Greece - Korina Miller [258]
Following the river route 29km northeast of Alexandroupoli, Feres boasts Thrace’s most impressive Byzantine church. Built by Byzantine royal Isaac Komnenos in 1152 as a miniature of Constantinople’s great Agia Sofia, the Church of Panagia Kosmosotira survives miraculously intact and is signposted. Feres also has a small tourist information centre ( 25550 24310).
Beyond Feres, little Tyhero might be nondescript, but it does have the area’s most unique lodgings: the family-friendly Thrassa Eco-Tourism Guesthouse ( 25540 20080, 6946462350; www.thrassa.gr; s/d/ste €45/65/95; ). Built on an 800m-long lake, it has big, breezy rooms and numerous hanging plants and vines. Friendly owner Sofia Hajisavva (also a tennis coach) organises sports, boat and pony rides for kids, who can also scamper about on the lawns and look for ducks, fish and turtles. The only drawback is the mosquitoes, but all the rooms and buildings have screens.
If arriving here on one of the frequent north–south buses passing along the river road, ask for Tyhero’s Gymnasio stop, from where the guest house is 200m opposite. While the guest house has a cafe, for food visit the village, where several tavernas converge: O Thomas ( 25540 41259; Tyhero centre; mains €5-8) is an old favourite and can also deliver to Thrassa.
Further north on the main road (a total of 30km from Feres), a left-hand turnoff leading west 7km culminates at the birdwatcher’s promised land: Dadia Forest Reserve, on one of Europe’s two main bird migration routes and home to 36 of the 38 known species of European raptors (birds of prey), some rare. The park includes a protected inner zone (73 sq km) and a buffer zone (352 sq km). It takes 1000kg of meat a week to keep the birds satiated (most deposited from slaughterhouses). Almost as entertaining as watching the birds frolic on their carrion through long-lens telescopes is observing the more zealous birdwatchers argue about which bird it is they’re actually seeing.
While there’s usually activity, the best time is May, before migration begins, or in July, when baby vultures hop curiously out of their nests. Your starting point on-site is the Ecotourist Centre ( 25540 32209; dadia@otenet.gr; 10am-4pm Dec-Jan, 9am-7pm Mar-May & Sep-Nov, 8.30am-8.30pm Jun-Aug), which has detailed bilingual wall displays, an educational film and minibus service to an Alamo-like bird hide (€3). Alternatively, hike for one hour up the trail – it’s marked orange on the way up and yellow coming down. The hide offers binoculars, telescopes and a tripod for photography buffs. Those desiring even more information may also seek out the itinerant World Wildlife Foundation scientist (her office adjoins the Ecotourist Centre).
You can sleep at the adjoining Ecotourist Hostel of Dadia ( 25540 32263; dadia@otenet.gr; s/d/tr €30/43/50). These simple but clean rooms with bathrooms are named after different ferocious fowls. A cafe’s next door. For eating, return 1km to Dadia village where the Traditional Family Taverna ( 25540 32481; mains €4-6) near the church serves Greek fare.
Soufli, 38km north of Alexandroupoli, is most famous for its silk. The area’s prevalence of mulberry trees, upon which silkworms feed, have made it a centre for the silk industry since Alexander the Great’s time. However, the industry suffered several blows in the past century; the creation of modern Turkey in 1923 cut some farmers off from their former lands and, more recently, numerous mulberry trees have been sacrificed for crop space. While small-scale production continues, there’s talk of cheap Chinese imports being passed off as Soufli-made: try to ensure you’re buying the real thing.
Although Soufli’s silk museum ( 25510 23700; Eleftheriou Venizelou 73) remained closed at time of writing, several private silk museums/shops have opened, best of all the Art of Silk Museum ( 25540 22371; www.silkmuseum.gr; Vasilis Georgiou 199; 9.30am-8.30pm; ), which occupies a restored