Nestos Gorge

The Nestos leaves the Rhodope mountains through a gorge about twenty kilometres long, swinging in enormous meanders below wooded cliffs where the river has cut through hard rock rather than around it. The classic walk is the old cobbled path known as the Kremasti Gefyra route, hung along the cliff wall above the water between Galani and the Toxotes gate, taking three to four hours one way, with the railway line crossing the gorge on bridges and disappearing into tunnels alongside. Kayaking and rafting run in spring, and the whole area is protected as part of the Nestos delta and Rhodope national park. The forest is a mix of plane, oak and pine, and the gorge is a corridor for wildlife, including bears moving down from the mountains.

What you actually see

• The meanders - great river loops seen from viewpoints above the gorge.
• The hanging path - an old cobbled trail cut into the cliff above the water.
• The railway - bridges and tunnels threading the same narrow valley.
• The riverside forest - plane and oak woodland along the banks.

When to go

Spring for water and green, autumn for colour; summer is hot but swimming in the river compensates. Winter rain can make the cliff path slippery and dangerous.

Honest expectations

The hanging path is exposed in places with drops to the river and is not for anyone uneasy with heights. Transport back from the far end must be arranged. Signage is patchy, and some sections have suffered rockfall.

Nearby

Xanthi's old town lies east; the Nestos delta and Keramoti beaches are south.