Guide of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

The Municipality of Orfanos covers an area of 201 Km2 and has a population of 4,453 inhabitants. Due to the existence of almost 7,000 summer resorts, this population ascends to 100,000 people during the summer. The Municipality is seated at Galyspos and it includes the districts of Akropotamos, Galyspos, Karyani, Kokkinochori, Ofrynio, Orfanio and Podochori. The inhabitants are mostly involved in the cultivation of vineyards, olive trees, almond-trees and wheat.
Acropotamos is known to the scientists for both the Neolithic and the Hellenistic finds. In addition, there are many finds dating to the early Byzantine times as well as a small settlement. During the Byzantine period, the inhabitants moved from the valley towards the mountain and this also happened in the beginning of the Turkish domination, when small mountain settlements were founded there. After the First World War and the tragedy of 1922, the inhabitants gradually descended again at the valley.
In Orfani, today an agricultural economy centre, ruins of the ancient city of Phagres are found, along with the castle of Contessa, which is a Venetian fortress in the bay of Orfanos. Finds at Podochori suggest that the settlement dates from the Brozne Age, whereas a prehistoric settlement is found between Podochori and Akropotamos. In the surrounding area, evidence on the existence of an old aqueduct was found that begins from “Manna toy Nerou” and probably served for the water supply of Podochori and famous Amphipolis. In the position of Palaioklisia of Lefki, again in Podochori, there is an Early Christian basilica with its walls painted in rich chromatic tones and decorated with mosaic revetments.