“Oneiroupoli” of Drama | Christmas 2024 – New Year 2025
Oneiroupoli; Discover Drama’s Magic
A comprehensive five-day program in Macedonia, based in Drama, one of the most beautiful cities in Greece.
Experience the enchanting Oneiroupoli of Drama, a must-visit destination for dreamers. Immerse yourself in its beauty and charm!
Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
Destinations: Drama, Serres, Kavala,
Region: Macedonia
Accommodation: 4 nights in Drama
Tour Language: English
Age Range: 1- to 99-year-old
Available: All Year Round
Departures: Daily
Highlights of “Oneiroupoli” of Drama | Christmas 2024 – New Year – Epiphany 2025
- The city of Kavala, with its magnificent Old Town, the castle that enjoys a perfect panoramic view of the city, the Roman aqueduct with its multiple arches and the picturesque harbor.
- Visit to Serres, Xanthi and Nea Karvali,
- Visit to the famous Oneiroupoli of Drama, a fairy-tale Christmas setting that fascinates young and old.
- The Lisse Fortress, near Kato Nevrokopi.
- The amazing Pigo Aggiti Cave.
- The monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa on the slopes of Mount Pangaio.
- The walk to the beautiful Palaio Panteleimonas, on our return to Athens.
- Accommodation at the excellent Kouros 4* hotel or similar in Drama on half board.
The Dream City of Drama
A Journey to the magic of Christmas
A Christmas dream trip to Beautiful Drama, with the wonderful Dream City! Program enriched with many visits and tours, in major cities of our Macedonia, Kavala, Serres, Xanthi, but also in hidden beauties, such as the cave of the Springs of the Aggitis River, the monastery of Eikosifoinissa and Paleo Panteleimonas.
ONIROUPOLI “DREAM CITY”
It is the Greek “Santa Claus Village”, an initiative that began some years ago in the city of Drama and soon managed to identify with the Christmas holidays, a reference point for Drama and a pole of attraction for thousands of visitors.
What will we see in Dream City? Santa’s house, the Forest of Wishes and Hope, the Caramel and Candy Factory, the Molecular Elf Cuisine Pastry Shop, the Elves’ Post Office, the Fairy Tale and Cinema House and many more surprises and daily activities! In the Municipal Garden and Eleftherias Square.
KOURAMPIEDES OF NEA KARVALIS
Kourampiedes (a shortbread-type biscuit, usually made with ground almonds), are one of our most beloved traditional sweets, completely identified with the Christmas holidays. In Nea Karvali, Kavala, however, the “art” of kourabie is methodically cultivated all year round, which is no coincidence: Nea Karvali was inhabited between 1924 and 1926 by refugees coming from Cappadocia and the area of Old Karvali (Gelveri, today’s Gyouzelyurt), who brought with them the ancestral art of making kourabie, which is today considered by many to be the best in Greece. In fact, the effort to have them recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is underway.
The Beautiful City of Drama!
Morning departure from Athens and through intermediate stops we will arrive in beautiful Drama, a simple and open-hearted city, it will offer us warmth, hospitality and will reveal to us its beauties and its secrets.
Nestled at the base of the impressive Falakro Mountain range, surrounded by lush green land with countless water sources, Drama is a stunning and welcoming place with charming neighborhoods and wide open spaces as well as plenty of greenery, and very few, but beautifully maintained, neoclassical structures.
According to archaeological discoveries, there existed a settlement called Dyrama or Hydrama in the present-day urban area. Its ruins are a sacred site for various deities of the Greek pantheon, including but not limited to Apollo, Artemis, Isis, Hercules, and Dionysus.
Arrival at the hotel, check-in, dinner and overnight stay.
Oneiroupoli – The Dream City!
Oneiroupoli – the Dream City of Drama, The Rovaniemi of Greece – the village of Saint Claus. The most beautiful Christmas fairy tale begins in Drama and the village of Santa Claus!
It began 20 years ago to become the Rovaniemi of Greece, the famous Santa Claus village in the frozen north of distant Finland, and not only did it succeed, but it succeeded in establishing the culture of Christmas theme parks in our country. The reason for the beloved – by young and old – Dream City of Drama. The multi-day Christmas event that on such days in 2004 timidly began its first steps, to evolve into a popular institution and point of reference within and outside the borders.
Over the years, Oneiroupoli – Dream City has evolved into a unique experience of Christmas joy and magic, succeeding in creating wonderful moments and filling the hearts of young and old with beautiful memories. Young children, at its inception 20 years ago, literally “grew up” with it, while the city of Drama managed to evolve into one of the most popular Christmas destinations in Greece. The 20th anniversary is a milestone for the organization, which put on its “festive” clothes.
Discover Xanthi The Lady and Lord of Thrace
In the morning, we will have breakfast and then set off for the city of Xanthii, which is often referred to as The Lady and Lord of Thrace and is painted in a myriad of colors.
Firstly we shall proceed to the sightseeing in the old town where we will pass through the old town hall, a folklore museum, a municipal art gallery and the place where the famous Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis was born.
We will return to Drama, to the city that accommodates us within its boundaries. In the course of the excursion, we will pay a visit to the Archaeological Museum and some points of interest like, Agia Varvara park, the statue of Eleftheria and Kolokotronis as well. We will visit the Eleftherias Square and step into Agios Nikolaos church and the Byzantine building of Agia Sofia. In fact, the latter is the oldest building that survives in Drama up to now. Then, as soon as the night sets in, The Municipal Garden of the city of Drama, which is full of greenery, is transformed into a magical, Christmas fair weather scene for kids and adults alike. It is called ‘Dream City’. In the Dream City zone, guests are welcome to free access to the many wooden cabins into which countless children’s activities are packed along with an entertaining artistic program, ride the fairy-tale village trains, and sample food and drink. Come back to our hotel for dinner and rest for the night.
Explore Aggiti River Springs Cave – Lisse Fortress and Serres
After breakfast we will start an excursion to discover hidden corners of our Macedonia.
First stop is the Aggitis Springs Cave (also called Maaras Cave), where the frozen river springs from the bowels of the earth. This impressive cave is the largest river cave in the world. Its length is over 21 kilometers though only 500 meters were given to visitors. It’s uniqueness is that a river flows .
The spaciousness of the Cave is remarkable as well as the Corridor, where the visitor walks over the river and countercurrent, observes the interior decorations in the Cave where white and red stalactites of different shapes abound.
The “Hall of the Wheel” which is now linked to the main part of the cave by a corridor is named after the large 8m hydraulic wheel that was used to meet the water and irrigation needs of the region from the Ottoman times.
Inside this massive hall, spanning 8 x 12 m, a possible entry point for occupants of nearby villages and a hidden exit from the fortress above the Cave to the river can be seen. Also amazing is the curvilinear hole which has a characteristic flourish as the waters gushing out in the plains form a green belt of trees, poplar and willows within the cave making it very ideal for visitors. A total of 37 types of animals, mostly comprising of microfauna, are found inside the cave and are either invasive or migratory; six of which have been newly introduced to the world science community.
We are also finding individuals of a wider set of organisms, namely, fishes, bats and some larger land mammals, like otters and coypu.
Lisse Fortress in Nevrokopi, Drama
Immediately afterwards we will continue to the very important Lisse fort, very close to lower Nevrokopi.
Lisse Fort is situated in Nevrokopi, Drama, the region which is rich in history and its scenic beauty. The fort is one of the most characteristic military monuments of Greece since it relates directly to the battle efforts of the Greek forces in the Second World War.
During the Second World War, Greece was under the threat of the German army. The Lisse Fort was also located along the fortifications known as the “Metaxa Line” which was a network of defensive works constructed on the northern frontiers of the country to shield it from the Axis powers. This fort was built in the years 1936-1940 and boasted of state-of-the-art facilities for that time thereby making it among the hardest defense lines in the country.
This is followed by a visit to the city of Serres.
Bezesteni
Admiration and awe are the first feelings that overcome the visitor, opening the heavy iron doors at Bezesteni. The unique, in historical and cultural value, architectural “jewel” of the 15th century, the largest commercial and transit center of Serres that received the special respect of great merchants and historians of the time.
The Bezesteni or textile market of the city of Serres was a very important institution of the Ottoman cities. The word comes from the Arabic word “bez” which means clothing – fabric, while it was also used for embroidery and many expensive objects.
We will also have free time to wander the streets of the city, but also to enjoy your coffee or one of the wonderful local sweets. Return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.
The Holy Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa
This morning after having our breakfast, we are off to the Holy Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa, the second most significant monastery in the territory of Macedonia.
A large number of faithfuls even nowadays visit this monastery to revere the grace of Panagia Eikosifoinissa and to reverence whose unmade picture, which is a legend.
The Holy Monastery is situated on the northern aspect of the Pangaio at a height of 743 m and in a green scenery too.
After this, we end our day with sightseeing of the beautiful town of Kavala.
The wonderful city of Kavala
Kavala; The so-called “Blue City” is an ideal destination for all year round, with large squares, tobacco warehouses and the old town with the acropolis. It is also an ideal gastronomic destination and offers many options for evening entertainment.
We will take a walk from the beach towards the Old Town: The district of Panagia is situated on a land when the the sea surrounds the land on all sides. There are steeper and more narrow stony paved pathways and old colourful houses. Some of the places we will find include Imaret and the palace of Mohamed Ali, and the Kamara. For many years Kavala has been the leading producer of tobacco. Such tobacco storage buildings and The unique Tobacco Museum can be seen.
Sweet would be the next one in line, as we will head to Nea Karvali where the kourabiedes and bougatses from Nea Karvali are well-known for their delicious desserts. The urban center, in this case, a coastal post – is a younger colony of Asia Minor refugees of Cappadocian Karvali or Gelveri – stretches out over a long wind-blown sandy and pebbly coast and encircles Agios Gregory church which is said to house the remains of the Saint.
Apart from that, we shall also go to the Historical & Ethnographic Museum of the Cappadocians, which is very important. After enjoying ourselves for the day, we will go back to our hotel for dinner and an overnight rest.
Nea Karvali
This village is an extension of the old Cappadocian Karvali and has a lot of historical significance. The refugees who settled in the area carried with them relics of Agios Grigorios o Theologos and erected the church under the same name.
The rich elements of Cultural Heritage appreciable, like in the case of the traditional village Akontisma, the Folklore Museum, the Agios Dimitrios o Theologos church, and the kourabie factories all, practice the heritage of the region. Distance from Kavala: 11 km.
The night of the Epiphany is followed by the Cappadocian custom of Sagia that is reenacted in the square of Nea Karvali. How about tasting the kourabie? It is impressive and absolutely necessary!
Palaios Panteleimon
Breakfast and after Drama head back to Paleo Panteleimonas in Pieria. At the foot of the Olympus mountain range the settlement is built. A once desolate village, it was reconstructed and revitalized once again starting from the year 1980.
The village is perfectly uniform in the traditional Macedonian architectural style, probably the best preserved in the whole country, and has quite a few good taverns. Among them, the most distinguished is the eponymous church (1914), which is also a Historical Monument.
The village is one of the prettiest in Greece and even been given a certification towards being referred to as a traditional settlement because it is one of the best examples of traditional Macedonian architecture.
Rich in stunning views, we will follow the road to Athens with some intermediate stops.
Considerations
- During wintertime, there will be adjustments to the itinerary since archaeological sites close earlier, usually at 3 pm, compared to the extended hours of 5-7 pm in the summer.
- These changes might affect the timing of visits and require planning ahead to ensure all sites are explored within the limited daylight hours.
- In case of bad weather (rain, snow, ice or other dangerous phenomena), visiting some places may not be accessible. In any case the visits will be replaced with alternatives.
- Due to the weather conditions, we recommend that you bring a small split umbrella and suitable rain/snow shoes in case of rain/snow.
- During wintertime, there will be adjustments to the itinerary since archaeological sites close earlier, usually at 3 pm, compared to the extended hours of 5-7 pm in the summer.
- These changes might affect the timing of visits and require planning ahead to ensure all sites are explored within the limited daylight hours.
Included
- Transfers/transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Four (4) nights at the Kouros hotel, in Drama
- Half board ( 4 breakfasts and 4 dinners).
- Guided tours, transfers, tours, as mentioned in the program.
- Experienced driver leader/guide
- Liability insurance.
Not included
- Entrance fees to museums, attractions and archaeological sites.
- Meals other than half board.
- Drinks, soft drinks during meals.
- Personal expenses.
- Anything not mentioned in the inclusions.
- With your reservation, please tell your travel advisor if you want a double bed or two singles so that it can be requested from the hotel (we request it from the hotel, it is entered as a priority and given upon availability). The office bears no responsibility. You also inform us if there is any allergy or dietary habit or anything else we need to know for the best execution of the program, for example a mobility problem, etc. In case of special dietary requests, eg lactose-free, gluten-free, etc., it is not certain that the hotel can provide it.
- Limited number of single & triple rooms, please contact your travel advisor first.
- The flow of the program may change even during your stay, if necessary.
- Entrances to caves, archaeological sites, museums, etc. are not included. Because in Greece there are special discounts according to age etc. they are paid individually locally and you must bring your ID or proof with which you can get a discount.
- For the Christmas or New Year’s gala, you register and pay in Athens. The cost of €70 & €95 respectively per person is in addition to the half board package. For those who do not choose it, they will have the normal dinner in another lace of the hotel and at an earlier time than the gala.
