Final Roundup of Edessa

I can quite honestly say that Edessa has more than exceeded my expectations. Edessa hadn’t been on my bucket list – unlike Florina which I chose because of its reputation as being the coldest place in Greece. I saw Edessa as a stopping-off point on the way back to Thessaloniki and would see what I could see – not knowing really what there was to see except for the waterfalls. I don’t spend hours trawling for websites or travel guides looking for inspiration on where to go next. Sometimes it’s just a name on a map that intrigues me. Of course, Edessa is well and truly on the well-trodden tourist trail and after staying here for 6 nights I can see why it is such an attraction. Oh yes, I decided to stay an extra night just to be able to see some of the Carnival events taking place. But more of that shortly. In the meantime, there were a couple of other things I wanted to weave into this post.

Firstly the cave of the waterfalls. It had been included in my 5€ Edessa Card but it seemed that the guardian of the cave had decided to take the day off on that particular day. I found myself wandering through the waterfall park on most days and occasionally I’d check if there were any signs of life at the cave. Yesterday there was so I went to visit. Entry to this small cave was just 1€. It’s probably the smallest cave I’ve been in but it was interesting nonetheless.

The cave is just 20 metres in length and at the end it plummets into the abyss. Well not quite. There are some interesting stalactites and a small balcony with views over the waterfall. Mind your head and “Don’t touch the rocks!”

The waterfall park itself is magical. It is punctuated by giant plane trees portraying their age by their expansive girth. The views of the fertile plains below and the constant sound of running water create an environment that is spiritually uplifting. The Waterfall Park merges seamlessly with the Open Air Water Museum intersected by small waterfalls and rippling streams. Here the industrial history of the town is preserved through the collection of water mills brought back to life for posterity.

A cobblestone path will lead you in all directions and even into unknown corners for those who give the place their time. Look closely and you find the Garden of Herbs, the Human Sundial and the Artist’s Workshops. There are also viewing points at the Church of Agios Vasilios and the High Rock from where you can see the city of Ancient Edessa in the valley down below. The only thing I’ve missed is the old Hemp Mill which is currently closed for refurbishment.

Varosi – what can I say? I was in my element when I discovered this old town with its 19th century Balkan architecture. I’d walk through Varosi several times a day on my way to the waterfalls taking photographs to paint when back home. I’m no artist but sometimes I feel compelled to draw these atmospheric houses – a bit Close Encounters if you like. Though without the alien intervention. At night time it becomes magical.

On Thursday, it was Smokey Thursday or Tsiknopempti, the second Thursday before Lent. It is a last-ditch attempt to fill your body to the brim with meat before fasting season begins. The BBQs were out all over town, and there were musicians on several street corners and dancing broke out by the Small Wateralls. I headed to a fabulous little Souvlaki place called Sta Orfia which was a little less frenetic.

The festivities on Saturday were fairly low-key but had a sense of community about them – much more my preference than the huge carnivals in other parts of the country. It started on Saturday with a Dog Carnival in the Waterfalls Park – apparently the only carnival for dogs in Greece. People brought along their prized pooches – some in costumes and some not and were paraded to the sound of a DJ playing anything from Latin classics to 90’s pop. The proud owners of the pets were interviewed and then invited into an open photo booth for a snap with their pet for posterity. One of the town strays, a large furry thing slowly ambled into the foray seemingly curious about what all the fuss was about.

Later that day there was a small Rebetiko Festival by the Small Waterfalls in the centre of the town. Again a low key event but absolutely charming. It was organised with the Edessa Dance Club, AIGAI and the dance team of the Edessa Cancer Association.

Before I move on to Thessaloniki I have to say that my stay at Central & Riverfront Room 1 has been wonderful. I’ve already written a little bit about the room in a previous post but it has been a wonderful stay. The room even has central heating. This is something that most of us take for granted but believe me – with the temperatures here not rising much above 6 degees it is pure luxury. Maria had set the radiators on a timer so I would always wake up to a nice toasty room – the same in the bathroom which was heaven.

Maria has been the perfect host and couldn’t do enough for me. She would leave me with bags of fruit, yoghurt and brioche and she even gave me use of a washing machine in one of the apartments. It is hosts like Maria that always make a stay in Greece extra special. ❤️ You can find Maria’s apartment on booking.com using the link below.

https://booking.tp.st/K2bg3fGO

Finally the big question. Can you visit Edessa in a day? I’ve shown in my previous post that yes you can. Should you visit Edessa in a day? Definitely not. This place is special and the community are hospitable with a capital H! I would love to come back one day. As much as I love the islands, the mainland is becoming my favourite place in Greece to be.