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Rodopi is the prefecture in the heart of Thrace, between the Rhodope mountains and the Aegean, a land of lagoons, forests and quiet beaches where Christian and Muslim communities have lived together for generations. Its capital, Komotini, is a lively university town with a distinctly multicultural character: churches and mosques stand close together, the old market around the clock tower is full of small shops and coffee houses, and the Archaeological Museum displays finds from across Thrace, including a famous gold bust of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus. South-west of the city, Lake Vistonida, a large brackish lagoon connected to the sea, and the smaller Lake Ismarida form a protected wetland visited by flamingos, pelicans and herons; at Porto Lagos, the picturesque monastery of Agios Nikolaos stands on a small islet reached by a wooden bridge. Along the coast, Fanari has a long sandy beach with tavernas, and Maroneia, with the remains of an ancient city on the slopes of Mount Ismaros, faces a quiet coast of coves near Platanitis and Imeros. Inland, the Rhodope mountains offer forested hills, the Nymfaia forest just north of Komotini and villages with stone houses and mountain views. Rodopi suits road-trippers, birdwatchers and travellers seeking authentic, uncrowded Greece.
Quick facts
LOCATION
Eastern Macedonia & Thrace
KNOWN FOR
Lake Vistonida & Porto Lagos
BEST FOR
Lakes & rivers, Green & nature, Beach, History, Off the beaten path
Beaches
Platanitis Beach
Fanari Beach
Arogi Beach
Museums & History
Archaeological Site of Ancient Maroneia
Byzantine Fortress of Komotini
Archaeological Site of Mosynopolis
Archaeological Museum of Komotini
Other
Maroneia Village
Cyclops (Maroneia) Cave
Nature
Lake Ismarida
Transportation
Komotini Railway Station
Shopping
Komotini Old Bazaar
By air
Alexandroupoli Airport, with flights from Athens, is about 45 minutes from Komotini, and Kavala International Airport, with summer flights from Europe, about one hour. Thessaloniki airport is about three hours away via the Egnatia motorway.
By ferry
Rodopi has no regular ferries. The nearest ports are Alexandroupoli, about 45 minutes east, for Samothrace, and Kavala and Keramoti, about an hour west, for Thasos.
Getting around
Essential outside Komotini. The coastal lagoons of Vistonida and Porto Lagos, the Maroneia coast and the mountain villages of the Rodopi range are spread out and poorly served by buses, so a car is the practical choice.
