Soufli

Soufli is the city of silk, known beyond the borders of Greece for its handmade silk embroidery. According to historians, the city was founded in the 16th century by refugees from the legendary village of Souli in Epirus who fiercely opposed Turkish rule. The town is one of the few centers in Greece where silk was produced. It is therefore not surprising that many mulberry trees can be found in and around Soufli.

Nowadays, almost no silk is produced anymore, because the production process has become too expensive and the inhabitants can no longer compete with producers from the Far East, for example. You can still visit the sublime “Silk Museum”, where you can get a good view of the entire production process as well as its historical evolution in this region.

In the town, you will find many old mansions that testify to the economic prosperity that Soufli knew in the 19th century and until the middle of the last century. Some of the old “koukoulospita” have been renovated and turned into inns or cultural centers, while new efforts are also being made to revive silk production in the city.

Further points of interest in the city are the churches of Agios Georgios, Agios Athanassios and the Prophet Elias (Ilias) church. The folklore museum is also a must. The old Gymnasium (Gymnasio) and the 1st primary school are also interesting architecturally and reflect the high social and economic development that Soufli knew.

Today, Soufli is a quiet town of about 5,000 inhabitants, less than a kilometer from the Evros River, which separates Greece  from Turkey.