The treasures of Avantas

Just 10 km from Alexandroupolis, the small village of Avantas is located in the middle of an area that challenges you to discover it, hiding "treasures" around the settlement. Starting from the famous medieval castles, which you find before and after the village: Potamos Castle, with its three imposing 13th century square towers, located on the road from Alexandroupoli to Avantas, and then "Boz-Tepe", the cerulean hill that hosts another Byzantine castle covered with foliage, which requires a twenty-minute climb to see it the only way you can, that is, up close.

Moving west and climbing in altitude, nature and hiking enthusiasts will discover an area filled with caves. In one of them is the unique, rock-carved Church of Agioi Theodoroi, with 11th and 13th century frescoes on the walls of the cave. The mountainous route passes through lush vegetation, streams, gorges and ravines, rewarding the hiker with the sight of the waterfall and the pond that receives its waters, in a setting out of a fairy tale.

The forest is dense, lush and green, without being particularly obstructive to the path. Among the scents of the local herbs (thyme, mint, oregano), the tour passes by the ancient Lino with its grape presses and can reach the top, "Mytero", from where the view makes up for the effort of the climb.