Greece 5 - Pozar, Eddessa, Thessaloniki

Our last full day in Greece was spent visiting the thermal springs in Pozar, the waterfall in Eddessa and Thessaloniki at night.

Pozar Thermal Spa

The thermal springs of Pozar are located in the northeast of Greece, close to the border of Northern Macedonia. From Thessaloniki it is 110 km and 1,5 hours drive. For this reason, we have to get up early again to be there right at the opening, which starts at 10am.

The thermal springs were discovered in ancient times and have been used since then for their healing effects. They are characterised by water temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius and a high content of minerals such as iron, manganese and sulphur. You can take a dip in one of the several pools available. Some pools are designed to allow swimming, while others are more for rest and relaxation.

When we arrive at the place there are already quite a few people there. Since the resort is located in the woods, it is also quite chilly in the mornings. The first thing to do after parking is to go to the ticket office to buy a ticket for the pools. The way it works here is that there is a one-time entry fee for each pool, which is 3 Euros. That is, once you leave the pool you have to buy a new ticket to get back in. For those who don't want to pay, there is also a social option where the excess water from the springs is discharged into the local stream where there are already artificial pools ready for you to enter for free. The closer you are to the source the warmer the water is. The tickets are a bit confusing in the sense that they look like you have two, but in reality it's just one.

Pozar Thermal Spa - Cashier

Pozar Thermal Spa - One of the paid pools, in the background social pools

We go to the swimming pool first. Which we're in for about half an hour. Since the temperature outside is still quite low, we don't even get out of it.

Pozar Thermal Spa - Swimming pool

Afterwards we go to try the social pools, where there are several places where you can warm up with warm water and then you can go to cool off under the waterfall, which is not completely icy, but after the water it's not the most comfortable feeling.

Pozar Thermal Spa - Social pools

Pozar Thermal Spa - Refreshment under the waterfall

At the end we want to try the most iconic pool with an integrated waterfall, but on the spot we find out that what we thought was a second ticket is not really a second ticket and since it was already half past one we decide to ignore it and move on.

Pozar Thermal Spa

So we move on to Eddessa, stopping along the way for lunch at the Karatzobitissa restaurant, which we come across on the way in the village of Loutraki.

Loutraki - Restauraca Karatzobitissa

Eddessa is mainly known for its waterfalls, which are located basically in the centre of the town. These waterfalls are surrounded by beautiful nature, which leads to a bit of confusion as maps show the waterfalls in the centre of town and photos show the waterfalls in the middle of nature. Both are true. The town ends on a steep drop and beyond that there are just waterfalls and greenery, so if you're not as confident as we are, just go downtown and you'll find the falls. It's 31 km from Pozar. It takes about half an hour.

I have to say that the environment is magical, if you manage to park, you will immediately find yourself in a water world full of water and greenery. It's also so architecturally brilliantly realised that it reminds me a bit of Rivendell from Lord of the Rings. There are several waterfalls, but the biggest one takes you all the way down to the bottom, where there is also a small stalactite cave that you can explore for a fee.

Eddessa

Eddessa - Cave under the waterfall

Eddessa - Waterfall

After visiting the waterfall, we have an ice cream and head back to Thessaloniki. We arrive there around 5:00. In the centre we drop Patrick off, who wants to see the city more thoroughly, and the rest of us go to the apartment to pack, wash and clean the car. Around 6:00 we head downtown as well. We park near the football stadium, but as we find out later, it was unnecessarily far because we could have parked further down the road. We go to the seaside promenade by the White Tower. Here we walk southwards to the Ompreles Zongolopoulou art installation, which consists of large metal umbrellas.

Thessaloniki - White Tower

Thessaloniki - View of the city from our apartment

Thessaloniki - White Tower

Thessaloniki - Ompreles Zongolopoulou

In the meantime, it's already dark, so walking around the rest of the city doesn't make sense anymore and we end up sitting outside in one of the many bars located on Nikis Street, which is a kind of artery where Thessaloniki is alive all day long. I had the most expensive beer of my life here, paying 5 Euros for a third of some local stuff called Nymfh. After nine we head back to the car and the apartment. There we finish the rest of the wine and Ouz and go to bed.

The following day

In the morning, we get up early again, pack the rest of our stuff, have breakfast, hose the car for the last time and go to the car rental to return the car. We are then shuttled to the airport where we wait for our flight to Bratislava. In the departure lounge, we encounter, the two Czechs with expired driver's licenses and the honor of our country is done by an elderly Czech couple trying to smuggle three carry-on bags into Ryanair, and when the checkpoint refuses to let them in, they pretend not to understand, even though they know exactly what is being asked of them. Unfortunately, I didn't find out if they had to pay or if they were let through. We arrive in Bratislava on time. To my disappointment, we don't take the hundred metre bus ride, but walk nicely to the arrivals hall. Since we are arriving from Schengen, for the first time we are not delayed by passport control and can go straight to the bus to the main station. When we don't go to it completely, because we still have time, we get off in the centre to have lunch. Right after we get off, a Vietnamese bistro catches our eye, so we go straight there.

After lunch we walk to the station. In the waiting room we wait for our train, which is gradually getting late. This makes the ride dramatic, because we are not sure if we will make the last connection in Cologne. Fortunately, the train waits for us, and we are back in Mladá Boleslav before 10:00 pm.

In conclusion, I'll just say that I was pleasantly surprised by all the activities you can experience in Greece without just swimming in the sea, and that it's not just a destination for beach bums, but also for other types of travellers.

Useful links:

Czech Railways
Public Transport Bratislava
Ryanair
Car rental Ok Mobility
Comfort Luxury Maisonette
More hotels in Thessaloniki