Turkish journalists and influencers who participated in a familiarization trip, organized by the EOT Service of Turkey, in collaboration with the Municipality of Alexandroupoli, from July 4 to 7, 2024, returned to Istanbul with the best impressions of Alexandroupoli and the Didymoteicho. The familiarization trip was carried out with the aim of to present Alexandroupolis as an attractive city break destination, as emphasized in a relevant announcement.

The participants of the familiarization trip (Mert Cengiz, Fulya Sezen, Deniz Gökçen, Serra Boyvat), visited the Ethnological Museum of Thrace and attended a folk music evening in the Lighthouse Square, as part of the Maritime Week celebrations, held for the third consecutive year in Alexandroupoli.

At the town hall of Alexandroupolis met with the mayor Yiannis Zamboukis, who welcomed them by introducing the city and its advantages. As he said, it is a well-organized urban center, on the sea, with safe beaches for bathers, with pedestrian walkways, with a large and modern network of bicycle paths, which is constantly being upgraded and growing, with many dining and entertainment centers, with shops, with museums but also with suggestions for alternative holidays. At Hadjisavva Vineyards they had the opportunity to live a remarkable experience dedicated to wine. They were informed about the techniques of viticulture and winemaking, and tasted six fine wines from the cellar of Hadjisavva Vineyards. Then they visited the KYKLOPAS olive mill in Makri, which is located in one of the oldest olive groves in the Mediterranean, very close to Homer’s Cyclops cave and the ancient Egnatia road.

Guided tour of Didymoteicho

At the invitation of the mayor of Didymoteicho, Romylos Hatzigiannoglou, an unscheduled visit was also made to Didymoteicho. The participants of the familiarization trip first visited Soufli and the Museum of Silk Art, where they watched all the stages of silk production, from the rearing of the silkworm to the final product, and then visited the Double Wall, met with the mayor, and were guided to the Byzantine Museum Didymoteichos, they were interested in learning about the Great Mosque (Bayazit Mosque) – one of the most important Ottoman monuments in Europe – as well as its restoration process and had lunch at the Brusko restaurant where they met groups of Turkish citizens who, through the Kastanion Border Station, they visit the restaurant on the same day to enjoy its cuisine. On Saturday night they had fun, until the early hours of the morning, with Greek music.