Not one, not two, but 61 water streams cross the most northerly island in the Aegean Sea. Some are small, and some are big. Before pouring into the sea, they form waterfalls that end up in lakes - the famous pedestals.
These natural swimming pools enrich the natural landscape of Samothrace and are a popular destination for visitors to the island. Gria Vathra is one of the island's most famous pedestals, or, more correctly, a complex of lakes and waterfalls.
The pedestal is located near Therma Loutra and is surrounded by dense and moist vegetation.
To visit it, you will take the path from Therma, which is easy at the beginning but more demanding afterwards. The hike up to the first two pedestals is very easy and suitable for everyone. To continue to the third pedestal, you must swim to the second.
From here, it is advisable to go up with an experienced guide, as the ascent is much more difficult from the third pedestal onwards. However, the truly dreamlike scenery rewards the brave and those in good physical condition.
At this point, you will have to climb a rather steep rock to find yourself on a beautiful, small, and shallow pedestal with a waterfall. Here, you will enjoy a natural hydromassage, an experience you will remember for a long time.
Then you have to step step by step on the rocks on the side of this first waterfall and climb like this to the next fairly large and deep platform that is a little higher. Here, a strong rope hangs from a large plane tree.
Visitors use this to make their dives, although many fall straight off the rocks.
In this way, the ascent continues in this exotic part of Samothrace, which is easier and more difficult in some places. Small and large pedestals and natural spas are found in the calm waters and under the shade of centuries-old plane trees.
A wide variety of trees, from beautiful sycamores to oleanders, ligatures, ferns, and mints, give off fresh scents, birds and cicadas chirp deafeningly, and dragonflies in beautiful colours can be seen.
This is Gria Vathra, one of the beauties of Samothrace. It is definitely worth a visit since it combines exercise—walking, climbing, and swimming—with a view of a fantastic landscape and relaxation in the natural hydro massage.
And, of course, on the way back, after so much effort, it's worth a stop at one of the tavernas that await you when you leave the path.
Eri Sfaelo is a columnist for Travel. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
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