‘City of Waterfalls’ Home to Stunning Natural Scenery
By: Dr. George Hatzigiannis
Tags: Edessa, Vacation, Greece, Holiday, Travel

The natural beauty of Greece rivals its extraordinary history, and the waterfalls of Edessa are a prime example of its natural wonders. Visitors looking to escape the crowds of summer that flock to Greece will find a peaceful, relaxing destination in Edessa, where the sounds of its 70-meter waterfall drift through the town.

Location and history

Edessa, which means “tower in the water,” is located in Macedonia in Northern Greece on a bluff that overlooks the Loudhiás River. The city was built around the Skirtos (now known as the Edhessaíos), a fast-flowing stream responsible for creating the beautiful waterfalls that have made the city famous.

In ancient times, Edessa was located along the Via Egnitia, a road connecting the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. A bridge built by the Romans or Byzantines in the town still stands. Over the centuries, Edessa has been the target of Turks, Bulgarians, Serbs, and Byzantines, but in 1912, it became part of Greece.

Edessa is about 345 kilometers north of Athens, and it can be reached via car, bus, plane, or train. Land travel takes an average of six hours regardless of the mode of transportation, and air passengers must fly from Athens to a nearby city, such as Thessaloniki, and then take ground transportation to Edessa.

The waterfalls

The waterfalls of Edessa have evolved over the centuries. Until the 14th century, the Eddessaios river, which supplies the waterfalls, ran from the foothills of the Pindus Mountains to the west of the town and collected in a small lake. However, due to a unique geological shift, the water switched direction and ran through the city, and the lake dried up. Visitor accounts from the 17th and 18th centuries describe Edessa as a city on a rock where waterfalls cascade. Today, one large waterfall and two smaller ones fall over the cliff.

The city now is traversed by many smaller rivers snaking out from the Eddessaios. As visitors stroll around the city, which includes walks over numerous small bridges, they are treated to the peaceful sounds of running water. The main water is about 70 meters high, and centuries of aquatic sculpting have created interesting geological formations in the rocks around it.

For many years, Edessa’s waterfalls were hidden from view because of the area’s steep hills and thick vegetation — only the most adventurous beat a path through the weeds to view them. In the early 1940s, when Germans occupied the town, residents began sprucing up the city by planting flowerbeds and installing ponds. However, the citywide landscaping fell by the wayside during a civil war, and it wasn’t until the early 1960s that residents began to build paths to the waterfalls, including stairs that that offered several vantage points along the way.

Today, the falls are easily accessible to visitors, and the majestic cascade is surrounded by tall trees and flowers. Visitors also can walk behind the falls, getting a look at the backside of the curtain of water and a cave covered by falling water on the lower level. The nearby smaller Lamda falls cascade into turquoise pools.

The Open-Air Water Museum and aquarium

The area around the waterfalls is filled with tourist-friendly amenities, including restaurants and a hotel. The unique Open-Air Water Museum highlights Edessa’s history as a water-based industry, dating back to the 15th century during Ottoman rule. Visitors can view the water-power mills that once ground wheat and sesame, as well as pre-industrial workshops, centuries-old plaster buildings, and old mills with equipment that was used through the 1960s. Because water is so abundant in Edessa, people have found ways to harness its power for hundreds of years, whether it was powering tanneries or serving as an energy source for powering individual homes.

The nearby aquarium, found at the Giannakis watermill, is home to snakes, turtles, eels, and baby crocodiles.

Edessa’s Folklore Museum

While the waterfalls are a natural testament to Edessa’s history, the area also is home to evidence of more than 3,000 years of humans living in the area. About 450 meters south of the falls, visitors can see ruins of the ancient town, including the agora and an inscribed column that dates to the Roman era.

Visitors also can stop by the Folklore Museum in the area. It features exhibits that showcase the daily lives of Edessa residents from the 19th century through the 1950s, including an exhibit featuring local clothing and another highlighting rural interests such as raising cattle. The museum is closed on Mondays, and admission is 1.5 euros (children younger than 12 are free).

Whether you choose to stay in Edessa or make it a day trip from Thessaloniki, this city of waterfalls will be a one-of-a-kind experience on your Greek vacation.