Continuing the journey to Alexandroupoli, we take a relaxing diversion to the Halkidiki Peninsula for a couple of days on the beach, having left behind the chaos of Thessaloniki. On the map, the Halkidiki peninsula looks like three fingers jutting into the Aegean sea, the westerly finger is Kassandra, which is also the busiest and most touristy part, then you have Sithonia, the middle finger, which is more rugged and characterized by little fishing hamlets and finally the Athos peninsula, which is the last finger and apparently the most beautiful. However, if you want to visit Mount Athos, located near the end of the peninsula, there is a problem, as this part of the peninsula is only open for male visitors! Mount Athos has been a place of sacred spirituality for millennia and since 1060 Constantine IX Monomahos banned women from entering, along with female domestic animals, un-bearded men and eunuchs. If men want to visit this sacred place you must obtain a permit and those under 18, must be accompanied by their father.

After cooling down by the beautiful Aegean sea, we stay on the coast and head for the port city of Kavala, which is a cultural hub with plenty of good museums and some fantastic Ottoman buildings in the old town. There are some nice beaches nearby, such as Rapsani beach and the more lively batis beach. There are also plenty of good seafood restaurants to enjoy here. Kavala also has many ferry links to the Aegean, Cyclades and Dodecanese Islands amongst others.

If you don't get distracted by visiting one of the many islands connected to Kavala, then it's on to Xanthi, which is a really pretty town, in fact, some say it is the most attractive Thracian city. It has a charming town centre with winding streets and plenty of good bars and restaurants. The city is also famous for its sweets, and one of the oldest and most popular bakeries is called Paraskeva. North of Alexandroupoli is the Dadia Forest Reserve, this area is a real treat for nature lovers as it is situated on one of Europe's most important bird migration routes so depending on the time of year, can host come rare species of bird such three types of vulture.

After enjoying all that nature has to offer, we go back to civilization to end the trip in the city of Alexandroupoli, this city also has ferry connections to Samothraki. But why not stay for a day or two to visit the wonderful Ethnographic Museaum, the Art Museum and why not indulge in a bit of shopping. We recommend a shop called Myrsini, it is packed full of silk products. There are real silk scarves from just 5 Euros and you can even see fabrics being made here, why not purchase a few souvenirs before heading home?

Ferries to Greece

Netferry allows you to buy your ferry ticket to Greece with just a few clicks. On the Netferry website, you can find the best ferries to Alexandroupoli and Kavala. Just visit the Netferry website to find out more about timetables, travel companies, costs and special offers.

Why not spend your holidays on one of the Greek islands? Just find a ferry on the Netferry site along with all of the information you need to buy your ferry ticket quickly and easily.

Netferry: a sea of ferries!