Greece - Korina Miller [257]
BOAT
Alexandroupoli is a major ferry port for Samothraki; however, at the time of writing, the longstanding ferry line to the northeastern Aegean Islands and Dodecanese wasn’t running. For information on ferries and hydrofoils from Alexandroupoli to Samothraki, Island Hopping. Get tickets from the portside SAOS kiosk, or from travel agencies such as Sever Travel ( 25510 22555; sever1@otenet.gr; Megalou Alexandrou 24).
BUS
Domestic
From Alexandroupoli’s bus station ( 25510 26479; Eleftheriou Venizelou 36) frequent buses ply the northeastern line to Feres (€2.30), Soufli (€5.50, 1½ hours), Didymotiho (€7.30, 1½ hours) and Orestiada (€9.50, two hours). Another bus terminates at Kipi on the Turkish border (€3.50, five daily).
One daily bus serves Athens (€61, 10 hours), and nine serve Thessaloniki (€26.50, 3¾ hours). Buses to Kavala (€13.50, two hours) go via Komotini (€5.70, 70 minutes, 14 daily) and Xanthi (€9.50, 1¾ hours).
International
An OSE bus to İstanbul leaves at 8.30am (€15, six hours) Tuesday to Sunday.
TRAIN
Domestic
From the train station ( 25510 26395) six daily trains serve Thessaloniki (€9, seven hours); one continues to Athens (€49, 14 hours). Trains also run northeast to Dikea (€5.10, 2½ hours, seven daily) via Pythio (€3.70), Didymotiho (€3.70), Orestiada (€4.30, three daily) and Kastanies (€4.70), where there’s a Turkish border crossing.
International
Going to Bulgaria from Alexandroupoli, a daily train leaves at 5.30am for Svilengrad (€7, four hours), with connections to Plovdiv and Sofia.
For Turkey, a direct train with sleeper cars to İstanbul leaves nightly at 1am (€38, seven hours). Two trains originating in Thessaloniki also pass through en route to İstanbul.
Getting Around
Only the camping ground or beaches require a bus or taxi. For the airport, take a Loutra-bound bus from Plateia Eleftherias, or a taxi ( 25510 28358) for about €8.
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EVROS DELTA ΔΕΛΤΑ ΕΒΡΟΥ
The Evros Delta (20km southeast of Alexandroupoli) is one of Europe’s most important wetlands, comprising 188 sq km of coastal lakes, lagoons, interior rivers, sand dunes, swamps and reed beds. This environment makes it ideal for birdlife, and thus birdwatchers. More than 330 varieties, including several endangered species, can be seen. More than 200,000 migrating waterfowl winter here.
The Evros Delta visitor centre ( /fax 25510 61000; evroswet@hol.gr; Loutra; 8am-4pm) arranges birdwatching trips. The delta’s western segment is always open, though motorised transport is restricted along the southern littoral. Visiting the delta’s most fascinating part, the eastern section, near Turkey, requires a permit from the Greek police and army.
The visitor centre arranges permits for free: fax or email them 12 to 14 days ahead with your name and surname (as on your passport), your passport number and date of expiry, plus your date of birth. The centre also provides maps, and conducts guided tours (€10 per person) and minibus and boat trips around the delta.
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ALEXANDROUPOLI TO SOUFLI
ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥΠΟΛΗ ΠΡΟΣ ΣΟΥΦΛΙ
Two routes lead from Alexandroupoli northwards to Didymotiho, the western one and the main eastern one, which hugs the Turkish border. The western route passes through tranquil, unvisited villages such as Esymi, Megalo Derio and Mikro Derio; some 10km west of the latter is Roussa, site of megalithic Thracian tombs from the 9th century BC, decorated with mysterious rock carvings.
There are two eastern roads; the ‘new’ one heading straight north, and the old one that runs with the train line and the Evros River along the Turkish border. This part of Thrace is all rolling hills, punctuated by storks’ nests on phone poles and great fields of wheat and sunflowers. Although the occasional sign prohibits photography, there’s no hassle