Alexandroupoli
In 1880 Ottoman engineers lit the lantern of the lighthouse for the first time, and it still dominates the seafront of Alexandroup...
Updated 10 July 2026
Alexandroupoli
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Alexandroupoli now
The story
The story of Alexandroupoli
From Dedeagac to Alexandroupoli
The site where the modern city stands was inhabited only by a small fishing village until the mid-nineteenth century, when the Ottomans decided to turn it into a strategic railway port, linked to the line that ran from Constantinople to central Europe. The name Dedeagac, meaning tree of the saint, came from an ancient tree considered sacred, around which the settlement grew. After the Balkan Wars and the First World War, the city was definitively ceded to Greece in 1920 and renamed Alexandroupoli in honour of Crown Prince Alexander, a change that also marked the start of a new phase of urban growth, with the construction of public buildings and the definition of the grid layout that still shapes the centre today.
The lighthouse, symbol of the city
Built in 1880 by the Ottomans to mark the entrance to the harbour, the Alexandroupoli lighthouse remains the city's most photographed and recognisable building, its white stone structure standing out against the blue of the northern Aegean. Still operational today, the lighthouse is surrounded by a small garden and a quay that fills with residents and visitors at sunset, while on summer evenings it becomes the natural backdrop for events and concerts held along the seafront. It is the first landmark for anyone arriving in the city, whether by sea or along the coastal promenade running from east to west.
The seafront and city life
The promenade that runs along the coast of Alexandroupoli, from the port past the lighthouse, is the heart of the city's social life: cafés, fish restaurants and ice cream parlours line the whole route, frequented from morning until late evening by residents of all ages. In summer the seafront also hosts evening markets and small cultural events, while the sandy, well-equipped town beach allows swimming almost right in the centre, a detail that makes Alexandroupoli one of the Greek cities where the sea and urban life coexist most naturally.
The port and the ferries to Samothrace
The port of Alexandroupoli is the main departure point for the island of Samothrace, mountainous and wild, home to the famous Sanctuary of the Great Gods and known for its freshwater waterfalls; the crossing takes about an hour and a half and is especially busy in the summer months. Besides the island connections, the port also handles commercial traffic linked to the city's strategic position, the last major Greek harbour before the Turkish border, a role that has historically made Alexandroupoli an important hub for trade between Europe and Asia Minor.
The Evros delta
A few kilometres east of the city lies the delta of the Evros river, one of Europe's most important wetlands, internationally recognised as a stopover for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds along the route between Europe and Africa: pink flamingos, herons, pelicans and birds of prey can be observed from hides and equipped trails, especially during the spring and autumn migration months. The delta, where the river also marks the natural border with Turkey, combines natural interest with geopolitical significance, being one of the most sensitive frontier areas and, at the same time, one of the richest in biodiversity on the whole continent.
The Dadia forest
About an hour's drive north of the city lies the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli forest, one of Greece's most important nature parks, famous for hosting Europe's last breeding population of cinereous vultures alongside griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures and golden eagles. The park's visitor centre organises guided trails and provides observation hides from which these large birds of prey can be seen feeding and soaring above the wooded gorges, an experience that draws birdwatchers from all over Europe and represents one of mainland Greece's lesser-known natural treasures.
The ethnological museum and the memory of the frontier
The Ethnological Museum of Thrace, housed in a neoclassical building in the city centre, gathers testimonies of the region's traditional life, from folk costumes to household objects, offering a picture of the material culture that has characterised the Evros prefecture over past centuries. The city's position at the extreme eastern edge of mainland Greece, a step from Turkey and not far from Bulgaria, has also made Alexandroupoli a crossing point for different peoples and cultures, a frontier history that the museum tells through everyday objects rather than grand official narratives.
Flavours of the sea and the border
Alexandroupoli's cuisine is dominated by fresh fish, served in the many taverns of the seafront and the port, often accompanied by a glass of local ouzo, while the influence of nearby Thrace also brings spicier dishes of Ottoman tradition to the table. In the surrounding area, the villages of the Evros prefecture produce cheeses, honey and local wines little known outside the region, while fish from the delta and coastal lagoons, such as eel, remains a speciality closely tied to the land and appreciated by food lovers who make their way to this remote corner of Greece.
When to go and how to experience the city
Summer is the ideal season for the sea and for the ferries to Samothrace, while spring and autumn remain the best seasons for birdwatching in the Evros delta and for excursions in the Dadia forest, when temperatures are milder and migratory flows more intense. Alexandroupoli also works well as a base for exploring the far east of mainland Greece, combining days by the sea in town with nature excursions inland, on an itinerary that rarely overlaps with the country's more well-trodden tourist routes.
- Walk to the historic 1880 lighthouse
- Swim at the town beach right in the centre
- Take the ferry to the island of Samothrace
- Watch migratory birds in the Evros delta
- Visit the observation hides in the Dadia forest
- Have a fish dinner along the port
FAQ
Quanto tempo serve per visitare Alexandroupoli e dintorni?
Come si arriva ad Alexandroupoli?
Qual è il periodo migliore per il birdwatching nel delta dell'Evros?
Da dove partono i traghetti per Samotracia?
È una città adatta a chi viaggia con bambini?
Getting there
- Aeroporto Dimokritos di Alexandroupoli (AXD), circa 7 km dal centro città
- Stazione ferroviaria di Alexandroupoli, capolinea della diramazione della linea OSE Salonicco-Alexandroupoli-Ormenio/Pythio
- L'Egnatia Odos (autostrada A2) collega Alexandroupoli a Kavala in circa due ore e prosegue fino al valico di frontiera di Kipoi, verso la Turchia.
- Per il delta dell'Evros e la foresta di Dadia conviene noleggiare un'auto, poiché i trasporti pubblici verso queste aree naturalistiche sono limitati.
Perfect for
Il lungomare e la spiaggia cittadina rendono il bagno possibile praticamente in centro.
Delta dell'Evros e foresta di Dadia sono tra le mete naturalistiche più importanti della Grecia.
Il porto è la porta d'accesso naturale per la selvaggia Samotracia.
La posizione all'estremo confine orientale racconta una storia di incontro tra culture diverse.
To see
What to see in Alexandroupoli
Routes · Trovido Route
