Nestos nature and culture tour

With this tour you will have the unique chance to get to now one of the most unspoiled areas of Greece. Nestos River is the natural border between Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, with an age of 5 million years, and from 1977 the riverside forest of the gorge has been characterized as "aesthetic forests". The astonishing meanders along with the verdurous holms, the sandy banks, the caves, etc. place this area among the ecosystems of special worth, protected by  "NATURA 2000" European project. Unique experience is the meeting with the wild horses living free at the area. A few kilometres away, the river meets the sea forming a spectacular "delta", with aquatic forest and swallow lagoons, a Ramsar convention protected area. Activities like birdwatching, trekking, rafting, etc. will enrich your stay.
Furthermore, the old settlements and the colorful city of Xanthi offer a very intense cultural experience.

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Day 1
Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be handed over your vehicle. The hotel is in the scenic village of Toxotes, next to Nestos River. It is less than a 30 minutes drive away if you arrive at Kavala or about 2 hours if you arrive at Thessaloniki.
You may have time in the afternoon to wonder around in the village, finding picturesque corners.

Day 2
The Nestos River is next to the village, and offers a variety of views, with its famous meanders. The stone path runs next to and above the river, following the rail lines. How far you will walk is just up to you, but you should at least reach the rest area at tunnel 27.
After that, a drive on the well-paved mountain road (20min) will give you panoramic views of the visited area, the Nestos "Delta", Lake Vistonida, Thasos Island and more. On your way back you can stop at the old village of Imera.

Day 3
The town of Xanthi is just 12 km away. Known as the "town of 1000 colors", it successfully combines tradition with modern life. Famous for the Old Town, the Old Town festival, the Carnival festival and the long tradition of confectionery, will make your visit unforgettable, especially if you come on Saturday, to the great open air market.

Day 4
The island of Thasos is only 45 min sailing from the golden beaches of Keramoti, which is less than 30 minutes away from the hotel.
Limenas is the island's colourful capital with a beautiful ancient theater, archeological sites and museum. The road around the island is about 80 km, and you will enjoy the drive. A visit to the village of Ano Prinos is a must for lunch in the small square, under the trees.
This island offers scenic villages like Panagia, golden beaches, olive trees, blue water, pine forests, the Monastery of Arhangelos, the smell of herbs, a glass of Ouzo...
Just keep on mind that we have to catch a ferry back...
(Alternative)
The city of Kavala is build amphitheatrically around the port. There are some interesting monuments like the Roman aqueduct and the Imaret Ottoman Palace (now a luxury hotel), scenic neighborhoods and of course the old tobacco storehouses.

Day 5
You can travel East today to visit Avdira. It was the hometown of the atomic philosopher Democritus, the sophist Protagoras and many more. It is also related in mythology with King Diomedes and Hercules. Today it is a nice village with interesting archeological findings, a museum, nice beaches and taverns.
Not far from Avdira, the village of Porto Lagos is situated on a narrow strip of land between the sea and Lake Vistonida. The area is protected from the Ramsar Convention and state laws because of the large numbers of immigrating birds. Bird watching is possible, as also a visit to the nearby well-known beach of Fanari.
On the way back, a different road is proposed, through corn fields and little villages before your final return to the hotel.

Day 6
A daily tour to the East edge of Greece will fill you up with pictures:
The forest of Dadia is north of Alexandroupoli, hosting a big number of flying predators and you will have the opportunity to observe the feeding of impressive and rare species. There are also some very nice walking paths through the forest that give a complete view of this amazing ecosystem.
On your way back, you can pass from the Evros River ‘delta', with swallow lagoons, many bird species and idyllic scenery or stop at Porto Lagos or Xanthi.

Day 7
This tour to the forests of Xanthi is a truly unique experience. Stavroupoli is a small scenic town just 30kms from Xanthi, and a nice place to have a coffee before heading for the mountains. The road then climbs to Livaditis and the Forest Village, into the dense forest. Here the paved road ends, and we only suggest a drive from Livaditis to the waterfall path start for conventional vehicles. The walk to the waterfall is of medium difficulty and takes about 45min to go and 1h to return.
Back on the main road, Paranesti is worth a stop, with great taverns and a natural history museum. Depending on time, there are some very interesting routes on paved roads in the area. From Paranesti, you will need about 1 hour to return to the hotel.

Day 8
The airport of Kavala is just 30 minutes away, so there is enough time for you to enjoy a walk next to the river, a coffee or even a last swim before your flight home.
If you are flying back from Thessaloniki, you will need a little more than 2 hours to get there, so depart accordingly.