Alexandroupoli or Alexandroupolis is a city in Greece and the capital of the Evros regional unit in East Macedonia and Thrace. It has 57,812 inhabitants and is the largest (in size and population) city in Thrace and the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. It is an important port and commercial center of northeastern Greece.

Alexandroupoli is one of the newest cities in Greece, as it was only a fishing village until the late 19th century. According to Herodotus the modern city is near the site of ancient Sale, a colony of Samothrace. The zone of Alexandroupolis, as well as the whole area from the Evros Delta to Lake Vistonida and the foothills of Rhodope Mountains, was inhabited by Cicones. Cicones were Thracian people, with whom, according to mythology, Odysseus and his comrades clashed on their return from Troy.

Alexandroupoli benefits from its position at the centre of land and sea routes connecting Greece with Turkey. Landmarks in Alexandroupoli include the city’s lighthouse in the port, the archaeological sites of the Mesimvria Zone, the city’s waterfront (the centre of commercial activity), the Ethnological Museum of Thrace, the thermal springs (Hana) of Traianoupoli, the cave of the Cyclops Polyphemus and the nearby Evros delta.

Culture

Wine Festival

Until 80s in the city, the Wine Festival was held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization (EOT). This celebration revived after 25 years, in the summer of 2013 at the initiative of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis and is the city’s greatest cultural event. The city’s and Evros’s regional unit cultural associations offer red and white local wine along with various meats.

Ecopark “Altinalmazis”

Since May 2017, Alexandroupolis has a new 1400-seat garden theatre in “Ecopark Altinalmazis “, where various cultural events such as theatrical performances and concerts are held. It has an area of 135,597 sq.m. (80 acres) and has a refreshment, walkways, green spaces and kiosks. This park is named after Konstantinos Altinalmazis, Alexandroupolis’s longest-serving mayor (1925–29, 1929–33, 1933–37,1937-41).

Each year, in the summer on the coast avenue of King Alexander, book exhibition is held, and every two years near the harbor the international trade fair “Alexpo” is organized.

On 14 May each year, the annexation of the city and Thrace to Greece is celebrated by a parade. The city’s patron saint is Saint Nikolaos, whose feast is celebrated on 6 December each year.

Sights

The Lighthouse of Alexandroupoli

Attraction and symbol of the city is the Lighthouse (recognized as a cultural heritage monument in 2013) located on the city’s promenade (Megalou Alexandrou Street). It was built in 1850 and started operating in 1880, built on the western side of the city’s harbor to facilitate the coasting of local sailors who traveled to the area of Hellespont. It is on a cylindrical pedestal and is 27 meters from the average sea level and 18 meters from the ground, making it one of the tallest lighthouses in Greece. It operates with electricity and its distinctive feature is its light beam reaching 24 nautical miles (approximately 44 km) and three white blinks every 15 seconds.

Evros Delta National Park

Just 20 miles from the city, the Evros Delta is one of Europe’s most important habitats with 200,000-acre area, which is on the list of protected areas of the International Ramsar Convention (1971) due to the significant and rare species of plants (more than 300 species), fauna (40 species of mammals, 28 species of reptiles and 46 species of fish) and birds(320 species). Part of the Delta has been designated as a Special Protection Area and is proposed as a Site of Community Interest in the Natura 2000 Network.

Ethnological Museum of Thrace

It is housed in a 1899 built neoclassical stone building on 14 May, 63 street, and has been operating since October 2002 to preserve historical memory in the wider geographical area of Thrace. It includes exhibits on the tradition of Thrace and covers the following themes: clothing, music and worship, confectionery, bronze and earthenware, textiles, land cultivation.

Cave of Cyclops

It is located in Makri and is a famous cave of the Cyclops Polyphemus according to local folk tradition. It has traces of use since the Neolithic period (about 4,500 BC) and today the Neolithic settlement, one of the most important in the Balkans, has been discovered.

Mesimbria-Zone

Mesimbria-Zone is an archaeological site 20 km from Alexandroupolis. A number of coins and ruins from an ancient city, probably Zone, have been found here. It was one of the colony-fortresses of Samothrace and flourished in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The main buildings are: the sanctuary of Demeter, the temple of Apollo, the fortification wall, the walled settlement of the Hellenistic years, the cemetery and the Residences.^[34]Thermal springs of Traianoupoli

Thermal springs of Traianoupoli

The thermal springs of Traianoupoli are 14 km away from the city of Alexandroupolis and are of the most famous hot springs in the region, since ancient times. Hana was an Ottoman inn and behind it during the Ottoman Empire there were baths (hamams), today ruins from the 16th century. In 1964, modern facilities for bath therapy and positherapy were rebuilt at the archeological site, which are officially recognized by the Greek state for their healing properties and are considered one of the most important in Greece.

Museums

• Historical Museum of Alexandroupolis (335, Democracy Avenue)
• Ethnological Museum of Thrace (63, 14 May street)
• Archaeological Museum of Alexandroupolis (44, Makris Avenue)
• Ecclesiastical Museum of AlexandroupolisEcclesiastical Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Alexandroupolis (Mitropoleos Square)
• Folklore Museum of Cappadocian Association of Alexandroupolis (1, Mitropoulou street)
• Museum of Folklore and Natural History (8, Thermopylae street, Nea Chili)
• Museum of Natural History (Platanopathos of Maistros)
• Museum of Flora and Fauna (Art & Culture Center of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis “Georgios Vizyinos”)

Education

Alexandroupoli houses four Departments of the Democritus University of Thrace. These Departments are the following:

• Department of Medicine
• Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
• Department of Primary Level Education
• Department of Education Sciences in Early Childhood

Some highly specialised medical operations are performed in the new Regional General University Hospital – Research center, currently the largest one in Greece. The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics is the only one in Greece in this scientific field.

The city has a network of public schools, from nurseries to high schools, under the responsibility of the city council.