Drama
Drama is a city in Northern Greece
Understand
Covering an area in a valley between a mountainous area Drama is a central city in Northern Greece known for a number of events and sights around it. Its name means "rich in water" in Greek.
Get in
The best way to reach Drama is by the Bus, frequently travelling from Thessaloniki (€15 for a single ticket), you can also travel there by train but the train station is about a 10 minute walk from the centre of the city. The bus station is about 3 minutes from the center of the city near "plateia elefterias" (freedom square) the main square.
By plane
You can travel to Kavala international airport and then catch a bus to Drama.
By train
You can get a train from either Thessaloniki or Athens. Cost is cheaper than the bus.
- 1 Drama railway station (Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Δράμας).
By car
With the Egnatia freeway you can reach Drama in less than 2 hours from Thessaloniki, and around 30 minutes from Kavala.
By bus
You can take the KTEL (Greek national busservice) from Thessaloniki (around 2 hours, €15) or Kavala.
By boat
The nearest harbour is Kavala, mainly serving the routes between Kavala-Thassos-Lemnos.
Get around
One of the best things in Drama is the outstanding natural beauty of the surrounding areas. This might be tricky to reach and Drama does no get the tourism it deserves therefore it is best reached by car. But if you are thinking of seeing a part in Greece that is not spoiled by tourism then this area is for you. In the city there are cozy restaurants and Ouzo places as well as a booming nightlife of very luxurious cafe-bars for the size of the city. There are also nightclubs, some near the city centre and some a little further out of the centre.
See
Downtown:
- 1 Agia-Varvara-Park. The park of St. Barbara is the main attraction in drama. Springs, small lakes with waterfowl, streams and beautiful restaurants and cafes under old trees by the water invite you to linger or to go for a walk. The park is also an experience for children.
- 2 City Park. The city park in the center is a nice place to relax under tall trees and many watercourses. Popular cafes line the park.
- 3 Arab mosque ruin. The mosque has not been restored yet and is in deplorable condition.
- 4 Byzantine castle and city wall. The remains of the former city wall and castle are a bit hidden and are completely neglected
- 5 Archaeological Museum. Interesting exhibits from the area and Philippi.
- 6 Lookout Cafe Enaston. The viewpoint overlooking the city with a cafe in a pine forest is one of Drama's must see attractions.
Further away:
- 7 Dripstone cave of Aggitis. Approximately 25 km northwest of Drama near the village Aggitis is the very interesting stalactite cave. Because of an underground river in the cave, there are only stalactites, but no stalagmites to visit.
- 8 Petroussa's Canyon. The gorge of Petrusa begins north of the village of Pyrgos and ends in Petrousa. With a length of more than 10 km, it is a magnet for nature hikers who can traverse it under vertical rocks in an amazing natural beauty landscape. In many places, the gorge is quite narrow with a width of not more than 3-5 m with some pools. In winter, the river carries a lot of water, so you can not walk there. In summer, in the small open-air theater at the entrance of the gorge in Petrusa concerts are performed, which are worth the visit just for the view and the special atmosphere.
- 9 Cave Alistrati (6 km southwest of the town of Alistrati). Approximately 30 km from Drama in the direction of Seres, near the village of Alistrati is one of the most beautiful caves in northern Greece and one of the largest caves in Europe. The corridors have visited length of 3 km.
- 10 Gorge Aggitis. A few meters away from the railway line that passes near the Alistrati Cave, or Gorge Aggitis the Vraous as the locals say, on the east side of the prefecture of Serres, with a length of 15 km, between the mountains and Paggaio Menoikio (17 km from the city of Drama) and extends from the village contribution (Dam) to Angistas Station. In three points of the canyon, rock paintings have been found depicting camels, deer, horsemen who hold the reins of horses and spears, and abstract designs. These paintings are estimated to date from the Bronze Age. Rich is the flora and fauna of the area, and over the centuries have created several caves and arches along the ravine. The river is home to sports like rafting, canoeing, and kayaking.
- 11 Forest Village of Elatia. The "Dassiko Horio" hotel is in the middle of the Elatia Forest, the southernmost point of Europe, where you can find alpine vegetation. Tthe Elatia Forest Hotel is the starting point for walks in the "Frakto mediterranean primeval forest". You drive from Drama passing the Nestos dam and the village Sidironero on a paved road to Skaloti. From there follow the dirt road for 15 km to the hotel. Elatia is the largest forest in Greece with a variety of special plants and animals. UNESCO has classified the forest as a natural monument with protected areas, especially the pristine part of Fraktos. Hiking in the uninhabited area requires proper preparation.
- 12 Falakros Mountain. About 50 km from Drama on the mountain Falakros is the ski centre of the same name. The environment is wonderful and the views impressive, so you should not miss a visit even in the summer.
- 13 Fortress Lisse. Fort Lisse is one of the fortifications of the Metaxas line from World War II, on the northern border of Greece near the village Ochyro, about 2 km from the city of Kato Nevrokopi. In this fortress, the Greek army fought on 6 and 7 April 1941 against the invasion of the Wehrmacht in Greece. In memory of this battle a monument was erected and a small museum was built. The museum's exhibits include firearms from the Greek and German armies, uniforms, medals, various personal belongings of soldiers and officers, as well as a map from 1941 depicting the Battle of the Forts. There is an artillery in the courtyard with which the forts were defended. You can participate in a computer simulation game, which makes the museum interesting for young people.
- 14 Frakto Forrest, ☏ +30 25210 57821, fax: +30 25210 57705, dasdrama@otenet.gr. In 1980 the forest was declared as a Protected Natural Monument because of its high ecological value as it is one of the few European forests that are virgin. It characterized virgin because its evolution only followed the rules of nature and not influenced by human activity. Magnificent deciduous and spruce forests, interspersed with numerous streams forming several waterfalls. They extend to the slopes of the highest peak of the central chain of the Rhodope Mountains, at an altitude ranging from 800 to 1900 m. Numerous species of birds and mammals including the bear. The landscape is absolutely uncontaminated. It can be reached from the village of Paranesti where the Filoxenia hotel is located. The asphalt road ends early and turns into a difficult track to cross (it takes two hours). Possibility of staying overnight in the local forest agency housing by calling. Since 1980 it has been full protected and the only allowable activity is scientific.
Archaeological sites
- 15 Castle ruin of Adriani. From the ruined castle Adriani only the foundation walls are left. What makes the approximately 5 km dirt road nevertheless worth going, is the fantastic view over the mountains and the Pangaion Mountain range. On the ruins of the castle, a chapel (Ag.Ioannis) was built, which is very photogenic despite its simplicity because of the stunning landscape.
- 16 Dionisos Temple Ruin. The sanctuary was the centre of the Dionysian cult of the area from the end of the 4th century BC. The sanctuary is open to the public after consultation with the Archaeological Museum of Drama and on Epiphany and August Full Moon.
- 17 Philippi. The most important archaeological site in Northern Greece and a 'must-see' for every visitor to the area.
- 18 Castle ruin Acropolis Platanias. Inhabited from prehistoric times to the 6th century AD.
- 19 Castle ruin Kalyvas. It is near the abandoned village, north of Ano Ionicon, and is one of the most important archeological sites of Thrace. It dates from the Hellenistic period and especially during the reign of Philip II in 340 BC. The fortress was built on the hill 627 m high. It had a strategic position because it controlled the valley of Nestos.
- 20 Drama Bridge (Drama Köprüsü). The 200- to 300-year-old "Drama Bridge" is not a bridge, but a 50-cm-wide, narrow aqueduct near the village of Nikiforos on the main street to Paranesti. The bridge is the theme in a well-known Turkish folk song.
- 21 Ancient ruins of Pyrgi castle. Coming from Petrussa, shortly after the end of the gorge, on the right side you can see the ruins of an ancient fortification with the Greek flag visible from afar. Tradition has it that the wife of Alexander the Great (Roxane) was imprisoned here after his death, since she was not welcome as a Persian to the Macedonians. A few kilometres further you come to the very worth seeing mountain village Pyrgi, which means towers. In the village you can see the ruins of several towers built of natural stone, which were probably residential towers, comparable to those in the well-known villages on the Mani (Peloponnese). These defensive towers were multi-story houses with small windows, designed to defend its inhabitants. The village is in a fantastic mountain landscape with some photogenic churches and a recommendable simple restaurant, where you can sit cool even in midsummer.
- 22 Ruined castle Aggitis. A fortress was built on the hill above the Maara cave in the late Roman or Byzantine times. In several places the height ranges from 1 to 3 m. The thickness is 1.30 m and gives the inhabitants (probably the settlement found on the right bank of Aggitis) control over the valley and the passes of the region.
Do
Do go for a coffee on one of the luxurious coffee places and do eat at a local taverna. Drama is well known for its night life which attracts lots of people from surrounding cities.
There are also an archaeological museum and a religion history museum in the city. Surrounding the city there are a number of archaeological sites, including the Philippi ancient theatre. This is an operational theatre and remakes of ancient Greek theatre plays are played here.
- 1 Bird of Prey Park. There is a small bird of prey park in the village Agora east of Drama. The Birdwatching Park from 15 June to 15 September will be open daily from 17:00 and the weekend from 11:00. Birds flying will take place on Saturday and Sunday at 19:00.
Work
Volunteering work in the area of Drama is possible during the Christmas period where the central square is transformed into a theme park known as "oneiroupoli" (city of dreams), you can contact the city municipality for information.
Buy
Drama has a very competitive market for its size and you can find practically anything you would expect in a major city. The market is closely packed together surrounding the main square.
Eat
There are a number of places to eat in Drama. The quality of the food offered is very good and since the city is virtually tourist-free you can expect to have a decent meal for a normal price
- Honey Bar Cafe, Venizelou 47, Drama (from the main square (plateea) of Drama, head up towards Mitropoly via Venizelou - on the left (aristera plevra) side of the road), ☏ +30 2521300996. Midday til late. Coffee and drinks in a lively bar setting that occupies a historic building, but it also serves brunch.
Budget
- Stefanos, follow the road towards the west from the main square, offers Greek "suvlaki" änd "gyros" sandwiches (around €5 per person for 2 sandwiches).
- Kalamia, towards the east of the main square next to a bank, offers "kebab" style grill, (around €5 per person for 2 servings).
- Black & White (Ασπρο Μαυρο):Dim. Gounari 7Α, offers Greek "bugatsa" (cream filled pasty), around €1.5 per serving.
Mid-range
Nisaki: between the agia varvara park and the kapnomagaza. Serves cooked food, grills and fish. Prices around €15 per person
Splurge
- Εntrades (Εντράδες), ☏ +30 2521 022600. M-Sa 12ː30-17ː30. It kind of feels like you're eating in a museum, with careful preparation of food and even perhaps an aperitif.
Drink
- Kafe Elefteria Probably one of the oldest coffehouses in the city, in the now renovated old building serves plenty of hot and cold drinks. North of the main square.
- Kafe Aigeo Serving a younger crowd this lively bar is west of the Agia Varvara square. It gets very crowded on weekends and the music is loud.
Sleep
Hotels:
- Emporiko, +30 2521 037903. Kind of looks like it could fit in on a street in Tehran somewhere.
- Marianna, +30 2521 031520. A multi-story hotel.
- Xenia, +30 2521 033195. Very elongate and otherwise nondescript-looking.
- 1 Hydrama Grand Hotel. This 5-star hotel is in a restored 19th-century tobacco house at the wetland of Santa Barbara in the town centre.
If you do not wish to stay in the centre there are numerous hotels in the villages around Drama, including Petalo Resort +30 694 824 8104
Stay safe
In a city that is unspoiled by tourism you should try to maintain a respectful communication towards others as extreme behaviour towards people might cause a scene. Also try to avoid getting involved with any local disputes. Crime in Drama is nearly non-existent.
Connect
City hall: +30 25210 25555 Hospital: +30 25210 23351 Police: +30 25210 22341
Cope
The weather can be very hot during summertime and the winters are usually cold and breezy with some snow.