Travel to Drama: 10+1 stops in one of the most historic cities in Greece

Travel to Drama. Distant from Athens, it is 650 km from the metropolis. Close to Thessaloniki, 150 km away from the co-capital. But beautiful and with everything. And nature and museums. And walls and mosques. And beautiful nearby destinations. Its history is long and rich in events, but most of them are difficult, since the area has been ruled by many different conquerors.

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Travelogue in Thrace: Where West meets East

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Travel to Drama: A bit of history before the tour

Drama has been in its current position since the end of the 5th millennium BC! On the occasion of this historical element, it is worth noting that the 7 of the oldest cities in Europe are located in Greece. The long habitation and presence are due to its abundant waters and fertile plains. The earliest inhabitants of Drama were the Thracians. In Archaic times, the area engaged in commercial exchange with Greek colonies along the Thracian-Macedonian coast. In the middle of the 4th century BC, Philip II included the region in the kingdom of Macedonia. As for the Drama of historical times, it was probably located in the place of the modern city. During the Roman Period, the city was annexed to the Roman colony of Philippi, which was founded in 42 BC. In Byzantine times, again, it was a small fortified city, while from the 9th to the 13th century it acquired a strong commercial and strategic character. In 1206 and until 1224, it fell to the Latins of the Fourth Crusade, and from 1345 to 1371, it was part of the kingdom of the Serbs. In 1383, it was occupied by the Turks. We reach the 18th century when the wider area of Drama experienced great economic and commercial prosperity due to the cultivation of tobacco. During the Macedonian Struggle, the Metropolitan of Drama will coordinate the actions of the Bulgarian Committee.

He will also take care of the dissemination of Greek education by creating monumental school buildings in Drama, Doxato, Prosotsani, and elsewhere. In 1912, Drama was occupied by the Bulgarians (First Balkan War) and liberated by the Greek army on July 1, 1913 (Second Balkan War). In World War I, it fell again into Bulgarian hands (1916-1918). With the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) and the Exchange of Populations, the Muslims of the city left and in their place came refugees from Thrace, Pontus, and Asia Minor. Drama will experience a third time the Bulgarian occupation during the Second World War (1941-1944), which will have the heavy price of the “massacre” of the inhabitants of the city in 1941. At the same time, the Jewish element of Drama was brutally exterminated.

Guided tour in Drama through 10+1 stops

A first very powerful image in the city of Drama is its municipal gardens. They are located in the city center and function as a large park. On this islet of green is the Statue of Liberty and the statue of Kolokotronis. The impressive thing about these gardens is that inside and around them, there are dozens of springs with crystal-clear water, which, together with the plane trees, give the walker a very cool feeling. In essence, today’s gardens are remnants of the vast forests that once covered the area. Church of Agios Nikolaos. It is located in the city center, southwest of Eleftherias Square. During the Turkish occupation, it was called Eski mosque (ancient mosque) or Tsarsi mosque (market mosque). The original temple was built by Sultan Bayezid II (1481-1512). Muslim mosque (Armen and Agamemnon). It is one of the four surviving mosques in the city. The frescoes on the portico, which depict Drama (in the form of a city of Paradise) and which date back to the end of the Turkish occupation, are of rare beauty.

Mosque, Arap Mosque. Stone building with rectangular plan and three arched openings. During the Turkish occupation, it hosted other smaller mosques and baths. Tobacco warehouse. It dates back to the end of the 190th century and is the work of Austrian engineer Konrad von Vilas. It is located at 10 Perdikka Street and is one of the most important surviving industrial buildings from the period of Drama’s great prosperity. On the facades of the tobacco warehouse, elements of “Art Nouveau” are still visible. Archaeological Museum. It reveals all the rich and long history of the city. Through the museum’s exhibits, you will learn about human presence in the area from the Middle Paleolithic era (50,000 years ago) to Modern Times (until 1913).

Travel to Drama: The wonderful park and a historic café

Agia Varvara Park. The second oasis of the city is with a “filling” size since it spreads over 60 acres. And what doesn’t this park have! Small lakes, waterfalls, and perennial trees. Indeed, the waters of the springs of Agia Varvara were a timeless reference point and attracted prehistoric peoples to establish the first lakeside settlement here. To date, two water tanks built by craftsmen from Epirus remain preserved. In this park, you will also see the traditional watermills of the city. The old Muslim “Mill of the Zones” stands out, while on the north side of the park, the tobacco warehouse of the Swiss Jewish tobacco merchant Hermann Spearer from 1925 still stands in its place. Right in front of her are the ruins of the historic tobacco warehouse of Yosef Faratzis. Here, the Jews of Drama were interned in 1943 before being forcibly deported to Polish extermination camps. Cafe “Eleftheria”. Proud and historic, the café “Eleftheria” was built in the early 20th century (1906) by the Greek Community of Drama at the junction of today’s Venizelou and Kountouriotou streets. After the city’s liberation, the inhabitants named it “Eleftheria”. Byzantine walls. They were built in the 10th century and initially had a perimeter of about 850 meters, two gates, and at least five towers. In a tower on the east side stood the city clock, which was removed in 1945.

Venizelou Street. Until the 1960s, it was the most central and commercial street of the city. In fact, today’s city began to be built around this road, which ran from the eastern gate of the Byzantine city to the western one. It is really a “necessary” stop for the traveler in Drama, since there are many inns, restaurants, hotels, traditional cafes, and taverns offering delicious meals. Two nice Drama cultural rendezvous. The Short Film Festival every September and the Christmas events of Oneiroupoli every December, one of the oldest of its kind, and with free admission.

Excursions around Drama

At 25 km outside the city is the cave of Aggitis, the labyrinthine river with the riparian forest, which is actually one of the most important tourist attractions of Eastern Macedonia. And how could it not be, since it is the largest river cave in the world, with a length of 21 kilometers. Also, about 20 kilometers north of Drama, lies the cave of Aggitis, the one that counts 30,000 years of life, but we have managed to explore it in the last 50 years or so. At a distance of 46 kilometers from the city you will find yourself in the area of Mount Falakro, which has the homonymous ski center at 1,745 meters high and from which you will be satisfied (apart from snow activities) and unlimited views of Thassos and Pangaio.
There is also the Monastery of Panagia Ikosifoinissa, the oldest active monastery in Europe! At 60 km from the city is Elatia, one of the most beautiful forest complexes in the country. The flora and fauna of this place are among the most remarkable in Northern Greece. A visit to the nearby town of Paranesti is a must, as it is the starting point for entering the small earthly paradise created by the waterfalls of Agia Varvara and Lepidas. They are located in lush vegetation, and the whole scenery is reminiscent of tropical places. Note also the following: the village of Kali Vrisi, with its traditional farmhouses, and the town of Doxato, with its beautiful neoclassical buildings.

What to eat in Drama

The cuisine of Drama is characterized by its strong influences from Thrace, the secrets of a region with a strong personality and Asia Minor, as the city was primarily a place of reception of refugees. In the taverns, restaurants, and taverns you will visit (which are quite a few), look for the following traditional recipes: ichli kiofte, hunkiar beyedi, and gulbashi, and of course the local grilled meats. Leaving the city, “load” as many local wines as you can. Drama produces some of the highest-quality, award-winning wines in Greece, with the city having seven visitable wineries. Try mastic halva (there are various good labels), handmade pasta, helmet paste, spoon sweets, and cold cuts (crab, pastourmas, sausages, pastrami) – a good choice to buy the latter is the Saribogia petrol station. Farewell to Drama. For those who love long trips to places with a strong identity and history but without tourist “burdens”, Drama is the ideal choice that offers it all: deep shaded virgin forests, imposing waterfalls and ravines, unique flavors, and this always unique landscape created by the colors of the horizon in Northern Greece.