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The
town of Kilkis is the capital of the prefecture of the same
name. Agios Georgios (St.George) Hill dominates the town,
which is spread out at its feet. The post-Byzantine church of
St.George graces its summit; built in 1832, known for its rare
frescoes. At the foot of the hill of St.George there is a
two-floor cave (spelaeo), which is amongst the 17 more
important caves in Greece and internationally. It covers over
1000m. It is beautifully decorated with stalagmites and
stalactites, and it has healing qualities (spelaeotherapy).On
the hill there is also a tourist pavilion, an amphitheatre, a
heroes' monument, and a war museum dedicated to the battle of Kilkis (1913). Picturesque Goumenissa, located 50km from
Kilkis, built on the slopes of Mount Paiko, has quaint, narrow
alleyways and charming old traditional houses.
A tasty wine and
strong spirits (tsipouro) are local specialties. Just 6
kilometres southwest of Goumenissa is the village and the
important archaeological site of Europos. The exhibits at the
Archaeological Museum of Kilkis (Nomarchia) include a rare
archaic sculptures (kouros) and findings, which date from the
Neolithic era to the Roman times. At the village of Palio
Gynekokastro, the ruins of an impressive Byzantine fort are
worthwhile visiting. In the northern part of the prefecture is
located the Lake Doiran and River Axios, with a rich natural
environment and waters suitable for swimming. There is a
marina for fishing boats and yachts. In Doirani village
taverns offer a rich variety of delicacies fished from the
lake. The splendidly situated Chilia Dendra, 4km from Doirani
village is ideal for holidays. The west region of the
prefecture is Mount Paiko (1500m above sea level). The ascent
of Mount Paiko offers scenic views, thickly wooded slopes,
streams and picturesque small villages. On the border of the
Kilkis and Thessaloniki prefectures is located the Lake
Pikrolimni, one of the most important therapeutic lakes of
Greece with a fully organized clay therapy centre situated on
its shore. Finally, at Kolchis parish, one can see ruined
tombs from the 4th century AD and an Early Christian
settlement (6th century).
How to
get there:
From Athens
and Salonika by bus (KTEL) and train (OSE).
From abroad via border stations at Evzoni and Doirani (by car)
or Idomeni (by train).
At Doirani there is a customs office, tourist information
office and foreign exchange facilities of the National Bank of
Greece.
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