Guide of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

The Municipality of Keramoti is located at the southeast of Kavala and includes six villages: Keramoti, Agiasma, Monastiraki, Nea Karna, Piges and Chaidefto. It is seated at Keramoti, which is built on the cove of the bay under the same name, at the Nestos Delta, just opposite the bright green island of Thasos. The municipality has a population of 6,312 inhabitants, whose main occupations are agriculture, livestock farming, fishery and tourism.
In the antiquity, the area was populated by the Thracian tribes of the Bistonians and the Bisaltians. The Macedonians conquered the area under Philip and Alexander the Great. During that period, the Nestos Delta was a real jungle, where, according to Aristotle, lions among other animals lived. Afterwards, it was occupied by the Romans and later formed part of the Byzantine empire, when it was completely hellenized. Many incursions of the Huns, Goths, Bulgarians, Slavs, Franks and others took place. In the 14th century, the area was conquered by the Turks. In 1913, this area together with Western Thrace was ceded to Bulgaria but in 1920, it was incorporated in the Greek state by virtue of the Treaty of Sevres. In 1923, sixty families of refugees from the town of Exastero in Eastern Thrace settled in the sandy beach and founded the village of Keramoti that developed into a touristic place in the 1970’s due to its beautiful beaches and the picturesque small port.
In this environment of unique beauty visitors find one of the best destinations to spend their summer holidays. One may find a place for fishing, many kilometres of sandy beach with crystal clear waters, or buy fresh fish. The largest fish and mussel farms in the Prefecture of Kavala are found here. Keramoti has a capacity of almost 500 beds in hotels, furnished apartments and rooms to rent. There are also many restaurants, taverns, bars, confectioneries, cafés and shops of popular art. The village can be reached by car from Xanthi or Kavala. There are ferries to Thasos every hour (it is a half-hour journey). There are two daily flights to Athens and many flights to the whole of Europe during the week (both regular and charter flights).
70% of the population are refugees from the unforgettable homelands of Eastern Thrace, 20% are Sarakatsans and the rest originates from Asia Minor and Pontus; they still preserve intact many manners and customs like the celebration of the feast of Epiphany, when many people congregate to attend the Blessing of Waters. In the second ten days of July, the music festival called “Plai sto kyma” (By the sea) takes place, which is one of the most important in Northern Greece. The celebrations of the Nautical Week are held every two years on the last Saturday of June. The municipality’s open celebration of the feast of Shrove Monday takes place in the “Alsos ton Pigon” that is the grove of the springs. The municipality’s open celebration of the 1st of May takes place in Palaia Karna and Nea Karna, and the Farmer’s Day is celebrated every first weekend of June in Nea Kerna.