The River Nestos flows into Greece from Bulgaria and is the natural boundary between the administrative regions of Macedonia and Thrace. According to the ancient historian Herodotus, it was the northernmost area where lions roamed.
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Today it remains an area of rare natural beauty and diversity, superb for trekking -- including a part on European Walking Route E6 -- or canoeing. The banks of the Nestos River periodically host some 300 bird species and 21 reptile species while several species of fish can be found in nearby lagoons. It is worth visiting the Natural History Museum in Paranesti before embarking upon a tour of the Nestos Valley downriver.
Undoubtedly, the highlight in the area are the river’s narrows, which cover about 500 hectares and are of particular ecological interest, having been designated as an “aesthetic forest” due to their geomorphology and diverse flora and fauna.
The narrows are traversed by the national railway line toward the end of the stretch between the cities of Drama and Xanthi. After leaving behind the cornfields on the plain of Stavroupoli, the train slows before entering a long stretch with about 30 successive short tunnels on the steep drop above the river.
The train takes about 18 minutes to cover this distance, with some of the most scenic views in the country -- roe deer and wild boar can occasionally be spotted. The straits also host otters and several birds of prey, including eagles. It is generally a vulnerable ecosystem, threatened by illegal tree felling and hunting.
A footpath set in the lush landscape above the railway line affords superb views of the quiet meandering river, popular with rafters. In fact, rafting is the only way to see all the majestic spots of the straits. It takes four to five hours from Stavroupoli to Galani and can be easily done throughout the year.
The Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage (tel 210.322.5245) organizes excursions by train in the area every day, either from Drama or Xanthi.
The area also offers wonderful trekking routes. One of the best is from Galani to Kromniko -- about two hours long. A follow-up route ascends the mountain and then descends to the river past the Livera train station. A more demanding, uphill trek, part of European Walking Route E6, from Paranesti to the village of Livaditis, takes five to six hours. The area has several waterfalls, including Greece’s second highest at 35 meters, a few kilometers from Livaditis, in the midst of a dense forest.
Antiquities fans will appreciate the all-marble Macedonian tomb at Stavroupoli, the largest and most impressive in Thrace, dated to 150 BC.
Several of the villages in the valley between Paranesti and Toxotes that once thrived with the cultivation of the choice “basma” tobacco variety have been abandoned, but others, including Stavroupoli, Neohori, Dafnonas and Komnina, retain their traditional character in a wonderful natural setting.
The Prefecture of Drama and Municipality of Paranesti are organizing the second 100-kilometer Virgin Forest Trail (VFT) run on forest roads and trails on October 18 and 19, with the participation of 222 runners. The area, on the western slopes of the Rodopi mountain range, is of high ecological importance, as it is a habitat for bears, wild goats, deer, wolves and wild boars. The trail partly runs along the edge of Paranesti’s Virgin Forest (Partheno) -- designated as a natural monument where all human activity is prohibited.
Downriver, the landscape is considerably different. The Nestos delta estuary, covering some 5,000 hectares, is one of 11 Greek wetlands of international importance protected under the Ramsar Convention and is part of the national park which includes lakes Vistonida and Ismarida and the so-called Great Forest (Koca Orman), with abundant flora and fauna. There are two information centers on either side of the estuary, with audiovisual material for visitors. There are plans for a bridge to connect the two banks and create a unified single path through the forest.
How to get there
By air to Kavala airport at Chrysoupoli (tel 25910.53272-3) and continue by road to Xanthi. Stavroupoli is 25 km from Xanthi (bus station tel 25410.22684). If you come by road from Thessaloniki you reach Stavroupoli via Drama (62 km). The best way is to come by train to Toxotes and enjoy the stretch along the narrows. Hellenic Railways tel 1110; Stavroupoli train station 25420.22233; health center 22222; police 22100. If you plan to rent a car, do it in Kavala, as Xanthi has no such facilities.
Where to stay
Most options are in Xanthi (area code 25410): Zita Palace (5-star, 64414-8), Nestos (3-star, 27531-4), Orfeas (2-star, 20998), Philoxenia in Toxotes (93917). In Komnina (area code 25420): Iniochos (little villas with pool, 22483), Nemesis (3-star, pool, 21005). In Stavroupoli: Xenios Zeus (traditional guesthouse, 22444), Arhontiko (22225, 6936.512.162). In Paranesti: Nessos (new hotel with fine views, 21021). Erymanthos Forest Village mountain retreat near Livaditis (21008).
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