This East Macedonia and Thrace road trip brings you to the edge of the map and the heart of nature. You drive through the wetlands of the **Evros Delta** where pink flamingos wade in the shallows. The road is flat and open under a massive sky that feels endless. You pass through Xanthi where the old town is a riot of color and Balkan history. It is a place where different cultures meet on every street corner. The mix of architecture and tradition makes every stop feel like a discovery. The silk town of **Soufli** is a unique stop on your northern route. You can visit old mansions where silk worms once spun fine threads for royalty. The air is crisp and the river marks the steady border with the east. It is a place of quiet beauty and deep, ancient roots. You see storks nesting on top of chimneys as you drive through the quiet plains. The pace of life here is tied to the seasons and the land. Head toward the coast to find the grand port of **Kavala**. Its stone aqueduct and hilltop castle watch over the blue sea. You can take your car onto a ferry for a quick hop to the island of Thassos. The island roads circle green hills and white marble quarries that glow in the sun. This region is a true frontier for those who want to see a different side of the country.

East Macedonia and Thrace highlights

Part of these road trips

Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route

The Heritage Drive

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History of East Macedonia and Thrace

This region was the gate between Europe and Asia and a major source of ancient gold. On a Northern Greece road trip, you visit the city of **Philippi** where the Roman Republic ended in 42 BC. In a massive battle involving two hundred thousand men, Mark Antony and Octavian defeated the killers of Julius Caesar. A century later, in 49 AD, the Apostle Paul visited the city and established the **first Christian community** on European soil. The town of **Soufli** became the silk capital of the West during the 19th century. In 552 AD, Byzantine monks reportedly smuggled silkworm eggs from China inside hollow bamboo canes to this region. The town features unique grand houses called Koukouliospita, which were designed with large top floors specifically for raising silkworms. The local silk industry once supplied the royal courts of Europe with fine fabrics and intricate lace. The port of **Kavala** was a major center for the global tobacco trade from the 1800s until the 1950s. You can still see the giant tobacco warehouses and the Imaret, a massive Islamic complex built in 1817 by Muhammad Ali of Egypt. The city is also home to a Roman aqueduct rebuilt by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century with sixty stone arches. The region is a bridge of Roman legions, silk merchants and grand tobacco wealth.

East Macedonia and Thrace