Private tours in Greece: Drama.

Valleys and mountains. Refuges and ski resorts. Glorious forests. Flocks of birds. Fertile soil, endless tobacco plantations. Caves with enormous stalactites. Rivers that burble gently. Magical scenery. Hospitable people with warm smiles. The prefectural capital, Drama, lies at the foot of Mt. Falakro, which the locals call "the mountain of the flowers".

This mountain of remarkable beauty boasts ski slopes for winter sports enthusiasts and four well-equipped refuges for climbers. The town, drenched in greenery and flowers thanks to its abundant water, looms above the valley filled with tobacco fields as far as the eye can see.

Why not take a hike through the wonderful forest of Elatia (70 km north of Drama), where amongst the pines, oaks and beech, the red fir, a very rare tree in this country whose height often reaches 50 meters, grows. Southeast of Drama (10 km) is the pretty market town of Doxato, with facilities for tourists and a reputation for fun and high spiritis. The Bounar-Bassi springs, a corner of Paradise with running streams and enormous trees, are just 3 km away at the foot of Kouslari, a low mountain.

USEFUL INFORMATION

MARA'S CAVE: at Kokinogies, 20 km from Drama. It is filled with stunning colored stalactites, some of which are 2 m. in diameter with tips reaching the water's surface.

FALAKRO SKI CENTER: 42 km from Drama. It is a difficult slope. altitude 1750 m., 1000 m long. Tel.: (25210) 33.054, 33049.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING (Refugees)

FALAKRO

a) Refuge at Bartisseva, alt. 1141 m., 40 km. from Drama, sleeps 16 people.

b) at Kouri, alt. 1400 m., 2 hours walk from Pirgi village, 1 hour 30 min. from Volaka, sleeps 16 people.

c) at Horos, alt. 1700 m., 4 hours 30 min. from refuge B and 3 hours from Volaka, sleeps 20 people.

All the refuges have beds, mattresses and blankets, heating, water, and a kitchen

d) at Agio Pnevma (at the Falakro ski center) no facilities for spending the night. Information and keys: EOS (Alpine Society) Drama, tel.: (25210) 33.054.

FISHING

In the Nestos River and its tributaries.