those on island beaches.
8.Makri Beach: Another beautiful beach, located 5 km from Alexandroupolis. Makri offers a lovely beachfront, businesses, and restaurants along the shore.
9.Aya Paraskevi Beach: Both the beach and restaurant service here are excellent and highly recommended.
Where to Eat in Alexandroupolis: Best Restaurants and Bars:
You can find many nice fish restaurants in the center of Alexandroupolis. Ntsiotiko and Loukoulos are popular fish restaurants among us Turks. Let's also mention the others.
1.Nisiotiko: Always fresh fish, seafood, vegetables, and a wide range of wines. Open to anyone who loves good food and wine! My favorite is the seafood risotto. However, I've visited many restaurants in Greece since 2000. For example, Full to Meze in Thessaloniki is one of the best in terms of food quality, service, and hospitality. But Nisiotiko doesn't deserve 4.5 stars. The food is good, but the portions are very small, the service is okay, the hospitality is average, and it's extremely expensive.
2.Gialos Seafood Tavern: An inspiring seafood restaurant. Everything we ordered was fresh, well-cooked, and had an inspiring touch. A great choice for enjoying Greek cuisine by the sea. They also have a Turkish menu. If you want to enjoy live Greek music after dinner, head to Pico by night.
3.Taverna Loukoulos: We went here with my family. We really liked it. The staff was incredibly fast and helpful. We ordered our meals, and the table was full in 5 minutes. Everything arrived very quickly. The food was very tasty, and the prices were good. The portions were large. You can smoke inside, but there are also non-smokers, of course. And the pancakes were delicious. You must try them.
4.Masa Soura: A pleasant place with good and fresh food. The owner is kind and friendly. Highly recommended.
5.Hovoli: You can find this Armenian restaurant on a small side street off the boulevard. We didn't have anything special in mind, so we asked what typical Armenian dishes were. We were served mouth-watering baked potatoes and very thin, spicy meatballs with plenty of vegetables. They had nice white wines and (for me as a driver) non-alcoholic beer that many restaurants still don't offer.
6.Ell'Oinon Geuseis: We discovered this restaurant during our visit to Alexandroupolis and were not disappointed. A perfect family taverna. Fresh seafood prepared in a minute. I can wholeheartedly recommend this place, and while you're there, try the octopus!
7.Taverna Ai Giorgis
8.Limanaki: I also recommend Limanaki. I think you'll like it for its ambiance, view, food, and service.
9.Ammo Ammo: The best restaurant in the area with the most magnificent seafood! A bit more expensive than usual, but worth every penny! From the waiters who greet and serve you to the meals and the view... These are our notes on Alexandroupolis for now. If you have any recommendations regarding Alexandroupolis, feel free to share them in the comments.