Agia Varvara Park

The green Park of Agia Varvara, with its huge plane trees, small lakes and wooden bridges, certainly does not resemble an ordinary Greek city. It is the trademark of Drama and has been included in the 60 most beautiful parks in Europe, as part of the Culture 2000 program.

The design of the space was based on a study by the Technical University of Thessaloniki, which won the first prize in Hamburg as the best study – utilization of a tourist space. The first visitor information center for the Rhodope Mountain range operates in the park of Agia Varvara.

The setting of the park is of amazing natural beauty and is a true oasis within the urban fabric of the city. In an idyllic location with nature at its best, with taverns, traditional watermills, an open-air theater and recreational areas on an area of ​​60 acres, it is a reference point for any activity, from a simple walk to the international events that take place there every year.

It is a very important wetland, where hundreds of tourists visit it every day to enjoy the beautiful scenery, with ducks, geese and swans that make it look like a page from a fairy tale.

Drama is a city built on water. The central sources of these waters are located in the Garden and in Agia Varvara. The crystal-clear waters of Agia Varvara have an interesting animal wealth: in the evenings one can distinguish crayfish and small bream in the underground lights, while in the more rapid waters there are trout and red mullet.

The park got its name from the church of Agia Varvara that is located there, with tradition stating that during the Ottoman occupation, when an attempt was made to demolish the church, so that it could be built in place of the mosque, the church was covered by the current’s waters of the area and thus was saved. Thus, on the day of Agia Barbara on December 4, the people of Drama, in memory of the miracle, light candles, which they place on boats that float on the lake, creating a beautiful sight.