By the river Ardas, in the organized recreation area, is located the municipal refreshment hall, offering the chance to visitors to relax and chill out.  

The municipal refreshment hall is an elegant building covering a surface of 233 m2, which was constructed in 1994 in proportion to the surrounding space; it is worth paying a visit in every season of the year, in order to enjoy local cuisine tastes next to landscape of unique beauty. 

Nature lovers can roam in the forest, growing along the course of river Ardas, within an extremely important –on a national level- natural resort.The flora and fauna of this important ecosystem are composed of:a) Trees and shrubs such as:broadleaf oak (Qercus frenetto), sagebrushoak (Qercus cerris), ash tree (Fraxinus ornus), cedar (Juniperus oxycedrus), wild rose (Rosa sp), cornus (Cornus mas, C. sanguinea), hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), paliouri (Paliurus spina-christi),poplar (Populus alba, P.tremula), platanus (platanus orientalis), willow (Salix alba), alder (Alnus glutinosa) etc., b)Birds such as: Little Erget (Egretta garzetta), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Syrian woodpecker (Dendrocopus syriacus), Levant sparrow hawk (Accipiter brevipes), Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus), lesser grey shrike (Lanius minor), wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos), black stork (Ciconianigra), etc. and c) Fishsuch as:(Leuciscus-cephalus), northern pike (Esox lucius), Wels catfish (Silurus glanis), (Lucioperca-lucioperca), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), European perch (Perca fluviatilis), common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus), Mediterranean or southern Barbel (Barbus meridionalis), Corfu toothcarp (Valencia letourneuxi), etc.1,2Water is the dominating element, hence the area is ideal for recreation and natural exercise, even for athletic activities. The entire region is part of the Νatura 2000 network.

In the area of the municipal refreshment hall, within a green area larger than 150 acres, takes place every summer, in the last week of July, the meeting of youth from the entire country as well as the Balkans, one of the most popular musical festivals in Greece and beyond. Five days full of music, next to the river. Apart from concerts by famous artists of the Greek music scene, parallel events take place, such as screenings, presentations, exhibitions as well as athletic events, theatrical performances, volunteers’ activities, eco-tourism excursions and many other similar events. “Young” people of all ages meet and camp by the “river of culture”, from where, guided by music and several other parallel activities, they send out the message of peaceful coexistence. 3

Sources:

1. Municipality of Orestiada (2014). Ardas river. Informative publication in the framework of the project Cross Border Recreation Area of Maritsa River (Svilengrad) and Ardas River (Kastanies)/C.B.R.A.O.M.R.A.A.R.. Orestiada:Municipalityof Orestiada
2. GR001 Riverside forest of North Evros and Arda. Available at: http://www.ornithologiki.gr/page_iba.php. [Accessed April 20, 2020]
3. Meeting of young Ardas. Available at: http://ardasfestivalfans.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_229.html#ixzz2Z8pnyOjB. [Accessed April 20, 2020]