It is official, Fanari has been occupied by Bulgaria!

Today we arrived in Greece! We are very excited and we are dying to see the Aegean Sea in person hahaha All those amazing pictures of the Greek beaches people post on the Internet are about to become real. We can’t wait! So we are heading directly to the beach! We will explore Northern Greece, starting with Fanari and its surroundings. Are you ready?

Where is Fanari?

Fanari or Fanarion (official name) is a small village located on the seaside in northern Greece. Take your map and follow these references. Based on Google Maps calculations, Fanari is:

• 386 km (4 hr. 35 min.) from Sofia (София), Bulgaria (BG).
• 201 km (3 hrs. 5 min.) from Plovdiv, BG.
• 106 km (1 hr. 26 min.), from Kardzhali (Кърджали), BG.
• 235 km (2 hr. 45 min), from Tekirdağ, Türkiye (TR).
• 88 km (1 hr 10 min), from Alexandroupoli, Greece (GR).
• 32 km (30 min.), from Komotini, GR.
• Xhanti 37 km (34 min.), from Xhanti, GR.

Fanari belongs to the Municipality of Komotini of the Regional Unit of Rodopi. It is a littoral settlement. It is 16 meters above sea level. Its population is estimated at 700 permanent residents.

What is the meaning of Fanari?

Fanari means lighthouse. The name comes from the Greek φάρος (fáros). The village was named Fanari because its original center was established on the headland where the lighthouse was.

History of Fanari

When you arrive in Fanari village and see its beauty and the awesome Aegean sea, you barely reckon about its history. It’s like “Who cares? It is beautiful! That’s it!” hahaha. But come on! A bit of history does not hurt! hahaha.

Fanari's foundation goes back to 1923 when the Peace Treaty of Lausanne was signed. The objective was to establish the borders, exchange war prisoners, and relocate civilians after the war between Greece and Türkiye. Fanari and other villages around were founded by Greek refugees from Eastern Thrace, currently, Türkiye. Fishing, agriculture, and trade were the main activities in Fanari.

During World War II, Fanari, like many other Greek villages, was impacted by the German occupation. Locals took part in the resistance against the occupying forces. After the war ended, Fanari’s reconstruction and development took place. Fishing and agriculture (olive groves, vineyards, etc.) remained as main activities.

During the latest decades, Fanari has modernized and improved its infrastructure, transportation, and amenities. Residents’ quality of life has become better and the village more accessible for visitors. That is how, Fanari is now an important tourist spot in Rodopi, both for locals and tourists from neighboring countries like Bulgaria, Türkiye, Romania, and Serbia!

Since the moment we arrived in Fanari, the Bulgarian presence was very clear. We can say that roughly, from every 10 cars in Fanari, 6 had Bulgarian plates.

What to do in Fanari?

Fanari is a small village ideal for you to relax and enjoy the beach, nature, and that slow pace coastal spots offer. It is the ideal destination if you are looking for a beautiful, comfortable, and quiet place to rest. Although the increase of tourists the village has experienced during recent years, it is not as crowded as other popular destinations in Greece. Besides, we arrived in May 2023 and we found only the local people and a few tourists, mostly Bulgarians. Some of them were there only for short stays, like a day or a weekend. May is still low season so if you arrive in July or August, for sure you will find more visitors.

What to do in Fanari? Well, of course, you can explore the village and its surroundings, but you can also enjoy the awesome pleasure of doing nothing… Ok, nothing more than jumping into the sea, enjoying the beach, and fulfilling your soul with the beautiful landscape and your belly with delicious Greek food and drinks. This was a very tempting plan we did not refuse! Hahaha. Ok, here you have what to do in Fanari!

Swim and enjoy the beaches

Fanari owns beautiful beaches, one (the longest) has the blue flag tag, an indicator of quality standards and environmental safety. The beaches are pleasantly sandy! During May, the water is cool, some can say “still cold”, but we will say, just a little bit cold. And honestly, to have this beauty only for yourself, without sharing it with hundreds of tourists, is worth not waiting until the high season (Summer). The shallow waters of these beautiful beaches are a big plus for families, kids, and people who don’t know how to swim. The currents at the time we were there were very calm.

We were moving from beach to beach only to change the view. Here kind of our daily routine there:

• Beach at the port of Fanari. We visited it for an early swim. The only people we saw there, were local fishermen working on their boats and Bulgarian fishermen who enjoy this activity as a hobby. It was easy to enjoy the tranquility of this nice, sandy, and for moments, a bit rocky beach.

• Central beach. We moved to the central beach in front of the restaurants and cafes to have meals, and delicious hot coffee and cold Greek coffee (frappé, freddo espresso, or freddo cappuccino). Since the restaurants are here, they are a magnet for people. We were very lucky because, by the time we were there, neither the restaurants nor the beach were crowded. Only during the weekend, more visitors arrived to have a coffee or spend the day in the village.

• Arogi-Fanari Beach. This is the longest beach in Fanari. After breakfast, we walked on this beach that connects Fanari with the nearby village called Arogi. You can walk as long as you want on this pleasant, sandy, and peaceful beach. The absence of commerce or big development around makes this area more secluded and tranquil. You only need to take with you water and sunblock! That is it!

Fishing

We have not trained for fishing yet, but as we told you before, we found Bulgarian enthusiasts of this activity there. One day, while enjoying the sunrise, we greeted some fishermen in Greek, “Καλημέρα (Kalimera)!”. Then, they answered, “добро утро (dobro utro)!” hahaha. Come on! They were Bulgarians! Hahaha. They ruined what with thought was our first friendly encounter with Greek people. But they gave us a fun time and some cool tips for fishing!

They were from the southern city of Kardzhali, BG. For them to visit Fanari is a relaxing hobby together with fishing. They like so much the shallow and clear waters of the Aegean Sea, so they come to spend long stays, especially during the Summer, but also a day or several hours only to relax, fish, and get back home (Bulgaria) with fresh fish for dinner. If you are into making new friends, meeting Bulgarians can be another cool thing what to do in Fanari, Greece hahaha.

Cycling around

Tourists carrying their bicycles in their cars or campers was a constant while being in Fanari. Luckily, the landlord of the apartment we rented offered us bicycles to go around. It is not a rule but you can rent a bicycle or motorbike in some guest houses and hotels. It is a great way to go around Fanari village, its beaches and even to reach the next villages for more exploration. The terrain is mostly flat, the roads are good and we felt the whole area was pretty safe.

Sunset and sunrise spotting

Words can’t express how big fans of sunsets we are! The horizon in front of you, defined by the immensity and clarity of the sea, together with the changing colors of the sky that are reflected in the sea, wow! It is perfect! And very romantic too hahaha. Well, a big advantage of this village is that not only sunsets but also awesome sunrises can be seen in Fanari. We admired great sunsets from the beach at the port and lovely sunrises from the Arogi-Fanari beach. This is only a personal preference, you can choose your favorite place for spotting sunsets and sunrises, and get amazing postcards (pics).

Taste Greek gastronomy

Fanari is a small fishermen's village, M is a fish lover so he expected to find an attractive variety of fish and seafood on the restaurants’ menus. Honestly, he was not impressed. The reason? He is Bulgarian and the fish offered in the menus are very common in the Black Sea coast too. You will find sardines and anchovies pretty much everywhere. There are other choices like burgers, pizzas, pasta, salads, pork, lamb, chicken, etc. We stuck to the Greek souvlaki and gyros. So, the fish variety was not impressive, but the Greek seasoning is good. You can eat tasty stuff from the morning to the night.

In a couple of restaurants, we saw that the fish was not fresh. The reason people gave was that during the low season, it is not lucrative to fish every single day. Ok, the problem for fish lovers is that being in a fishing village, you don’t feel like eating refrigerated fish. We choose places with fresh fish. Ultimately, it's a matter of taste.

One note here, menus are written in Greek, English, and BULGARIAN! So it is official, Fanari has been occupied by Bulgaria and locals know it well.

Drink Greek beverages

Beverages deserve a special mention because they are delicious and essential for Greeks' daily lives. The day can’t be started properly without a shot of hot coffee or even a cold one if the weather is already warm. Then, all along the day, you will see people drinking their different cold coffee choices, frappé, freddo espresso, or freddo cappuccino. They are delicious! Very early in this trip, we happily joined the Greek way hahaha. Later, after enjoying your meals, a shot of Ouzo or Tsipouro will be the digestive you need to reach “Nirvana” hahaha or just to hit the pillow to enjoy a nap. When it is to pleasures, Greeks are experts!

What to visit around Fanari?

If you want to explore more, the surroundings of Fanari will keep you entertained. This area is not as developed as other very famous cities or Greek islands. A large area houses natural ecosystems that have been left untouched to naturally flourish. Only 12 km north of Fanari is the Nestos National Park. You won’t see big and luxurious resorts, but nature and villages with a much more relaxed vibe. We love places like those still exist! These are our recommendations.

Porto Lagos and the Monastery Agios Nikolaos

Only 15 km (16 min. By car) northwest of Fanari, you will find Porto Lagos, where you can visit the Agios Nikolaos monastery (Xhanti region). It is an attraction because the complex was built on two small islets of the Porto Lagos lagoon, connected by a wooden bridge. On one islet, the Agios Nikolaos is. On the other, the Panagia Pantanassa chappel. The monastery seems to be floating framed by all that natural surroundings and enjoying an astonishing view, of the Thracian sea. It is an active place for believers and tourists.

Lake Vistonida

From the moment you arrive in Porto Lagos, you will see Lake Vistonida. You can explore more of this beautiful lake, home to different and interesting fauna. It is an ideal spot for nature lovers, photographers, and bird-watching enthusiasts. Pink flamingos are beautiful and popular there (March-October). All the region where Lake Vistonida lays is a protected habitat.

Arogi village

Only 4 km east of Fanari, Arogi village is. It is another calm place, very similar to Fanari, but still a good alternative for exploration. Nature is the constant there, nice beaches, nature trails for hiking, traditional Greek architecture, tasty local cuisine, and beverages.

Where to stay in Fanari?

Accommodation in Fanari won’t be a problem! The village has a lot of guest houses, small hotels, apartments you can rent (different sizes and costs)., and a camping site. Just consider that during the low season, many of these places are closed, so the choices get reduced.

It is official, Fanari has been occupied by Bulgaria!

Bulgarians are big fans of Greece! Especially in northern Greece, we felt like we were still somewhere in Bulgaria. Daily, we found Bulgarians either at the beaches, on the road, at restaurants, in the accommodation, or in supermarkets. Greek people in the area also speak Bulgarian. We only can say, that the beauty of Greece is astonishing! It is impossible not to be conquered by it.

Conclusion

Fanari was our first stop on this trip through Northern Greece and it was perfect! We haven't enjoyed ourselves and relaxed as we did it here, a long time ago. The village has not the glam of the most famous Greek cities and islands but exactly that makes it very charming. We recommend you include Fanari in your travel list!