Planning a trip to Thrace

Hi there, The least we can say is that neither the internet nor guidebooks are overflowing with info on Thrace, this region in the far northeast of Greece (part of which is also in Bulgaria and Turkey). Needless to say, if anyone’s already visited this "eastern" Greece, I’d love to hear ANY tips about it. I’m planning to spend 4 or 5 days there next May, with a rental car. The distances seem pretty big, and I don’t want to rack up too many kilometers at the risk of being a bit disappointed—especially, what do you think of the Evros Valley, near the Turkish border? Thanks in advance.

Good evening, for 5 days: -The city of Xanthi, the most beautiful in the region. Stay overnight there and explore some of the Pomak villages to the north, near the Bulgarian border. Then Komotini, the most bicultural. Beautiful civil architecture in the Ottoman-era districts (restored wooden houses with their overhanging wooden balconies, known as oriels in French and sachnisia in Greek). Alexandroupoli, very close to the border, isn’t particularly interesting, but it’s a good base for visiting the Evros Delta. The interpretation center is east of Alexandroupoli, in Loutra Traïanoupolis. You can rent canoes, take a minibus, or rent binoculars (10 €): flamingos and spoonbills (resident), white and black storks, pelicans from February onward. You can also explore on your own by picking up a map at the center and going from one observation hut to another. The more adventurous can head northeast toward Edirne: the Dadia Forest Reserve, where migrating raptors rest. There’s also an interpretation center and minibuses (vultures are fed, so you’re sure to see them), and the Silk Museum in Soufli (run by the Piraeus Bank Group Foundation), on the outskirts: the town of Didymoteicho with its beautiful Byzantine walls and old Ottoman houses, and a mosque still standing). Note: The banks of the Evros River are a militarized zone and inaccessible except at border crossings with Turkey. It’s impossible to walk along the river. -The major archaeological sites (Valley of the Thracian Kings) or historical sites (Edirne, the first Ottoman capital) are in Bulgaria or Turkey. Ancient cities were destroyed by Philip II of Macedon or the Romans. The few sites open to visitors are not very convincing. -The region attracts many tourists from the Balkans and Turks escaping a somewhat stifling atmosphere at home. As a result, shop signs are in three alphabets, and coastal resorts are developing rapidly, where you’ll find most of the tourist infrastructure (and beautiful beaches). Happy trip planning!

Ah! That’s precise and helpful! I’m planning to stay in Xanthi for 2 or 3 days. Komotini didn’t seem particularly interesting to me, but I’ll have to see... Thanks, anyway. And if you have any other ideas, don’t hesitate to share!