A Road Like a Song
The route covers 147 kilometers and lasts about 3 hours by car or motorcycle, without stops. Visitors may travel it in parts or split it across days. It is recommended all year round and is designed for travelers interested in gastronomy, culture, nature, walking, cycling, birdwatching, and outdoor or water activities.
On the northern arc of the Axios Delta, where the river waters strive to meet the sea, begins a 3-hour journey full of images, memories, and flavors. Starting and ending in Thessaloniki, the route passes through Kalochori and its unique lagoon, Anchialos, Nea Mesimvria, Agios Athanasios, Gefyra, Prochoma, Anatoliko, and ends at Chalastra.
Here, nature is at its finest. The Axios Delta, one of the most important wetlands of the Mediterranean, offers unique landscapes where colorful visitors—storks, herons, flamingos, and thousands of other migratory birds—arrive throughout the year. It is a paradise for ecotourists and lovers of alternative forms of travel. In Kalochori, the “Red Road” is one of Greece’s most beautiful and popular trails for hiking, cycling, and birdwatching, while in Chalastra, the mussel farmers’ huts, lined up like train wagons, tell the story of a life inseparably bound to water and the sea.
The cultural identity of the region is sealed by significant archaeological sites, such as ancient Sindos, Agios Athanasios, Chalkidona, and Prochoma, along with monuments that bear witness to history and refugee memory, such as the epitaph at the Church of the Dormition in Sindos. Local traditions also play their part, with the horse races in Anatoliko being a highlight.
Gastronomy here blends seamlessly with nature, with mussels taking center stage: mussel pilaf, orzo with mussels, tomato and feta, mussels steamed with bottarga crumbs. Equally important are products such as trahanas, hilopites, rice, mackerel, cuttlefish, shrimp, and salt, which enrich the culinary palette with dishes like chicken or rooster with pasta or trahanas, stuffed cabbage leaves, and small vine-leaf rolls. Around Nea Mesimvria and Anchialos, vineyards date back to the first refugees, who brought with them vine cuttings and memories, cultivating land and nostalgia together. Today, distilleries and barrels of wine mature flavors and aromas, preserving age-old practices. The Wine Festival of Anchialos, celebrated since 1955, remains a beloved tradition.
Every stop along this route is an invitation to enjoy, in every sense, the simple yet generous hospitality of a rare and blessed land.
Route Products
PDO Products: Batzos cheese, Feta, Kasseri, Manouri (Central Macedonia)
PGI Products: Wines of Thessaloniki, Macedonian Wines
Specialties: Mussels, mackerel, cuttlefish, shrimp, bottarga, fish and seafood, trahanas, hilopites, rice, wine, tsipouro
Route Delicacies
Orzo with Chalastra mussels, tomato, and feta: A seafood dish with intense aromas and rich flavor. Fresh mussels are cooked with orzo, tomato, onion, and garlic, while ouzo and allspice give it a distinctive character. Topped with spicy feta, it is best enjoyed hot, with freshly ground pepper, good company, and a glass of wine or tsipouro.
Rooster with trahanas: A hearty dish that carries flavors and memories from afar. The stuffing includes trahanas, giblets, prunes, raisins, and cinnamon. The rooster is filled and slow-baked in a clay pot until tender. A unique recipe reminiscent of large family feasts.
Cabbage rolls (Lachanodolmades): A dish rich in flavor and aroma. Cabbage leaves are boiled until soft and filled with rice, carrot, leek, spring onion, and herbs like dill, parsley, and mint. They are simmered in olive oil and served either plain with lemon or with a velvety egg-lemon sauce, which elevates the dish with fresh acidity and creamy texture.